Please need QUICK help re: doe in heat/buckling

[Lil-patch-of-heaven]

Hi all

ALWAYS at the worst time?

I have to go see my best friend for her birthday. I haven't been able to be with her on her birthday in over 20 years Due to distance and she wouldn't understand if I don't go.

One of my does looked a little gunky so I checked under her tail to see if she has diarrhea. I saw a whitish drop of discharge on her (vulva is it?). Isn't that a sign of going into heat? Sigh. She's a yearling Alpine/Nubian cross with a 2-month old buckling.

Last night her buckling was even more obnoxious than normal and even jumped on the llama a few times (who fortunately just ignored him) while I was trying to put the goats in the barn. I've been afraid he might be approaching fertility but I'm not sure. He does extend some when he tries to mount the females.

He is not yet weaned. I have put off banding him and been trying to find a burdizzo-type castrator. He was an "accident" at the farm he came from and I REALLY don't want a 2nd generation "mistake" especially with his own mother. Especially since she's only a yearling, already had a kid, and is still nursing him.

Sigh ...

I only have two pastures that are safe. Except for locking someone in a dark stall all day, I am left with just the two, which are side by side. (applies to a further cplication I'll get into in a sec)

right now the buckling is in a pasture by himself. Crying. His mother spends half her time on the other side of the fence, crying also. The other half she spends walking in the bushes alone with her tail looking like it's been glued to her back. Odd for her -- so I'm thinking maybe she IS in heat.

I feel sorry for both of them. At least I started milking her a few days ago. I already milked her today.

The further complication : I had the opportunity to purchase two VERY nice kids. A 2 month old buckling and a 3 month old doeling. I just got them a couple of days ago and have been keeping them on the other side of the fence. Neither of them shows signs of sexuality.

I can't figure out what to do. I couldput the two buckling together (my eventual plan) but they don't derive comfort from each other. The two new ones do. I could leave the new ones with my does but they risk being knocked around. Both together in there are probably better than the doeling alone though she seems calmer than the new buckling.

Sigh -- I don't know if y'all can actually give me any advice. I feel like no matter what I do I put some risk out there. I wish I could be sure she's NOT in heat or he CANT breed her, but I don't think anyone can tell me that. Any ideas? I thought os hobbling him before in my desperation ...

 

[Lil-patch-of-heaven]

Nm -- have to leave now.

Thanks anyway maybe everyone is outside enjoying a beautiful day.

They should be safe. Just have several unhappy kids.

 

[ksalvagno]

I would put the 2 little bucks together. Just for today, put the 3 together and see what they do. If the doeling seems to be left alone, then leave the 3 together for today and work on getting her in with the girls tomorrow. If the boys are bothering the doeling, then move her in with the girls.

 

[haviris]

What I would have done is put the four together for a week or so til everyone is use to each other, then separate the two bucks and leave the two does together.

 

[Lil-patch-of-heaven]

Thanks toboth of you.

What I've done has been a combination of those two and several other things. I had a VERY unhappy mama goat last night when I locked her baby away and tried to get her to go into the barn without him. Fortunately I'm forgiven and things are getting better, though everyone still has unhappy moments.

It's been like a crash course in herd logistics.

But the boys are playing a bit. The new doeling likes my doeling a little. I put the boy on mama to nurse supervised for a moment. He's getting comfort from visiting the other doe he knows. The newcomers are probably integrating better because of all the upheaval -- at least once I learned mama's dangerous mood. And all the babies got browsing lessons when I pulled the favorite tree low with branches on both sides of the fence.

I really have to watch that the youngsters are all getting enough to eat. Too many issues going on and my youngest bottle baby is cutting herself down to only 1 bottle a day. I think she's about 5 weeks old and she only took 16 oz today.

The good news is that the doe with the buckling is a good miller after all. I guess she was just always drained while I was training her. It seems like her teats are larger too when she has milk -- thankfully.

I'm SO glad I started training her just in case. But i never expected I'd really have to force wean the little guy.

I wish he was already wethered so we wouldn't all have to go through this.

At least the does in their shed and the kids in the barn are quiet now.

Thanks again y'all.