# , Firsttime breeding questions, borrowing a buck, Nigerian Dwarf goats



## feathernfiber (Oct 12, 2013)

I'm going to be borrowing a buck to breed my ND junior doe, now 18 mo. old. I have a semisuburban neighborhood & have the older doe and a doeling of 6 months. I'm borrowing a registered buck from the breeder I got my does from, in a couple weeks. My first question to soneonne whos has borrowed or lent a buck,   is what to do with the doeling while the buck is here?
     I think I can either keep her on our property (backyard is one acre, frobt yard an acre) in the goat barn, with her sister doe, if I make a quick buck barn (4x4x4) for the buck and keep him locked in his little (temporary) barn at night, then I can move the doeling to ...where?...in the day when he's with the doe? We have no other ruminants here...do I keep her in the house till a few good days of mating take place?
   My second question: What's the big stink?   I've met the buck before, but I've never met a buck in rut.  I imagine he'd spray & stink up our small barn pretty quickly & pernanently? Just how stinky & aggressive might he be? The other choice is to send the doeling off to the breeder's farm to be boarded while the buck visits, and let him cohabitate with the doe, in the barn (which incidentally is a geodesic dome, and I'm sure it's easy to spray on the walls if a buck wants to, since they are concave at the base,and hard to clean that smell off without harsh chemicals. 

    So which path to take for this?  And  how long might it take for her to come into heat & ovulate & get bred? She's not yet come into heat, as we have no bucks in our area.  Any opinions, please!


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## dhansen (Oct 12, 2013)

If the breeder doesn't live too far away, I would consider bringing the doe to the buck when she is  in heat.  If she really is in standing heat, you can do a "driveway" breeding.  Nigi's are easy to transport in a dog kennel and this is how we have done breedings in the past.  THe buck smell does not get all over the barn.  it is on the buck himself.  The air around him smells nasty, but the barn walls don't smell.


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## feathernfiber (Oct 13, 2013)

The breeder is nearly 3 hours' drive away from me, otherwise I would like to do a driveway breeding.  She needs a bucky smell to put her into heat first,  also. That's goidto know about the buck smell, though.  The breeder would much rather I borrow her buck, so I think I'll go that route. Would you suggest boarding the doeling at the breeder's ?Otherwise she'll be at risk being bred, right?  Or in the garage , bawling


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## dhansen (Oct 13, 2013)

I personally would look to find a good buck who is close by!  Three hours of driving is EXPENSIVE!


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## feathernfiber (Oct 13, 2013)

I just want to keep the herd as close to "closed" as I can, and I know the breeder's lines a bit, and her buck has a good dairy pedigree . I also have a really fuel efficient diesel station wagon which,  yes, can transport goats. Whether or not I'll survive the drive back with a billy in rut remains to be seen.


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## autumnprairie (Oct 13, 2013)

I would make sure you have a sturdy cage for the buck I put a 4 month old buck in my van and I though he would take the windows out. Keeping him separate would mean no night breeding and some pick that time to breed I would separate the doeling from her Momma until the buck goes back.  Are you only breeding the Momma or are you breeding the two older does? You can rotate the Momma and the other doe in with the doeling if you want her to have companionship. You might also want to use the breeding harness with the crayons to make sure they are being bred it will leave a mark on the doe. Good luck I love kidding time


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## OneFineAcre (Oct 14, 2013)

You need a way to separate, either a pen for breeding or a pen to place the goats in you don't want bred.


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## treeclimber233 (Oct 15, 2013)

She needs a bucky smell to put her into heat first,  also.

Your doe will come into season whether she smells a buck or not.  You might want to board the doe you do not want bred because keeping a buck separated from a doe in heat can be difficult.  They only have one thing on their mind at that time and that is getting together.


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## feathernfiber (Oct 15, 2013)

Thanks,  I have a friend who is mailing me a "bucky" tpwel in ziplocs for the purpose of getting her to go into heat,  and I will board the doeling with the breeder, in her doe barn, or bring her in the house in the worst case scenario.


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## frustratedearthmother (Oct 15, 2013)

Does will come into season with or without a buck - or his smell.  Buck rags can be used to try and bring in a doe for an out of season breeding, or to try and get her to cycle at YOUR convenice -not hers.   Good luck with your breeding however it works out!


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## feathernfiber (Oct 16, 2013)

My doe is a year and a half old and has not yet ever come into season, which my breeder says isn't abnormal.  She thinks she won't come into season without smelling a buck. NDs aren't seasonal breeders,  so a heat can be induced any time.


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## frustratedearthmother (Oct 16, 2013)

The occasional doe is very sneaky about her heat cycles.  And, forgive me for disagreeing, but it is abnormal for a ND doe to never have cycled by 18  months of age.  My guess is that she is just shy - and if so - that can be a blessing in disguise, lol.  Some does are so loud and vocal that they can drive you crazy when they are in season.


You are absolutely right that ND are NOT seasonal breedings which means that she should be cycling regulary.  These doelings may, and usually do, start cycling at 8-12 weeks of age.  So, unless she is a free-martin or otherwise exceptionally unhealthy (and I don't think she is!), she should be cycling.  Was she by chance a triplet born with two brothers?   

I've been breeding goats for about 25 years and I had a free-martin born at my place about 15 years ago.  She was a triplet and had two brothers.  She was a beautiful doe and placed exceptionally well in the show ring but never, ever showed a cycle even though she lived with a buck full-time.  

Good luck!


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## OneFineAcre (Oct 16, 2013)

I have not been doing this 25 years like frustratedearthmother, but we are in our 5th. We've successfully bred 30 kids now.

And I raise Nigerians, so I am very familiar with them.

And, we are in the process of breeding our does now.

I more than disagree with the breeders statement that it is "normal" for them to not come in to heat before 18 months. I've got a couple of 5 month old does in raging heat now.

I also agree with frustratedearthmother about some does being "sneaky" as far as heat cycles.  We have a black doe who it is very hard to detect heat, but others who are lighter color and they get all pink and swolen.  Some, seem to be in heat for a very short time like 12 hours, where others you can see indication for 2-3 days.  The black doe I mention is one who has a very short cycle.  We've never seen her bred before, it has always been at night.

I also agree with frustratedearthmother, that no buck rag or buck scent is required to bring a doe into heat.  But, putting them with a rutting buck can bring them in.

Hope she isn't a Freemarten.  I don't think that is common, but certainly possible


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