I have a doe in heat

[Sue Dowdy]

It's been awhile since I have been on the forum.  Sorry, it's been a busy summer!  This morning when I milked I noticed my older doe had some mucus, so when I finished milking her I put her in with my buck.  He is almost 8 mo old, and this would be his first time.  She seemed interested, and he did too, but nothing actually happened.  I didn't want to leave them together, as I want to know if he breeds her, so I took her out, and throughout the day I have put her in with him about every 2 hr or so.  She still has mucus, but now is not interested in him, and just stands with her tail in the corner, or butts into him, mean like.  Have I missed her standing heat, or do you think it is just too soon?  She is driving me nuts!  I feel sorry for my buck; I know he doesn't think she is very nice to him!  I got our goats from Deborah this spring, and this is my first attempt at breeding.

[Sue Dowdy]

Just an update on my girls and their cycles.  This morning Bonnie had mucus also, so after milking I put her in with Mayo.  She couldn't wait to get back to her own space, and she totally ignored him.  So I am hoping she just isn't ready yet.  I also put Cleo back in with him after milking her, and she mostly stood with her tail in the corner, or tried to figure out how to get out of his pen.  She is showing no sign of new mucus, so I may be too late for her.  I took them each back to him a couple of hours later, and I expected nothing, as I nearly had to drag them there!  I will keep a close eye on them in their pasture today and see if I see any interest.  Bonnie has her wether in with her, and he has shown no interest, either, so I suspect she isn't ready.  I can't believe I could have missed Cleo, though, as I have been checking them at least a couple times a day and saw no sign at all until yesterday morning.  I am marking the calendar for next month!  With our Jan/Feb trip to Florida, April would be better timing for me anyway.  I have just got to get this all figured out!  Sounds like it can be a challenge, though.  Again, thanks for all you help.

[Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres]

LOL I am by NO means an expert. lol I just had the experience with what will be a First Freshener (if I can ever figure out her heat cycle) and I have gotten down to what I THINK is her heat cycle. I took her to her goat date a couple days before I had her marked down on the calendar as due to be in heat. She was due on the 3rd from what I could tell, but I keep missing the doe's heat cycles. They aren't as obvious as my Nubian was. So I took her in early (because I don't have a buck on site yet) and she was definitely in heat or near it. The buck was all OVER that. She seemed interested when he was on the other side of the fence, but then when they were together, she wouldn't stand... so she ended up staying for three days, and on the third day, she stood twice. That's why I said you  might have caught her early. My doeling came into standing heat a day earlier than I had her due to be there, but it still took a couple days, and she was displaying signs when I took her. Mounting other does, calling out a lot and some slight flagging. I think I've been having such trouble before this, because I haven't tried over the course of a few days... and might have caught my does too early rather than too late. Just wanted you to keep that possibility in mind.

[Sue Dowdy]

Thanks for the help, Rachel and Deborah.  I, too, think she just isn't ready yet.  It makes me feel so much better to hear it from you experts, though!  I will see what happens in the morning.  And yes, her doeling is in heat, too, but no way will she be bred for awhile.  I am keeping a close eye on Bonnie, too.  Nothing there so far.  Thanks again!

Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:

Sounds like she was in heat but not in standing heat. Check her first thing in the morning. Some does are in heat for 24 hours or a little longer. Some books say 48 hours, but I've only seen a couple of does in heat for that long. Or it could be a fake heat, and the real one will be in three to five days. If you don't see anything in the next few days, mark the calendar for 20 days and start paying attention to her for the next few days then.

I know what you mean about feeling sorry for the buck, but it sounds like at least she was nice. Experienced does can be really mean to young bucks. I've seen them really beat the snot out of a young guy if he didn't know what to do.

And keep an eye on the other does. They tend to come in heat in bunches. Since you have only three, they'll probably all come into heat around the same time.

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

Sounds like she was in heat but not in standing heat. Check her first thing in the morning. Some does are in heat for 24 hours or a little longer. Some books say 48 hours, but I've only seen a couple of does in heat for that long. Or it could be a fake heat, and the real one will be in three to five days. If you don't see anything in the next few days, mark the calendar for 20 days and start paying attention to her for the next few days then.

I know what you mean about feeling sorry for the buck, but it sounds like at least she was nice. Experienced does can be really mean to young bucks. I've seen them really beat the snot out of a young guy if he didn't know what to do.

And keep an eye on the other does. They tend to come in heat in bunches. Since you have only three, they'll probably all come into heat around the same time.

[Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres]

Either you've caught her before she's in standing heat (and it could take a couple days still) or you caught her at the end of her heat is what I would say. Keep giving them a chance like you did every few hours. If she hasn't been calling and standing with her attentions focused on the buck's area, I'd guess you have caught her early, and she's not quite ready yet.