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Starting Member
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Last Login: 4/26/2012 5:01:20 PM
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We have a pair of Pygmy doe adults that we have had for some time now, and we have now bought a 3 week old Toggenburg buckling. When our pygmies see the little guy, they either charge and ram him, or run off.
To help keep him company, our barn cat tom, has "taken him under his wing", as both are about the same size. It is to the point that if the toggenburg calls, Jinx (the cat) comes running to see what is the problem, and vice versa.
I am a bit worried about how this "imprinting" will affect the buck when he grows up, and how it will affect bonding with other goats, particularly as we plan to get a few wethers to keep him company later on.
Any thoughts?
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 6/4/2011 10:14:18 AM
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| The Tog buckling is a much larger breed than the Pygmy does. In a few short weeks, or maybe two-three months, he will be about the same size as they are and will fend for himself... Although, at that point you would want to keep him separated from the does for breeding safety. If he were to breed with one of the pygmy does, she would be at risk of dying during birth/labor. That is, of coarse, if the doe doesn't force a miscarriage... it is always a MUCH safer route to have a doe be a larger breed than the buck so that she can pass the baby safely threw labor. If breeding is not your intent (I hope not), than I use two stalls next to each other with the middle stall wall having spaces about 4 inches apart. This allows the goats to see each other, still giving them "their own territory". After a week or two I take one board down, allowing the goats to touch noses and smell each other. It can take a month, or sometimes several months, to be able to take all the walls down safely. As far as the cat, I don't think it should pose a problem... the buck will just be well rounded in nature.
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Starting Member
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I have no intention of breeding the pygmies with the Toggenberg. I am just concerned about how the smaller pygmy, Buttercup, reacts to the Toggenberg, considering that one of our horse stalls has a broken door and divider from her ramming and killing a small coyote by bashing it into the stall.
We are trying to figure out how to acclimatize the pygmies to the tog, without having a huge cat with horns on the farm.
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 6/4/2011 10:14:18 AM
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| Have you had any changes yet? Pygmies are known for their "cocky" attitudes. I finally have my Pygmies in with my full sized does, it took about 4 months to do it safely. Part of the issue is also about territory right now, you might try introducing them outside, put two piles of hay a few feet apart and every few days move them closer together until they are only 6 inches apart and standing next to each other to eat. Out of the stall is normally the safest place to introduce because the animals have room to run to safety if there is danger :)
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 4/26/2012 5:01:20 PM
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Things did not go well for the little Toggenburg. The other goats came to accept him and our big tom cat into their group. Unfortunately, the toggenburg, was beaten and stabbed to death by a trespasser. We lost a few of our new goats in such a way.
Our black pygmy has a limp now from a rather nasty stab that she took that damaged a few leg muscles. Considering the cloth and blood around her horn points and trickling down the driveway, it would seem that our coyote killing doe also deals out damage to tresspassers.
The guy who did that inadvertantly turned himself in to the police, claiming that he did not see the no tresspassing signs and thought he had the right to bunk down in my barn without even asking.
He tried to extort money, food, and my car for "silence", as we "owe" him since none of our no tresspassing signs are in spanish, and are "not valid".
Even better: as he is here illegally, and essentially fessed up to a number of crimes, is now being processed for deportation.
We were not the only farmers hit by this guy, so I am glad to see him go.
By the way, the tom cat has become very hostile withe the loss of his friend.
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Average Member
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Last Login: 5/3/2012 6:26:10 PM
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I am sorry to hear of such creulty. With all his "demands", and excuses, that still is no reason to hurt an innocent animal.
Livin to learn
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 5/16/2012 10:09:16 AM
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Score one for the goat! I hope she makes it. I love my pygmies, even though they can be little brats. I lost a couple to dogs and a couple more to escapes and it is gut-wrenching.
M. and D.
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Starting Member
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| Buttercup did not make it. The wound from her being stabbed opened up and she bled to death on the way to the vet.
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 5/7/2012 10:11:18 AM
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I hope God somebody kills the sonofafemale dog.
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