Bottle fed goat is very loud, need help

Hi!
We got a female goat about 7 months ago. She was about two weeks old. We didn't want a goat but got one, long story. Anyway, we raised it, bottle fed it and brought it home to sleep at night. So far - for six months!!! She is VERY attached to me. Very needy about me. Towards the other people in the house - she doesnt. Only about me. She would drink from the bottle only if I hold it and whould be quiet when only when its me specifically around. Now, it has become EXTREMELY difficult for both us and her that she sleeps in the house. The thing is - every day 2 hours before dark, she starts screaming and wouldnt stop unless I go out to her. We really want to get her another one, but if its not going to stop her from crying in the evening - its not helping us at all. We have nrighbors and they might complain any moment. We can buy another one only if we know it will stop her from crying.  She never met other goats so we also dont know what the reaction would be. Please help us!!

Hi Lary, welcome to Permies!

I've kept goats for fourteen years, so I think I can speak to this.

Goats are herd animals. Being part of a herd is very important for their sense of well being and mental health. Mine get panicky any time they lose sight of the others. The herd is where their sense of security lies. As a lone goat, yours is likely feeling scared and insecure all the time. You are correct in that she is indeed needy - she needs another goat! I would not hesitate (nor delay) getting another goat. Preferably one about the same age (if possible), either another female or a wether.

There will be an adjustment period for both of them. The new goat will be missing it's familiar herd and companions, and will likely cry a lot too at first. And be scared. But this is normal and they soon get used to their new home. I find that gentleness and patience brings them around quickly. They soon learn to trust the hand that feeds them.

They may appear to "fight" at first, as they get used to one another. But the head butting is a normal goat social activity, and part of establishing their new relationship. It actually becomes a game.

I honestly think this will help your situation tremendously!

Please let us know how it goes.

Thank you for your helpful comment!
The are two reasons we are concerned if we get another one -
1. Will our goat really stop screaming if we get her a friend? Will she consider the new goat as her friends and will stop crying? Becsuse right now - I (specifically I) mean the world to her. She doesnt show any happiness without me. So how can we know a new goat will be the solution? If it doesnt stop screaming, we achieved nothing. Again, our neighbors might complain.
2. The new goat night scream too. Resulting in two SCREAMING goats at night! Our neighbors might be MAD!

How can we take such risks? At least one screaming goat is less risky.
We really don't know what to do.  

If you know folks that have goats maybe borrow one to test how she reacts. Or take her there for a visit.

Where does the goat sleep at night?  Dog type bed or pet carrier?

If the goat sleeps in a pet carrier, cover it so she cannot see the surroundings.

Lary, a lone goat is a miserable goat! Yes, there will be an adjustment period, but honestly, every animal prefers its own species. Heck, I've had goats that prefer the company of their own breed!

Think of it this way, by keeping her isolated from of other goats, you're not helping her. She won't get better and the problem won't go away. Solitary confinement is considered a punishment for humans, so, not to sound too harsh, but it's cruel to do this to her. As stewards of our animals, it's our responsibility to understand and meet their needs. For herd animals, that includes herd socialization.

Okay, getting another goat is a risk. "What if . . . " Right? Working with goats as I have, I'm confident that the odds are highly in favor of a companion solving the problem.

Reach out to your neighbors. Tell them you understand the problem and are getting her a much needed companion. Tell them to expect more crying for a couple of days and then things should settle down.

To introduce the new goat, the best case scenario would be to put them in adjacent stalls or pens, where they can see and smell one another. It usually only takes a couple of days or less for them to start to bond.

I have had goats almost 10 years now. Goats definitely should not be kept alone; your goat sounds very lonely.   It is unlikely a second will be consistently loud once they are settled with each other. Leigh explained this very well.  There are no promises on an animal's behavior but some breeds are said to be quieter than others. my Mini Nubians are not loud at all but many people say Nubians are very loud. Ask the seller about personality and bleating if you get another goat.

I know some people keep goats in homes but I think she'll be much happier, healthier and quieter (after an adjustment period) outdoors.

Also, she has trained you to come to her when she screams. It sounds like you are her mother (to her). There will be a loud weaning period no matter what.

If you don't want goats, maybe you should find a different home for her.

It will probably take a week or three for the behaviour to stop once the new goat is there. But another goat or even a sheep will make all the difference.  An older animal who is more chill is also an option if you cannot find one the same age.

A goat alone is trouble incarnate.   You are lucky it's the only symptom so far.   I don't like having less than three in case something happens to one.  A lone goat has the destructiveness of a wrecking ball.

For adjusting bottle fed animals, i keep the regular routine,  but make it meal time. Get a word or shaken bucket that is specifically associated with food.  Then reduce human interaction and make it just meal time.  Again, using the specifically word or sound for food.  Then after they are trained to that sound association,  bring in another human while standing back.  They feed with that sound.  Once they reconnect the behaviour to meal time instead of affection time, you can swap humans easier.

But, like humans, it takes about 3 weeks to break a bad habit and times of stress it might revert.  Also, they need to feel safe and herd animals only do that with a herd.

