# Can you really tell the sex of kids by smelling a does head?



## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

So I heard that you can tell if a doe is carrying bucklings and how many by smelling her poll? Have any of you tried this before? I only tried it once... 3 weeks before my doe kidded with quads. She did have a bucky smell to her poll... and she had 2 bucklings... I haven't tried it on any other girls yet because none of them are far enough along.

Jess
Faint-Hearted Ranch
www.faintheartedranch.net


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

wow....no....never have....hmmm..... :scratch:


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Never tried that, but no...I don't think that works.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

I have never heard of that before. I wouldn't expect it to be very accurate...but you never know, I guess. I might test it out on my does before they kid if I remember.


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## redneck_acres (Oct 18, 2007)

That's the first i've ever heard of that idea, but I figure about the only way we can find out is the day they are born. I would love to see an actual ultrasound though-just to see how many the doe is having.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

my doe Sweet pea gets a bucky smell to her from mid pregnancy on. SHe has only kidded twice: first time with 2 of each second time with 3 bucks and 1 doe.


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## Sweet Gum Minis (Oct 6, 2007)

I can't imagine that being at all possible. There's tons of theories out there about how to tell and how to produce the wanted results however its really impossible to control nature in that respect. Each year varies, from doe years to buck years to even 50/50 years. So the results people get trying a theory out is really chance. Its still fun to try and if it seems to work, what does it hurt to do it? Smelling a doe's head is not one I intend to try though.


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## Jenna (Jan 7, 2009)

I did that once with one of my does, and she smelled like a buck and had one buckling.... 
tried it again and no smell but a lot of bucklings, so I think it doesn't work.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I HAVE NEVER MENTIONED THAT TO ANYONE BECAUSE i NEW EVERYONE WOULD THINK I HAD TOTALLY LOST IT. I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS AND MY GIRLS ARE ABOUT 90% CORRECT IN THE SMELL.

LAST YEAR I HAD A FEW DOES I SMELLED AND THEY HAD NO BUCK SMELL AT ALL. THEY HAD TWIN DOES, THOSE THAT HAVE A LITTLE BUCK SMELL GAVE ME BOTH, AND I HAD A DOUPLE THAT WOW YOU WOULD OF THOUGHT THEY WERE BUCK, (IF YOU SMELLED BETWEEN THE HORNS), AND YOU GUESSED IT, I GOT BUCK(S).

NOW MAYBE IT IS JUST A FLUKE BUT IT DOES WORK FOR ME. ON E YEAR MY BARN SMELLED LIKE A BUCK IN RUT AND I HAD A LOT OF BOYS THAT YEAR. :shrug:


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## RowdyKidz (Apr 2, 2009)

Hey Lori, what point in the pregnancy are you usually able to tell? I love trying new things...


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

there was a thread on this on one of the other forums a couple of years ago. We all went around smelling our does' polls and then writing down whi smelled like what. Then we went back and said what we had. My does that smelled like warm goats had bucka dna my does who smelled faintly like bucks had does and mixed litters.
beth


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

RowdyKidz said:


> Hey Lori, what point in the pregnancy are you usually able to tell? I love trying new things...


 You know I do not totally remember but it was like at least a month form the due date. I believe i started smelling them about two months before. I am sure the neighbors thought I was totally crazy.

I will have to do it again this year and see what the outcome is this year.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I woudl agree it was about 2 months before kidding and stronger at 1 month till the day she kidded


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## goatnoob (Nov 1, 2009)

well... to be honest i have never heard of this and it sounds like a old goat's tale... but my doe's are due for next month... mabye i'll try this... when do you "test" them?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

when -- Ijust happen to be near her and she stunk like a buck (And I have no bucks on my property - well at that time anyway).


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## goatnoob (Nov 1, 2009)

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm... i'll be paying atention when i go out then...


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

At first for some reason I thought you said smell there poop and I was like, yea some collage kid is laughing at you right now. HEHE

Then I understood, lol, I will try it and see what happens. However my buck is so Bucky right now there is no telling what I am smelling. LOL


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## Graffogefarms (Oct 11, 2007)

I think you can smell it on some but not all does. I remember Mama - no bucks in the shed, and peugh! Tia as well had a bucky smell and produced Starbucks. There were about one or two others.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

obviously there is no exact science with this "method" but I do think that if you do smell on their poll a more bucky odor that it means her body has a lot more testosterone in it which would lead me to believe she is carrying more bucks then does.

Not all does will be as apparent with this so it doesnt mean if you cant smell an od0r that she is carrying does. 

