We have a doe fawn approx 8 weeks old. Up until two weeks ago she was super tame and came up to the bottle to feed. Now it is out of control. You have to chase her down which in turn works the hell outta her and the other bottle fed fawns (7 in all) and we just don't know what happened to her. Any Ideas or has anyone had this happen to them. I mean its like she is possessed, not just a little backward she has done a total 180. Thanks in advance.
I have never had that happen, the 180 anyway. My one and only guess is that something got in the pen, coon or some other critter, and traumatized her. Or did some youngsters have access to them and possibly run them around! In either case, you might ask 'why don't they all act like that if that happened?'' - individualism. Since she is disrupting the tameness of the others, I would do one of two things: 1 -move her by herself or 2 -If she is eating grain, roughage, and drinking water, and she should be at 8 weeks, let her be. Occassionally try her to see if she changes her mind, but if she is eating and drinking, she will be fine. We have had them before that we had to chase down to feed, and they quit early taking the bottle, and they were fine.
Im with Mark. Certainly do not chase her to give a bottle, as the end will not justify the means, as they say. If shes in with others, perhaps some are trying to false nurse off of her, thatll get them good and jumpy sometimes too. When I raise fawns, I seperate them. Good luck with her.
Sandridge Whitetails said:
I doubt it would be youngsters, my nursry pen is the same pen my kid walks out the back door and plays in. Has her swing set out there and the whole nine yards. our fawn acts just like a dog and runs and plays and chases the kids around. I'm not saying you can get away with this with all fawns but it works for us. I also pick her feet up and rub her legs during and after every feeding and spread and manuplate her hooves . She is a little over a month old now and will willingly let me inspect her hooves anytime I want now.
we have had fawns in the past that wanted nothing to do with us even to the day that we weened them off. now they are calm as can be and walk up to us all the time. what caused it? not really sure. but i wouldnt be too worried.
Uncle Harley, I was referring of course to mischievous kids that could have gotten into the pen and began to chase, harrass, and otherwise spook the fawns, there was 7 in the area total, only have to get one to begin to spook...then its on. Again Uncle Harley, mischievous kids harrassing fawns was my referral, and they didn't have to be his kids. There are things that can be done/shown to deer that will scare the tamest of deer...bar none!
If she gets hungry enough for a bottle, she will come around, to her it is just some game now. Just like a puppy, it will run from you until you run the other way or pay no attention to it and then it will chase you.
Reminds me of one time I was watching a fawn about 4 months old. It would graze while watching a small young flock of turkeys (all the same brood) out of the corner of it's eyes. Suddenly it would run full speed through the young turkeys and scatter them then jump a few times. Then it would suddenly stop and graze and watch them until the turkeys were all close together again, then do it all over again. It was having a ball and that is when I really fell in love with the whitetail. It proved to me that deer can be like domestic animals and play. It is not all serious business of watching for predators.
Fawns do not go from ''super tame'' for 6 weeks (as described by Metroman) to super ballistic as if they are ''possessed'' (as descibed by Metroman), or do a ''180 and not just a little backwards'' (also descibed by Metroman) in playing some kind of game. This fawn is genuinely spooked. I agree that there is no need to worry here because of her age, but this is no game she is playing. Sorry for the disagreement, but I don't want somebody with a ''spooky'' fawn running down to the end of their pen expecting the fawn to follow to get fed...cause it will not happen!!
I would move her to a pen by herself I believe it would make her much calmer but also be easier on the other fawns and like stated above when and if she is hungry enough for milk she come up for it!
Chasing her is the worst thing you can do, be patient with her, crouch down and show her the bottle while talking to her. She will come around, it takes time...just be patient.
I wouldn't worry about her. If she gets hungry enough she will come get the bottle. If not she will be fine. I have had plenty fawns self wean at 8 weeks. I am assuming that she has feed and water in the pen?.
Sandridge Whitetails said:
I was only suggesting that if you pay her no attention, she may come to you. Isnt that what "not worrying about her" is also? Besides, others have tried many things. Even if I had suggested "running down the pen to the other side", would that be so bad to try?? If it did't work, then nothing lost, right? Again, things are read into too much on here, just like on other chat boards. I was only suggesting there may be nothing wrong, and that chasing her to feed her is totally the wrong thing to do.
Smoking_44 said:
If I misinterpreted your post or 'read in' something I shouldn't have, I apologize.
Just another thought about this...Do you spend a lot of time in the pens with the fawn? Maybe spend extra time loving on them. We had one that from the begining wasn't taming up, and killing her with kindness won her on over.
I have taken the advice of just leaving her alone and not running her down to force a bottle down her throat. Amazingly she has totally weaned herself. She is still high strung but nothing like she was a few weeks ago. I guess she just got her own personality now and won't be a dog tame doe, which is fine. Thanks to all for your help!