Getting to keep goats quiet can be quite the dilemma. It is very much like a work-out session as they can keep you very busy just like your fitness instructor would.
Goats can be annoying, stubborn and restless. In addition to these, they can get really unbearably noisy sometimes. This is especially so with the Nurbian goats and their associated breeds.
However, your mission to keep your goats quiet does not have to be an impossible one.
Some of the tips to keeping goats quiet include:
- Have a routine and maintain the pattern
- Allow time to happen
- Give them space
- Let them cry
- Be sure you are ready for goats
- Never undervalue the power of a nice treat
- Ensure they have a companion!
All you have to do is observe the tips recommended in this post and you can rest assured that your headache over screaming goats will be well taken care of.
7 Steps to Keep Goats Quiet
Here are some really helpful tips on how to keep your goat quiet.
Have a Routine and Maintain the Pattern:
You will have to follow through a particular routine. This is because every goat likes the idea of routines. The reason for that may be because routine boosts their feeling of security. Your goats will feel at-ease, knowing the activities that are going to transpire on a daily basis. This is especially so when they know what time they will be getting fed. This is, for the goats, the very best part of the routine of their lives for the day. At the start, they will keep bleating and screaming for food whenever they like. However, when they discover their shouting no longer pays, they start studying the pattern.
As a result, you need to maintain discipline for the goats and yourself. Determine what the most appropriate time for feeding them should be, and hold on to it! As mentioned just a bit earlier, the disciplinary measure is not just on the goats but also on you the breeder because if the goats begin to study the routine, and you fail to deliver at the appointed time, they do not hesitate to resume the bleating chorus. So take note.
Allow Time to Happen:
It is a common saying that time heals. In the psychology of goats, this statement is totally valid.
Each goat is distinct when it comes to the issue of adapting to their new home and surrounding. It is possible that your goats came from two or more varied herds. They may be meeting one another for the first time, and are definitely meeting you for the first time as well. Many of the goats may have the tendency to adapt relatively rapidly, while others may be quite slow. It may take a few months to get them to adapt – say two or three months.
Give Them Space:
Goats generally live in herds, and can be observant. They get used to one another and whatever or whoever they see frequently. If you don’t give them some space, you will definitely (and unfortunately) be hurriedly labeled as one of them or as one of their herd mates.
Goats can be so sweet, you know? Once they label you as a herd mate and you then decide to give them space at that point, they would think you are lost. They will then begin “calling” you to return home for your safety (and this, to you, will be some real screaming).
In order to prevent yourself from getting into such chaos, be sure to introduce yourself to your new herd of goats. Also, give them the space and time they need to adapt to their new home with you out of the picture.
If you have already started off on the wrong foot and your goats already recognize you as one of the herd (sorry about that), but you are now trying to pull out and they appear to not have understood why you are suddenly “lost”, follow through on the next tip.
Let Them Cry:
Letting them cry does not mean, in any way, killing them. Just like in every other living being, emotions can get really tricky on you. Have you ever done something silly simply because you were considering somebody else’s feelings? The same applies to always succumbing to the bleats of your goats.
Disclaimer: I’m not a sadist or a tyrant. I’m just saying you should not attend to every scream of theirs.
The simple fact that your goats are constantly calling you (and when we mention “calling you” remember we are referring to the screaming and the yelling) should not put you in the vicious cycle of going ahead to give them more and more hay to keep them quiet.
That is not really their problem. How do I know this is? You’ll find that feeding them more hay in response to all their yelling only keeps them quiet for as long as it takes them to consume their delicious forages. Then the cycle just begins all over again.
Be sure you don’t get ensnared by this! It is not a walkover to get out of this cycle. Therefore, these are the things you should do:
- Have a routine and keep to it (as hinted earlier),
- Feed them and step out.
The yelling is horrible. Yes. Nevertheless, something amazing will occur. The wailing and yelling will gradually subside. Before you know it, it will be slight at the times when they see you walk away, until ultimately there is no screaming at all.
Be Sure You Are Ready For Goats:
One of the biggest mistakes you can ever make is to jump into goat rearing without a plan. Unless you want your goats to wander about the whole street yelling and screaming, have a plan. If you are not prepared for them presently, reschedule your goat farming to a time it will be less hectic for you to get a home for them, fence your farm and make every other necessary thing ready.
Never Undervalue the Power of a Nice Treat.
For different breeders, the treats may be different. Whatever treat you wish to give them is okay so long as it is a nice one. But then remember to simply walk away afterwards. As they get calmer and calmer, begin to cut down on how frequently you give them such treats. This does not mean you should entirely snub your goats. Only apportion time for stopping by and promptly go away when your time is up or when you are done, regardless of how much they wail.
Ensure they have a companion!
Honestly, this tip cannot be overemphasized. A single goat is a solitary goat, and a solitary goat is a noisy goat. Goats possess incredibly strong herd instincts. This fundamentally, is what makes them feel secure, it is what provides them with enthusiasm and is what prevents them from going all nuts. A solitary goat will go crazy if time permits. If you rear a solitary goat, it is most probably the fundamental reason why it has been screaming and wailing. Find a companion for it as soon as possible.
Everything will not just turn around in a blink of an eye, but follow these tips and you will have a quiet herd.
We conclude with these wise words:
A happy goat is a fairly easygoing pet that does not normally require a whole lot of extra maintenance and care. An unhappy goat, on the other hand, can quickly become a real nuisance. If your goat is calling out, bleating, whining and crying all night, then it’s a sign that something isn’t right and you need to change how you are caring for your goat.
Jen Davies