First, you do not have to give the goblins stuff, since there is no timer for that and it seems that you can just ignore it forever.
But there is a bug too, if you do not have the stuff but get it after a while, you can not give it to the goblins.
I did not have the required squirrel pelts when the chief requested them.
After I had the required amount, I could not give them to the goblins.