# newb needs help catching her sneaky doe in season!



## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

Wilma is a 4yr old doe who has freshened twice. She had quads a year ago this month and I'd like to breed her this month as part of my "year round milk" plan. She shows pretty easily in the fall and her breeder didn't have any problem catching her in heat during the spring but she has bucks that the does pass on their way back to the barn after milking.

I have a buck stinky rag that I showed her today (no signs on her hinder-parts) for a base line and she was curious about it, sniffed it thoroughly. A mare in heat will stomp, lift her lip, holds her tail to the side and even squat and pee a little. Basically a mare will hold up a sign that says "Yes please NOW" when teased by a stallion, cute gelding, saw horse, or anything that smells like boy. What does a doe do???


----------



## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

Oh! Very important! Yes she's a Nigerian Dwarf and does come into heat year round.


----------



## Moocowman123 (Feb 12, 2013)

She should wag her tail(some people say "flag") and she should usually stay next to the rag and pee also might get loud and vocal. I noticed after my first time of breeding this year mine wouldn't be interested in food really at all. I am also kind of a newb but just had my first set of twins! Have 5 more on the way!


----------



## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

> A mare in heat will stomp, lift her lip, holds her tail to the side and even squat and pee a little. Basically a mare will hold up a sign that says "Yes please NOW" when teased by a stallion, cute gelding, saw horse, or anything that smells like boy. What does a doe do???


Pretty much the same thing!
If you hold up the buck rag every day and get used to her normal reaction, you should know when she comes into heat.
You need to know not only when she is in heat, but when she is in _standing_ heat - the part of her heat when she will stand for the buck. A wether, or even other does, kept with her may try to mount her. If she wags her tail and doesn't butt them off, she is probably in standing heat.


----------



## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I have one doe who's really silent, none of the obvious signs and being low girl on the totem pole she'll let other does mount her if they are in heat. I finally had to leave her with the buck for 4 wks.


----------



## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

Thanks to both out you! I'm hopeful that the rag will do the trick since her breeder was able to tell when she was in season and around a buck... I'll make the rag a part of our morning milking!


----------



## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I would keep the rag away from your milking area, and not expose it to her until you are done milking and going to put her back. You don't want any buck stinky around your milk, JMO


----------



## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

Excellent point! When my younger doe came back from being bred I didn't want her near my Milking doe! Kim going to send Wilma down with a blanket of some sort!


----------



## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

Still no luck. My girls have a feeder in their pen that has loose minerals in it, they do use it as I have to refill it from time to time. Our area is silenium deficient, but it is included in their feed and mineral supplements. Just in case I gave her an oral boost yesterday (paste version of BoSo). 

Any other ideas?? I'm getting worried I won't have milk this winter!


----------



## Sylvie (Feb 18, 2013)

What clearwtrbeach said, can you leave her with a buck for a month?


----------



## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

*The breeder doesn't have room*

Although I'm going down this weekend to pick up another doe- maybe she won't notice if I leave one? LOL!

I can't just slip her in with the bucks because her son is in the same pen and I'm not that lucky...


----------



## Sylvie (Feb 18, 2013)

Could you offer more $$?
Is there another breeder nearby who has the room?

I'm sure it will work out :hug:


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

You can also use a cidr. Itis a vaginal insert that realeases hormones that bring a doe into season. You leave it for 17-21 days and then remove. She should be in standing heat with in 24-48 hours of removal.


----------



## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

The breeder is full up with goats, and her bucks all pen together. One of the bucks is Wilma's son so we wouldn't want to put her in with the three of them... I have to smile though, just imagining Wilma in the buck pen! The goat farm is really cute, super nice like an Alpine village of little barns and pens - I can just see Wilma standing in the buck pen, looking at the does and kids grazing under the apple trees (like some painting of "spring") and she has a big word bubble over her head with "REALLY?" LOL! She would be sooooo put out! Until she's in standing heat - then for at least a day she'd think those rank bucks were pretty awesome fun guys!


----------



## Sylvie (Feb 18, 2013)

HonestOmnivore said:


> The breeder is full up with goats, and her bucks all pen together. One of the bucks is Wilma's son so we wouldn't want to put her in with the three of them... I have to smile though, just imagining Wilma in the buck pen! The goat farm is really cute, super nice like an Alpine village of little barns and pens - I can just see Wilma standing in the buck pen, looking at the does and kids grazing under the apple trees (like some painting of "spring") and she has a big word bubble over her head with "REALLY?" LOL! She would be sooooo put out! Until she's in standing heat - then for at least a day she'd think those rank bucks were pretty awesome fun guys!


:laugh:

What Dani said! Or, maybe you could borrow a buck?


----------

