I have looked and know size and age to breed and understand that, but I cant find anywhere the average age I need to start paying more attention to when a doe starts having heats. What is the average age that you have noticed does to start heats? Thanks
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My first doeling came into heat right after her mother did. Doeling was seven months old. Her 18-month-old sister was exactly one week later. From that experience, I decided they "group" together. <g> The two older ones did the same thing a year later. I didn't realize it until I looked at the breeding memo - my senior doe was bred on November 9th both years. <g>
The ones that I had that went into heat at 3 months did not come back into heat again until 6-7 months, and they were with their mothers. I wonder if it's just sort of a misfire of the reproductive system -- like a pullet laying a double yolk.
I'm not super experienced yet but my first two does went into heat at 7 and 8 months. I just recently purchased two doelings from a breeder that were 9 weeks and 15 weeks old and the day after I brought them home the 9 week old went into obvious heat! I was completely astounded. The 15 week old (now 19 weeks) has not gone into heat yet and the 9 week (now 13 weeks) has not gone back into heat. I'm wondering if maybe her heat cycle was caused by a combination of hormone changes and stress because she was taken from her mother. That's a completely random guess though. It's just interesting that she has not had another heat cycle yet, and I've been watching her like a hawk!
I have had two or three does that came into heat at 3 months, but that is definitely not the norm. As others have said, 6-7 months is more normal. The does that came into heat at 3 months were all related, so it's probably something that is only seen in some lines. Every now and then you hear about an 8 or 9 month old having a kid, sometimes tragically, so it is NOT recommended.
Our doe came into season at about 7 months. She was born in early spring.
We had thought that she started earlier because her brother was very much interested in her, but then we relaxed when we realised he was equally interested in the wether! When she finally did come into oestrus, it was sufficiently clear that everything proceeding was nothing, that we just laughed at ourselves.
By the way, we made a "goat condom" for the brother and it worked a treat! My wife used a small-medium dog harness and stitched on the "skirt" to the harness. It worked great because it snapped on and off so easily. Besides preventing him from copulating with his sister, it also had the added benefit of catching most of the urine spray that would have ended on his front legs and chest and face. He did not seem to mind having it on and it certainly didn't deter his interest in his job.
I think a lot depends on what time of year they were born, but my experience has been about 6-7 months.