Chat
06-20-2023, 05:46 PM
What it comes down to is whether you like a particular goat enough to keep it. Your doe's noisiness is definitely not normal. I have Nubian crosses (Nubians being known for their talkative natures) and unless they are in raging heat, they rarely vocalize. It sounds like she's a little too bonded to you and perhaps in time she'll get over it, particularly if she bonds with your other doe.
As far as inheritability of this trait, it's a toss-up. Some noisy goats beget noisy offspring and some noisy goats beget silent offspring. Perhaps it's because mine are Alpine/Nubian crosses, but I personally tend to have a lot of inconsistency when it comes to whether the kids are as noisy as their mama. In the end, you have to decide whether you can live with this doe's screaming. If she's just too much for your ears or your neighbors' tolerance it's okay to pass her along. Some people don't mind noisy goats, and some goats stop screaming when they go to a new home. I've had a couple of noisy goats who were smacked by a dominant goat every time they screamed so they eventually learned to be quiet. Last year I sold a very nice goat because, of all things, she kept stepping on my feet! I had to downsize and I liked all my goats so I had to get picky. This goat (Mocha) never stepped on anyone else's feet, but when she was near me it was like she aimed directly for my toes every time. I sold her to a great family whose toes she never mashes and they love her. Some things seem awfully trivial but they drive us nuts. We just have to remind ourselves that it's okay to sell goats that make us unhappy, realizing that the same trait that is unpleasant to us may be endearing to someone else, or may disappear altogether in another herd situation.
Good luck!
As far as inheritability of this trait, it's a toss-up. Some noisy goats beget noisy offspring and some noisy goats beget silent offspring. Perhaps it's because mine are Alpine/Nubian crosses, but I personally tend to have a lot of inconsistency when it comes to whether the kids are as noisy as their mama. In the end, you have to decide whether you can live with this doe's screaming. If she's just too much for your ears or your neighbors' tolerance it's okay to pass her along. Some people don't mind noisy goats, and some goats stop screaming when they go to a new home. I've had a couple of noisy goats who were smacked by a dominant goat every time they screamed so they eventually learned to be quiet. Last year I sold a very nice goat because, of all things, she kept stepping on my feet! I had to downsize and I liked all my goats so I had to get picky. This goat (Mocha) never stepped on anyone else's feet, but when she was near me it was like she aimed directly for my toes every time. I sold her to a great family whose toes she never mashes and they love her. Some things seem awfully trivial but they drive us nuts. We just have to remind ourselves that it's okay to sell goats that make us unhappy, realizing that the same trait that is unpleasant to us may be endearing to someone else, or may disappear altogether in another herd situation.
Good luck!