Goats are known for many things, being able to make a variety of sounds is one of them. From bleats to screams that sound almost eerily human. So why is it that goats feel the need to yell?
Goats scream for a variety of reasons, but mostly either for attention or to call out for other goat friends nearby. While many goat screams sound humanlike, it’s just because goats have distinct, individual voices, so in reality, their scream is just the volume and pitch of their bleat.
It doesn’t take much for a goat to start screaming bloody murder. But it is helpful to have an idea of just what they might have a problem with when they start to unleash a variety of loud sounds. Below you will find a variety of reasons for why a goat might be screaming, as well as what they mean.
Communication
One of the main reasons that goats scream is just to communicate with other goats as well as with humans. When a goat gets separated from the herd, or a mother separated from its young and vice versa, they will bleat as a way to call out their location. Then they either wait for the others to come and find them or listen for the bleats of the other goats so they can go look for them.
When female goats are in heat, or it’s just mating season in general, they will also bleat a lot as a way to communicate their intentions to one another.
A few years ago, a study was performed on a farm in the UK using four groups of pygmy kids. The results of the study showed that the calls of kids that grew up together were more similar than the kids that were raised separately. This theorizes that a goat’s individual goat call is influenced and affected by its social surroundings.
For Attention
Goats are rather social creatures and love to interact with both people and other animals, so they are always looking for a friend. They can bond quickly with certain people or with fellow goats. So if your goat is screaming, they could even just be calling out for their friend.
If you own just one goat, it will get lonely very quickly. While you may be a good friend to your goat, there is something better that comes from them having an actual animal to communicate with. It would be a good idea to have at least one other goat that your goat can bond with so it doesn’t feel lonely all the time.
Another reason your goat might be screaming for attention is that they’re excited to see you. And if they see you as a member of their herd, they might just be trying to be good herd members and guide you back home.
If your whole group of goats is starting to scream, it’s probably because once one goat decides to get loud, the others want to join in. To remedy this, try and separate the original loud one from the rest of the herd.
They Might Be Hungry
Goats are stereotypically known for eating anything and everything. They’re curious creatures who love to sample a variety of things to see if they like the taste. They also get hungry easily, so if they see other animals being fed, they will want to be fed too. They could just be screaming to tell you they’re ready for food!
Also, if they are used to any treats or used to being coddled in any way, goats can bleat rather loudly when they develop a craving for something they’re so used to getting from you. Spoiling and coddling your goats definitely isn’t a good idea because it will convince them that all they have to do is make a little bit of noise to get you to come and give them what they want.
Once goats can find a food that they absolutely love, they want it all the time. If your goats are used to eating hay or grain, trying to get them to take an alternate option, for example during the winter months, can be a hassle and they probably won’t like it right away. This is either because they love the food too much, or are just too used to it to want to give it up.
Lack Of Comfort
Goats are animals that like to have things their way, so they’ll let you know if they don’t feel comfortable with their situation. If they start to bleat while you’re holding or handling them, it just means they want to be let go or don’t like the way you’re holding them.
They could also feel uncomfortable about something in their living area or their herd. Some instances of this would be if they don’t feel there’s enough water or fresh air available or if another goat is bullying them.
Signaling Danger
If there is a thunderstorm or some other form of wild weather, goats tend to get pretty antsy and crazy because they’re afraid. So their bleats and screams are a good way of indicating their emotions as well.
Goats also scream if they’re hurt as a way to alert others that they need help or that there is something dangerous nearby that hurts them. If they are sick they will call out for help as well.
Another thing to know is that goats tend to faint when they’re scared. This can happen after any of the circumstances that would cause them to bleat – but especially if they feel they’re in danger.
Solutions
The first helpful thing you can do to fix this problem would be to make a steady schedule for your herd of goats so they know when they will be fed, when they are let outside, etc. This routine will provide them with a sense of stability.
If they are bleating, make sure that your goats have everything they need, and be sure to check to see if they’re sick or injured.
The Nubian goat breed is the most vocal kind of goat, so just be aware of that if you have, or plan to get, this type of goat.
According to an article from The Medium, as long as you’re sure they’re okay, ignore the screams of your goats; otherwise, they’ll keep it up and think you’re training them to do so.
Here is a video of screaming goats for you to see.