# At what age to breed ??



## kinder (Oct 19, 2014)

I have 3 does, one 11 mo. and 2 at 8 mo. I'm not sure if I should breed this year because they are so young. Of course they think they are ready !! I don't want to have problems with birthing because of first time and young age.


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## Goat Whisperer (Oct 19, 2014)

How much do they weigh?  Its better to use a scale instead of a tape. The tapes seem very inaccurate. 

It may be different with Kinders, but with most other breeds of goats you can breed them at 80% of the estimated mature weight. Most everybody I know will breed at a year unless a doe is stunted or just small. I _have_ bred a 9 month doe before, BUT she was very mature and LARGE. Others I have waited until they were 18 months.

Maybe you can email the breeder you got them from and get his/hers opinion? 

I think we need some updated pics!


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## kinder (Oct 19, 2014)

Thanks GW. I shall do that. I only have access to a tape, and according to that none would be at 80% yet. And I will get up dated pics. ASAP. I want them any ways to get my goats registrations transferred to me ( haven't done that yet !! )


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## SheepGirl (Oct 19, 2014)

If you are new to breeding goats, I would hold off on breeding 8 and 11 month olds. There may be problems, both feeding and kidding wise, you may not yet have the experience to deal with. I would wait a year and then breed them.


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## kinder (Oct 19, 2014)

SheepGirl said:


> If you are new to breeding goats, I would hold off on breeding 8 and 11 month olds. There may be problems, both feeding and kidding wise, you may not yet have the experience to deal with. I would wait a year and then breed them.


I am and I only want to do what's best for my girls. I've been doubting it this year, but we'll see. The oldest one is a possibility ??!!?? I'll see what the breeder I got them from thinks. My vet is iffy also. Thanks.


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## babsbag (Oct 19, 2014)

I have bred at 9 months with no problems, but they were big girls. I don't weigh them or have a tape, (bad me), but I go by height. I look at their body structure and frame and decide if they can carry and deliver kids safely. Somehow I managed to breed into a slow growing line and I hate it. It is crazy to be putting feed into these goats for almost 2 years before kidding. I need them in milk ASAP. I have a new buck this year, hoping his line grows a little faster.

My Boers were the SLOWEST growing goats ever, the Alpines are better. I have 2 does, from my original line, whose kids I can breed the first year, all the rest I  have to wait. A lot of them may get rehomed if their kids don't grow faster with this new buck.

I don't feed heavy grain to first fresheners, I don't need them having big kids at birth.


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## kinder (Oct 19, 2014)

I'm going to assume first fresheners mean first timers !?!? Guess I'm still learning the lingo. Being new at all this I would probably go with the suggested amount, so when you say heavy grain, would that be more than the suggested or even more than that, ( a lot or a little bit more ) ? Thank you babs....


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## babsbag (Oct 20, 2014)

Yes, First Freshener is a first timer, often just abbreviated as FF 

I am unique in that I don't grain my does except the last 2-3 months of being bred and on the milk stand.  All of the goats get alfalfa everyday and they look good, some are even fat. For the FF they get very little grain when bred if their body condition is good. They do have access to loose minerals all the time. (accept when I am out, like now  )

I used to feed goat pellets and beet pulp but it got to be a challenge keeping the bullies from pushing the others out of the way so I just quit. Peace is important in the barn. 

I have never given grain or pellets to the kids, they get alfalfa just like the does. I might try that this next year and see if they grow faster.


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## kinder (Oct 20, 2014)

Thanks to you all !! I did get a hold of the breeder I got my Kinder goats from. She says she has bread hers after 8-9 mo. and have never had problems or losses at birth, she said that first timers mostly have one or twins. She knows my girls and said it would be fine to breed them this year. And like Babs said just watch the grain, and if I went by the feed chart I would be safe. .


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## Goat Whisperer (Oct 20, 2014)

Yay! 

So when do you want them to kid?


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## kinder (Oct 20, 2014)

March-April I just didn't want to rush into something that would put my babies in harms way for my own satisfaction, You know !! I took a lot of pics. yesterday on my new high-tech Nikon and I have no idea what happened to them, because when I went to view them, there was nothing !! And no I didn't leave the lens cap on.. So mad, I had some nice posses . Now its back to the drawing board, read the manual and try to figure out what I did or didn't do.


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