# Can I breed her now?



## Hollywood Goats (Nov 10, 2010)

I was planning to breed my Nigerian Dwarf in March, but then my mother got pregnant (  ) and I realized that they would be due at the same time! I don't want to have to pay attention to new goats when my mother is late in pregnancy and needs attention--she is 46.

Can I breed her now? 

I don't know her exact age, but the youngest she could be is 8 months, she is 17 inches tall and has not grown in months, and she weighs about 35 lbs now, she also has consistent heat cycles (17-18 day apart for 12 hours)  

Thank you!


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## chandasue (Nov 10, 2010)

Personally I wait until they're a year old but I know of others that breed as early as 8 months. Depends a bit on the buck as well. Is he on the small side?


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## Ariel301 (Nov 10, 2010)

I would breed her to a small buck for her first time, that is what I prefer to do for all first timers. 

I will breed goats their first fall if I think they are mature enough. Meaning, they look like an adult goat (just not full size yet) instead of a baby. It is probably better for the goat to wait, but I'm in a situation where I can't afford to feed a goat until it is two before I can get any return out of it, I just don't have the money to feed an animal that is not doing any work. That is why I like to have my kids born early in the year, so by fall they are pretty grown up. At 35 pounds, your girl sounds a little small (not sure or not if that is a good size for a Nigerian at that age, but my Nigerian is 50-ish pounds at around that age...then again mine also may not be purebred, she was a rescue) but I did have one bred accidentally last year at about that weight, fortunately to a small buck, and she delivered a single small doeling, no problems at all.


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## Chirpy (Nov 10, 2010)

I'm on the opposite side.  I never breed my Nigis until they are 18 months old.  I believe that they should be putting all their effort into their own growth and maturing and not into a developing baby.  I think it makes for healthier goats over the years.


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## Hollywood Goats (Nov 10, 2010)

Well the buck isn't that small but his kids are very tiny (some are 15 inches tall!) and none of the does that he has bred have had difficulty giving birth, so I am hopeful, and some of them are tiny!

I haven't weighed her in a few months, so I don't know her exact weight.

If she was on a very high quality feed would it help?

ETA: I don't know how old she is, the youngest she could be is 8 months, but I think she is older.


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## rebelINny (Nov 11, 2010)

I am planning to breed my 1st generation mini-alpine does this December and they will be 9 months. They are being bred to a 1st gen buck the same age as them. They are all super small, but look like adults if ya know what I mean. They are just really little. I cannot however wait for them to be a year or over because I can't keep the goats that long without a return as well. Keeping my fingers crossed that they all have small babies. Good luck and congrats to your mom


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## Hollywood Goats (Nov 11, 2010)

Thank you! 
I am going to try to get her weight up a bit and look for a good buck. I bred my other goat to the small buck twice and she appears to be in heat again! so idk if it is her or the buck. 
she might have had a copper deficiency, I had just bought her.

I am okay with not having the return for a while it is just the fact that she goes into heat every 17 days and screams her head off that I don't like.


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## peachick (Dec 1, 2010)

Thank you for this thread. 
I am also trying to decide about breeding my young girls.  They are 8 months old and also having regular heat cycles. I am not in any hurry to have babies.....  but the convenience of not having to separate goats during the winter sounds wonderful.  Last years blizzards about killed me.

What health checks or concerns do you address before breeding?


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## glenolam (Dec 1, 2010)

You need to make sure they are in good condition (not too fat or too thin), and that they are not too small or too young to breed.  A main concern is that the doeling won't be able to pass a kid if her frame hasn't grown enough.  There are varying weights/ages/sizes people refer to when determining to breed their goats - some think it's better and safer to wait until the doe is at least a year old and some think it's safe to breed a younger doe to a smaller buck - it's all in what you feel comfortable with.  If you end up breeding a younger doe, just be prepared (as you should in any case any way) for issues.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Dec 1, 2010)

Personlly, I would wait for at least a year...but people do breed them younger.  Its her size and weight I would consider. Thats important.  

Good luck in your decision..


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