Are buck goats aggressive towards other buck's kids?

[jess]

We have a buck that runs with our goat herd. Yes, this is inadvisable, we're aware of why, and that's not really the point of this post

We recently were given two does, one of whom is pregnant and due in not too long (we were told "any day now", though I'm not seeing signs that it's quite that imminent). Do we need to be concerned about the buck being aggressive towards the babies, since they aren't his? Or are goats generally unconcerned about such things?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Back in the day...before I had separate pens the only thing I really noticed was that shortly before the does would kid - the buck would be "interested" in them....musta been some hormonal change they picked up on. But, I never noticed the bucks being particularly aggressive - if anything they had a tendency to be a little impatient towards the kids when they'd gotten old enough to be annoying.

 

[Denim Deb]

Isn't that the way it is w/most kids, whether they're the 4 legged or 2 legged variety?

 

[the funny farm6]

yep!

 

[jess]

Back in the day...before I had separate pens the only thing I really noticed was that shortly before the does would kid - the buck would be "interested" in them....musta been some hormonal change they picked up on. But, I never noticed the bucks being particularly aggressive - if anything they had a tendency to be a little impatient towards the kids when they'd gotten old enough to be annoying.

With our first kidding, the buck was exceptionally protective of the doe who was about to kid, and wouldn't let her go out in the pasture. We thought "Ah, what a good dad".

Later the same day, he was frantically trying to mate with another of the does, and she had her babies a few hours later. I guess the daddy instinct expresses itself in different ways

Anyways, I know bucks tolerate their own kids, I'm just not sure about kids that aren't related, as that's an issue in some species.

 

[FarmerChick]

We kept the kids separated from the buck for about 2 months. at that time we left the whole herd together.

the kids need a few months to get their legs under them to be able to get out of the way.

we had Boers. The bucks were huge. Yes they will nail a kid if they want. they aren't going after them, but if they are in the way they get hit easily and injured easily.
if nursing and the buck approached the kids had enough strength and street smarts to quit nursing and move out of the way of the interested buck.

it isn't that the goats are unconcerned, it is that the kids are old enough to manuever good. If anything tho, the does would butt kids horribly. wrong kid walks up to wrong momma and whammo on the kid. goats are rough suckers LOL

we had 60 does kidding at one time. Then about 1 month later we had another 60 kidding. we had a few small pastures and barns and kept about 10 in each. that way the kids could identify the doe easier without going up to a ton of wrong mommas and getting the ** whammed out of them.