I just wouldnt take many offers on doe kids from a doe smelling bucky


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## jenparrish24 (Nov 24, 2009)

I tried this tonight with my one who is close and smelt only a dirt smell or that of straw. I didn't smell a bucky smell at all, so maybe i am having little doelings?? :wink: :girl: :baby: would be nice.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

I checked "Socks" head yesterday and she is not emitting the bucky odor that she did last year... (she had 2 of each last year) so maybe we have some girls in there??? We will know by New Years!!!! :- )

Jess
Faint-Hearted Ranch
www.faintheartedranch.net


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

ok today, i'm goin out and smelling my does' heads. :wink: 

and we'll see what they have in a month


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## Firestone Creek Farm (Jul 11, 2008)

Well, has anyone had kids yet to confirm whether this works? HAHA! I was sniffing doe's heads today, and out of 6, one had a very strong bucky smell. She had twin boys last time, and I'm really hoping for does!!!! ARGH! As for everyone else, they smell normal. No bucky smell at all. Guess we'll see.


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

That would be way cool if that worked! In about 4 months Ill try it out! Haha. :stars:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

the none i have done this before with is 40 days bred and her poll already has a bucky smell............so it looks like more bucks for me from Sweet Pea


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## Firestone Creek Farm (Jul 11, 2008)

I want does out of Hallie, and last time it was 2 bucks. She smells very bucky, so I wouldn't doubt if it's twin bucks again. I would be surprised if there are any does. Cross your fingers that there are 2 bucks and a doe nestled in there.


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## Firestone Creek Farm (Jul 11, 2008)

The others do have a 'straw' or 'dirt' smell like someone else mentioned. One of them has a very very faint buck smell; so faint that I noticed it but the normal goat smell (straw-dirt, etc) was more prominent.  I have babies due in about 3 weeks, so I guess we'll find out soon!


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

OK, I did smell Monica's head because I was giving her kisses, and treats, and of course scratching her, and she did not smell Bucky at all. I figured it was because she still had a bit of time to go (so I thought), because she has only ever given me bucks. Nope she had two does. :shrug: I just wish the lord would of let me have even just one. :tears: :tears:


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## Firestone Creek Farm (Jul 11, 2008)

Oh Lori...  :tears: I am so sorry...


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## Idahodreamer (Sep 19, 2009)

Don't give me panic attacks please! Daisy reeks like a buck. . . . so i'm having bucks??? Again? :GAAH: 
**this person, Idahodreamer, shall have nightmares of bucklings until her doe kids in march**


@ Lori: :hug: so sorry you lost them. maybe next year she'll give you some doelings again...


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

myfainters:


> I checked "Socks" head yesterday and she is not emitting the bucky odor that she did last year... (she had 2 of each last year) so maybe we have some girls in there??? We will know by New Years!!!! :- )


and she had Doelings...QUADS!!! http://thegoatspot.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12048


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

no Talitha - just means at least one buck. I have found that they can still have a doe (with the bucks) even when smelling like a buck


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## Idahodreamer (Sep 19, 2009)

yeah i was wondering about that . . . thankz, stacy. 
I sniffed daisy today again for the first time in about a week, you kno *actually 'trying' to smell her and the scent had died down to half. So we'll see. I find this really interesting . .


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## Firestone Creek Farm (Jul 11, 2008)

I find it really interesting, too. I had also read, I believe, that boys (????) bring on labor faster than girls? That does carrying bucklings will usually deliver earlier in the term than a doe who is carrying girls. I wonder if the same applies for 'buck' sperm and 'doe' sperm as human sperm; female sperm live long but swim slow, while male sperm don't live long at all but swim very quickly. This gives the male sperm only a short period of time to reach the egg and fertilize, which would make delivery more 'on date.' Female sperm live longer and swim slower, so they could actually still have a chance of making a mid-to-late fertization--a chance the male sperm don't have. However, this means that the babies would be born a little bit later.  Does that sound like it might apply????  

The babies secrete the hormones that cause the doe to deliver, so I'm guessing that's where the 'bucky' smell is coming from as others here have probably surmised, too. Perhaps, if we all 'study' this during the kidding season, maybe we can come up with a test of some sort to help us make an educated guess on gender before birth.  I bet there is some kind of test out there that measures 'odor' or even hormone levels that would help in that area if anyone REALLY wanted to know. But I'm thinking we could probably come up with a sliding scale of some kind--Hay smell=doelings; dirt=doelings; low to no buck smell=at least one buckling; medium buck smell=bucklings with possible doeling; strong buck smell=possibly all bucklings. Something like that?


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## Graffogefarms (Oct 11, 2007)

I just went around sniffing - goats thought I was crazy - but at the moment they are in and out around the house here - (their sheds - but loose on lawn and driveway -) since it is frosty out and I'm feeding silage at the moment, having trouble smelling anything outside. So don't know - probably going to have to wait till kidding starts in less than three weeks!


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

What I have noticed, if they really have no buck smell, that is does. If they have a light buck scent then you can have buck and doe, if it is a really strong buck scent, then you have just bucks. BUT who is to say what a light scent of a buck smell is instead of a strong one.

