# Breeding Pygmy Doe



## Cottage Cheese (Sep 19, 2009)

Hey all,


I have a 7 and a half month old pygmy doe that looks like she is in heat. I have heard that it is dangerous to breed them under a 1.5. Y? The other day, I saw her mom, she [ my girl ] is as big, if not bigger than mommy. Can someone explain the hazards???


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## hoosiergal (Sep 19, 2009)

i have seen it on here that the standard rule is 8 mo. or 80 lbs but i can't explain the hazards since i am new to goating myself. good luck.


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## ksalvagno (Sep 19, 2009)

You want to make sure they are fully grown internally. Their uterus and other organs may not be fully developed. Also, you are taking good nutrients away from mom when she is still growing and needing those nutrients herself. Not to mention that mental maturity is important too.

I know the larger breeds do breed earlier than the dwarf breeds.


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## kimmyh (Sep 19, 2009)

I would NEVER intentionally breed a Pygmy doe before her first birth date. I had an accident this year, and delivered a 14 month old doe and it was a total wreck. I delivered 2 does last year for a friend, 1 was a year, and the other was 15 months old for a friend, one had to have a C Section, neither delivery was easy. All of these are registered Pygmys.


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## Cottage Cheese (Sep 19, 2009)

Thank you, I was thinking about her internal organs as well. So 18 months is okay?


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## ksalvagno (Sep 19, 2009)

I know 18 months is ok for a NIgerian Dwarf so I would think it would be fine for a Pygmy.


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## Cottage Cheese (Sep 26, 2009)

My girl is in a major estrus today! Not sure if that is good or bad, but, is there any way of keeping her quiet??


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## kimmyh (Sep 26, 2009)

No, some of them are true hussies, and they don't quit until they are out.


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## trestlecreek (Sep 26, 2009)

Yep, pygmies don't quite maturing until they are 3. I breed my does when they are about 24-30 months. This is mature enough to handle the pregnancy and delivery.
Earlier than that for my does and your risking it.
You can put her in a stall in the barn away from where she can see the buck. Other than that, nope!! 
I have a 15 year old doe that limps, gimps and crackles across the property and even through a creek when she comes into heat jsut so she can let the boys know. 
 Any other time of the month and you'd think she was on her last leg out.


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## Cottage Cheese (Sep 26, 2009)

Yeah, she is quite the hussy!!! The buck is two lots away from us, we dont own him, our freind who gave us our girls does


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## cmjust0 (Sep 28, 2009)

We have one Nubian doe who literally screams herself hoarse every three weeks this time of year, until she's bred.  You can hear it inside, over the TV.  Sounds like someone being stabbed to death every 10-15 seconds.

Others..not so much..there are a few who we can only tell are in heat because they come out of the hay feeder a little more quickly at night than the rest and walk around the barn aimlessly...I guess they're just making sure a buck didn't just happen to walk in while they were eating.


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