# When can they start breeding?



## billyandtimmyplace (Mar 9, 2012)

We bought 7 goat kids about a month ago. 1 billy and 6 does. Today when i went up there to check on everyone, I saw Buckley ( the Billy) trying to breed one of my does! I forgot to check if she was in heat, but i don't believe so. All the goats are within 5 days apart, from December 31 to January 4. 
So here are my questions:
- Is Buckley old enough to breed them already? if so, then i will need to separate him.
- Are the does old enough to be bred? 
- When SHOULD they start to breed?


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## ksalvagno (Mar 9, 2012)

What kind of goats are they? A young buck can get females pregnant as early as 8 weeks but usually is later than that. Of course the females have to be able to carry a pregnancy. You will need to separate him soon though. Depending on the breed of goat, somewhere around a year old is when to breed. But there are many variables.


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 9, 2012)

sounds like it is time to take the buckling out from the girls,  it is slightly possible for the buck to be fertile, less likely at just 8 weeks of age for the does to be in heat.  But it isn't unheard of for a 3 or 4 month old doe to be bred and for sure not very good for them. especially the faster growing meat breeds. 

What breed are They?


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## KinderKorner (Mar 9, 2012)

I'd seperate as soon as possible.

I had a 3.5 month old get out and get bred. She kidded just fine and it did not stunt her growth in any way. She is HUGE.

But it could have turned out much worse.

Needless to say she hasn't gotten rebred since despite my tries and she is 3 now.


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## elevan (Mar 9, 2012)

billyandtimmyplace said:
			
		

> We bought 7 goat kids about a month ago. 1 billy and 6 does. Today when i went up there to check on everyone, I saw Buckley ( the Billy) trying to breed one of my does! *I forgot to check if she was in heat, but i don't believe so.* All the goats are within 5 days apart, from December 31 to January 4.


There is no one physical indicator that is gonna tell you that a doe is in heat by itself.



> So here are my questions:
> - Is Buckley old enough to breed them already? if so, then i will need to separate him.


They can be fertile as young as 8 weeks.  Time to separate him.


> - Are the does old enough to be bred?


One year is the general guideline but there are some variables that need to be applied...such as weight and maturity.


> - When SHOULD they start to breed?


See answer to previous question.


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## Queen Mum (Mar 9, 2012)

This is what my caprine vet told me.   

"Bucks are fertile at between 8 - 14 weeks of age.   Able is another question.

Does can start a heat cycle at the same time, but their uterus may not be able to carry a kid until 12 - 16 weeks of age.  However, their little bodies are not very well conditioned to carry a baby successfully until they are AT LEAST 6 months of age. 

The general rule of thumb is at least 8 months old for a doeling to be bred.  

The meat goat industry breeds boers at 65 - 85 pounds and twice a year.   80 pounds is the bottom limit."   

IMHO  And I think twice a year is too hard on a doe.  My experience has taught me that the younger does are when bred the more difficulty they have with labor, delivery and mothering.  

Separating does from bucks and keeping them separate at 8 weeks is wise!

NEVER put a single buckling into a buck pen with other older bucks at 8 weeks.  ALWAYS pair him up with another buckling or a wether and put him with the other bucks when he is about 3 - 4 months old.


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 9, 2012)

I have not noticed a problem with  younger does laboring and deliverying, but I have for sure noticed that a younger doe can be more immature and more likely to freak out and reject a kid, or not keep up with her kids really well, or just not milk real well.

I know my 12 month old doelings that are nursing are certainly not going to break any records with the growth rates of their kids. We are hoping to get the kids on creep feed ASAP, and help out that way. Plus one of them rejected one of her twins, so I have a bottle baby. Normally we wait until the does are 15 months before they kid, but we were in a hurry this time trying to get them in the cycle with the rest of the herd. They kidded just fine on their own, actually better than some of my older does.


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## billyandtimmyplace (Mar 9, 2012)

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> What kind of goats are they? A young buck can get females pregnant as early as 8 weeks but usually is later than that. Of course the females have to be able to carry a pregnancy. You will need to separate him soon though. Depending on the breed of goat, somewhere around a year old is when to breed. But there are many variables.


They are boer goats, and these doelings cannot carry a kid yet.


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## billyandtimmyplace (Mar 9, 2012)

Queen Mum said:
			
		

> This is what my caprine vet told me.
> 
> "Bucks are fertile at between 8 - 14 weeks of age.   Able is another question.
> 
> ...


We are getting rid of our older Buck today, He has been a serious nuisance, and it is time for him to go back to market. But that leaves us with putting Buckley in with the two older does that he ( i don't think) can breed.


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## elevan (Mar 9, 2012)

billyandtimmyplace said:
			
		

> Queen Mum said:
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Where there is a will there is a way.  And trust me, they have the will...don't be surprised when they end up bred.


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 9, 2012)

billyandtimmyplace said:
			
		

> ksalvagno said:
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Boer does are known for their ability to breed young, that is one of the things they are bred for, because with meat animals it is all about total numbers.   But in my experience most of them are around 5 to 6 months old before I really notice the doelings being in  heat. But if memory serves me, I did have  a doeling kid at around 8 to 9 months of age a few years ago. She did okay, but was a more than a little freaked out.


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## billyandtimmyplace (Mar 9, 2012)

elevan said:
			
		

> billyandtimmyplace said:
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I was looking at the situation today, and i realized Buckley could, and will, breed them two. So we thought about putting the does in with the older girls, but then... They were beat up. I didn't want one to get hurt so i put them back with Buckley. Then, we looked around, and were looking for other options. We found one, we put him and Billy and Timmy ( my other billy goats, But I am NOT at all worried about them breeding, for various reasons) and put them in the chicken area which is fenced in, with an open unused coop for them to go in.


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## dhansen (Mar 11, 2012)

My nigerian dwarf buck got into the doe pen for a matter of minutes.  I caught him and replaced him with my nubian buck.  5 months later, one of my VERY LARGE nubian does kidded a single buckling.  Imagine my shock when the kid had blue eyes! What I thought was impossible, was quite possible I guess!


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