Dear friends, thank you all very much for your help. But I think there is no solution to this problem - because a period of adjustment might certainly be enough for our neighbord to report us. We are in a city, I am not sure we are even allowed to have goats. Having 2 is too risky. So ...I am thinking of taking her to one of my friends who raises goats. He lives about 30 mins driving. He said I can go and visit her when I want. It's either this or buying a new goat and putting us all in risk of being reported. Or leaving her alone which is not an option. What do you think? For us, it will be extremely difficult dince we raised her since she was born. But maybe going sonetimed to visit her might make it easier. For now she us suffering alone.
I literally have tears
But I feel this is the best for her.

Hugs.
That's a truly tough decision.

Farmers love help with chores (actually helping,  not just visiting the farmer). We have a few like you who gave us their animals to care for and come and do tasks around the farm each week and then spend time with their animal.   Having that obligation of chore help makes it easier to visit the animal, otherwise,  life gets in the way.

Thank you.
It is very difficult for me and my family. She is like a family member, been her since she was born. Are we doing the right thing? I cannot imagine how emotional the process will be.

Lary, it's a heartbreaking situation, but I think you're doing the right thing to let her go live with other goats. We do get attached to our critters, don't we?

Hugs.
I don't know what the right thing is.  Every situation is unique and they are part of the family.

I've seen too many flock animals develop personality issues by being alone. And so many flourish when they join a flock.  Perhaps talk with the farmer some more and hear their thoughts?  Maybe the decision is reversible and you can try something else if that doesn't work for you.  

Lary Lin wrote: I cannot imagine how emotional the process will be.

My friend bought a dog on 'contract'. That means the breeder wants to breed her, and wants her to raise the puppies, several times. Yes, it's hard for her to know that she has to take Lily up to the breeder and will only get to visit once (due to the distance) for the 2 months she is birthing and raising the puppies.  

So yes, it is an emotional process.

1. Admitting that up front is a good start. It would be good to discuss with the family *all* the feelings they might have - fear, regret, relief (that the goat is not there crying), possibly even jealousy if some family members felt the goat loved only you.
2. Being positive about your decision is important - yes, Goat may not be happy with the change at first, but considering that you're living where goats are not allowed, it sounds as if this is the safest alternative.
3. If you enjoyed having the goat, it would be good to plan for how you could do goats "right" in the future - I've read of cases of small/miniature goats in urban areas being walked like dogs.  However, the family I remember best had at least 2, if not 3 mini-goats, as R Ranson suggested above.
4. Being able to visit the goat and doing chores and learning more about goat needs could be very useful for your long term plans. Looking at this as a positive opportunity as well.

Thank you all very much for the warm and kind words. You made us feel way better. We are still worried about her first days there. All she knows - is us... now taking her to a completely different place with a lot of creatures she has never seen before (goats... she never met any). Will they accept her? And what will happen at night? Im sure she might cry and be so stressed. And we won't be there for her! Heartbreaking just to imagine it!!!

Wow, we better prepare ourselves for a very emotional process. It's going to be difficult for both her and for us

Should we go visit her right the next day after the rehoming? Or not to be around during the first days? We were planning on going there right the next morning after rehoming

I kept goats for many years, and my partner for over forty.

In both of our opinions NO!

It will take the little goat several days to get used to the new routine, and she is already used to being able to summon you by calling enough. She is likely to call for you a LOT the first 24 hours, and if you then show up she will be even more convinced that the way to get you, her mommy, back is to call louder and longer than ever.

She needs time to learn that her life has changed, and that she has new friends and a new supplier-of-food. Give her long enough to settle down, get her new owner to tell you when she is settled, and only then is it fair to visit her in our opinions.

Lary, there’s something you could give your goat to make the transition to her new home easy. It’s the great homeopathic remedy for shock Aconitum napellus (Aconite for short). For example, people who do wildlife rehabilitation often give Aconite first to a wild animal brought into rehabilitation since it is in shock and terrified from being captured and handled by humans. Farmers give it after a predator attack or even harassment. A long time ago, a hawk harassed my birds for a long time trying to get to them, it didn’t succeed because we keep them very well protected, but it did succeed to scare them out of their wits. They wouldn’t come out of hiding for hours afterwards. I wish I would’ve had this on hand then.

Again-  Aconitum napellus is extremely useful for severe shock, especially shock from fright or accident. Used for transportation, when an animal changes owners and finds itself in new surroundings, used for fear of vet visits.

Link to the animal rehabilitation article: https://www.ewildagain.org/homeopathic-first-aid-tips-wildlife

Holistic veterinarian on Aconitum napellus: https://drdeeblanco.com/blogs/news/homeopathy-for-pet-emergencies-aconite-for-fear-shock-anxiety

Newborn goat saved by Aconite: https://joettecalabrese.com/blog/a-mother-her-kids-and-aconite/

Interestingly, one of the uses for humans is for nighttime panic.

If you’d like to get it for her, let’s talk about the dosage and also what else is Aconite good for (respiratory infections caused by exposure to cold dry winds).