# Mixing whethers and does



## rtdoyer (May 6, 2010)

Hello! I have 2 does (about 10 months old) who flip their tails a lot every so often (I'm assuming they are in heat at this time) and then are continuously mounted by the boys. My problem - all boys are whethers. Is this an ongoing battle for life? 3 of the whethers are almost 5 years old. 2 of the whethers are about 10 months old.

How do you solve this and should I just plan to split up the boys & girls? Do others keep the boys and girls separate? I would like to have some girls for breeding but I have concerns about a 5 year old goat mounting a 10 month old (in terms of injuries).

Tonia


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

yes, this will be ongoing. Sexual behaviour isn't complete erased with castration, only tuned down. The wethers will still react to the stimuli the see and smell.

You can split the groups but have to keep that because whenever you put the groups together later, there will be fights about rank. You also will have no guarantee that the wethers (or the does) will accept the split, there are does that will climb/jump fences in heat. And if the wethers have strong bonds with the does they may jump fences, as well.

I have a lot of commotion in our herd this winter, we re-integrated the bucklings after castration and they reacted strongly to the does in heat while the older wethers where trying to keep the youngsters in check - not funny!


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

This is going to happen every 19 to 21 days during the breeding season. Which is approximately OCT to FEB. 
I am haveing the same issue. Possible solutions: 
Ignore the behavior.
Breed the Doe. (not set up for babies)
Have her spayed. (too expensive)
Get rid of her.  

Right now I am trying to ignore it.


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