# New to breeding nigerian dwarves



## sadiemonstergoat (Apr 2, 2013)

I just raise a few goats at my house and have had them for six months and am just now trying to breed them, to give away their kids to friends with farms and getting to milk the does. I'm not at all computer savvy and am not quite sure how this works... but pretty much i made this profile just to ask a question. I have two nigerian dwarf does that I want to breed and recently got a buck for free pretty much... he's also nigerian dwarf, but is on the big side... I'm not worried about registration or anything like that... none of them are registered and that's fine. The two does are relatively small dwarves... the smaller one that's 5 years old (Monster) you can see her in my pictures measures about 17 or 18 inches (roughly... did it with a measuring tape). The other doe (Sue-Bob) is 2 and a half years old and is part something else... but mostly nigerian... she measures about 21 or 22 inches. My buck (George) is (I feel) a lot larger than that, he measures about 25 or 26 inches (again I did this with a measuring tape and shy moving animals). These does have kidded several times before and were kidding regularly before I got them (I've had them for six months and they haven't been bred during this time)... I'm wondering if George is too big for the ladies, or if maybe he's just too big for Monster... I mean, maybe I'm over reacting... is it usually totally fine to have a larger buck of the same breed, breed with smaller ladies? If anyone can shed any light it would be much appreciated... I've scoured the internet and haven't found a definite answer on large buck and small doe pairings of the same breed... HELP! just looking for something definite so I don't have to worry... this is my first time breeding goats... 

Like I said, I'm probably overreacting... maybe they birth them fine as long as they're the same breed?


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## cjhubbs (Apr 2, 2013)

Firstly, I want you to know that I do not have NGs so take my advice for what its worth. From all of the reading I have done on BYH and talking with some friends, of ours whom have NGs,  weight and condition are the most important elements to consider when breeding does. If the goats have been bred before with little to no complications they should already be of healthy weights to breed at, which I believe is 60+ pounds without being fat, of course. I know that it is average for NG does to be between 17-20 inches tall and NG bucks to be 19-24 inches tall.  It doesn't sound to me like Monster is to large to breed either of the does but I would wait for another NG owner to say that before you go ahead. I hope this helps!


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## cjhubbs (Apr 2, 2013)

Also, although Monster is well a monster lol I don't think it would effect the kids sizes to greatly because that is mostly based on general breed sizes (ie. nigerian dwarf parents vs full size saanen parents) and the quality and quantity of what the mother is eating especially during the last 8 weeks of gestation. I am still waiting for my pregnant doe to kid, which will be the first time I will ever have been through a kidding. Thus being most of this information is accumulated BYH info, so take it for what it is worth. I hope you get the answer to your questions.


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## cjhubbs (Apr 2, 2013)

Oh and  from NH. 

P.S We can't see your profile picture.


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## that's*satyrical (Apr 2, 2013)

Should be fine as long as the buck is Nigerian Dwarf (purebred) and not a mix with a larger breed.


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## BarredRockMomma (Apr 2, 2013)

I have NDs and am on my second kidding season. I can't give you exact heights on the goats. But I can tell you that my bucks are about 5 to 6 inches taller than the does and with the first season no issues. Can't tell you about the second season because I think that my doe who is really close has decided that she is going to keep the kids inside forever.  All that said you should be just fine with the parings. When you have any other questions just post on here and we will help as much as we can.  and


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## Four Winds Ranch (Apr 2, 2013)

Don't know about goats, but if it was sheep, it would all good!!!!!  
Welcome to BYH!!!!!!


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## sadiemonstergoat (Apr 2, 2013)

You guys responses have really comforted me... I guess especially the bigger doe won't have a problem. But yall think that a 18 inch doe and a 26 inch buck is fine? that's the difference from the smaller doe to the buck, that has me all worried. But from what yall said it's all about them being the same breed... thank so much! Tomorrow I'll take a picture of the smaller doe next to the buck for comparison and see if that can make it even more clear... but for now I'm pretty satisfied with you guys responses! Thanks so much!!


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## autumnprairie (Apr 2, 2013)

Sounds like she has Pygmy in her and I would say it should be ok. They breed Pygmy and ND all the time


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## sadiemonstergoat (Apr 3, 2013)

They Didn't like the camera... but here are several shots at lots of different angles as to their size difference... 


















































You guys have really helped... Thanks so much!


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## autumnprairie (Apr 3, 2013)

He looks like a standard goat and not a Nigerian, I would now say no comparing the two sizes


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## cjhubbs (Apr 3, 2013)

He sorta reminds me of a toggenburg  (spelling?) buck that I have seen. Do you think you could try and weigh him and the does because it is hard to compare the size of the buck vs. the doe when they are standing far apart?


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## ragdollcatlady (Apr 3, 2013)

I also think he looks like a standard sized buck. The difference in my ND boys and girls, even for my smallest girl, isn't that big of a difference.

The one with the longer hair on her looks like she might have some fainter???? I think they have mini silkie fainters that have the longer feathers like that.


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## sadiemonstergoat (Apr 3, 2013)

I suppose most of these pictures are taken at strange angles... but he is 26 inches tall to his withers (which I thought was just above average for nigerian dwarves...  usually is goes up to 23.5 inch?) and he's about almost 100 pounds, the females are 18 inches (and about 60 pounds) and 22 inches (about 65/70 pounds). The buck is 6 years old, reason for his long fur) and with his ears and face (and after being assured) I thought he must be just an over height nigerian... I really hope he's not standard size, I thought that standards were usually a bit taller than 2 feet or so; but I could definitely be wrong... :/


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## autumnprairie (Apr 3, 2013)

could you take pictures with a person standing beside them that way we can get a feel for their actual size.


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## ragdollcatlady (Apr 3, 2013)

I don't have Joey anymore, but he was my biggest ND and he was never over 85 lbs at his fattest.

I would bet money that your buck is a standard. 

The longer hair I was thinking is on the little black and white doe....not that it matters, I just thought she looked like she might have something else with longer hair. Could be just me but I have not seen NDs with hair that long.


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## cindyg (Apr 3, 2013)

I'm going to chime in here and agree with the comments that say the buck is not ND, or at least has something else in there.  The black and white doe sure does look like Mini Silky Fainter to me.  Here are pics of my 100% ND buck and my MSF doe.  I would also say that he is too big for the does, at least the smaller one for sure.


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## sadiemonstergoat (Apr 4, 2013)

I've decided to sell him to someone who has larger goats... thanks so much you guys! And your goats are lovely! The larger doe, from what I understand is half nigerian and half something else... she's not quite as feathery as the doe you posted, but she definitely has a similar look going on... maybe one of her parents were minisilkee/fainter? Thanks for all of your help though! I found someone to buy the buck and I'm buying a smaller full bread nigerian dwarf buck today as well... the one I'm buying definitely fits the bill and is small like the ladies and makes George look like an outsider... poor George... But anyways, thanks so much for all of your help!!


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## autumnprairie (Apr 4, 2013)

You are most welcome


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## sadiemonstergoat (Apr 4, 2013)

Here's the new guy with the ladies!! MUCH BETTER SIZE! YAY! thanks!


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## autumnprairie (Apr 4, 2013)

He is a handsome boy


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## cjhubbs (Apr 4, 2013)

Yay congrats on the new buck!


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