Now Monica, I was always smelling her head (I was putting medication on her face so I was right there at her head). She had NO buck smell at all. She had two does. Zyla, well I never really checked her because I did not realize she was due (buck got her before I new), and Penny Lane. I had been smelling her and NO BUCK SMELL. I got two does. :shrug: Is it just a coincidence? Maybe.


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## jenparrish24 (Nov 24, 2009)

I believe that it's true. When i smelt Saldana she had no buck smell and she had twin does. So i agree that it works.


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## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

This IS really interesting. I would totally believe it was true, just based on the hormone secretion guess mentioned. It makes sense. I won't be able to test it out for MONTHS though and that's only if I can locate a cute ND buckling. Darnit! lol


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## Idahodreamer (Sep 19, 2009)

Let's take some kidding 'bets' and post them here: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12068
I am really looking forward to the results at the end of this kidding season!


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## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

Idahodreamer said:


> Let's take some kidding 'bets' and post them here: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12068
> I am really looking forward to the results at the end of this kidding season!


I'll be following that thread! :thumb:


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

Alright so I went out to the barn today with my mom and she thought I was crazy for smelling the goats heads, But when I told her why, I think it made her think we are all crazy.
Faith is due Feb 8th and she has a really bad buck smell so I am guessing :kidblue: :kidblue: 
Ruby is due on the January 12th and she has a kinda bucky smell so I am guessing :kidblue: :kidred: 
I will let you know as the kids arrive.


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## RowdyKidz (Apr 2, 2009)

My doe, Sadie had a slight smell to her and she had 1 :kidblue: and 1 :kidred: .


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## jenparrish24 (Nov 24, 2009)

*Re: Can you really tell the sex of kids by smelling a does h*

My last doe to kid had a dirt smell and had :kidred: :kidred: .

My doe Tyra will kid around 6/15/10 and she has a strong buck odor between her horns at times and at other times it is very faint, so we will see. I am hoping that she has at least one buck in there. I have been lucky and had all does from all kiddings so far, but i would like to get atleast one buck. I will let you know what i find out.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

*Re: Can you really tell the sex of kids by smelling a does h*

I will have to check mt last doe that is due in about two week.


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## Firestone Creek Farm (Jul 11, 2008)

*Re: Can you really tell the sex of kids by smelling a does h*

In my herd, almost everyone smelled like 'dirt.' I had a doe year, too.  I did have one doe that had quads, and 2 are bucklings. She smelled a little stronger, but still smelled more like dirt. I am thinking that where she had so many small ones in there that it 'diluted' the smell, maybe? I don't know. All I know is everyone else had girls except Gemma (one boy and one girl) and Arizona (1 buckling). Arizona did smell bucky.


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## Galavanting Goat (Apr 27, 2010)

*Re: Can you really tell the sex of kids by smelling a does h*

o.k., I will be going out to the does tomorrow and doing some headsniffing. I get pretty close to them but none smell bucky, they are all due first week of June.

I remember when Lollipop had her buckling last year she smelt bucky, this year i've been waithing for buck smells, nothing noticible.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

*Re: Can you really tell the sex of kids by smelling a does h*

Pickles smelled bucky the whole time and delivered a single buckling. In this case it appears to have told true.


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## Dover Farms (Oct 16, 2007)

*Re: Can you really tell the sex of kids by smelling a does h*

I did it just to see. And didn't work for me at all. All my does that smelled kinda bucky are the ones that had doelings and bucklings. Now my does that smelled like just plain goat had all bucklings.


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## Nubiansrus1 (Sep 2, 2009)

*Re: Can you really tell the sex of kids by smelling a does h*

Well I have to say this did NOT work for me. Smelled my 13 does that kidded this year. One had a bucky smell this year, was thinking it was a doeling year. Well out of 22 kids, we had 5 doelings, and 17 bucklings lol. Yeah... the one doe that smelled bucky did have a buck. LOL


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## jenparrish24 (Nov 24, 2009)

*Re: Can you really tell the sex of kids by smelling a does h*

This year out of the 3 does that i have that kidded it really did work for me. The 2 does that smelled like dirt had twin doelings and the one doe that smelled slightly bucky a month before and really stunk about a week before had twin bucks. I would say that this is a good indication for me atleast. We will see next year when i have my 14 does/doelings kidding in. I will keep a tally on who is bucking smlling and who isn't and see what i come up with next year.


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## 1_goat_2_many (Apr 22, 2009)

*Re: Can you really tell the sex of kids by smelling a does h*

What an interesting thread. It seems to have worked for us this year. I didnt notice any obvious difference in smell until the last month of all the pregnancies. here's what we had. first doe had a sort of bucky smell. she had one buck and one doe. second doe smelled worse than my buck smelled. she kidded a huge single buckling. third doe didnt smell at all and had a single doe kid. fourth doe smelled almost as bucky as the second doe. she had a single buck kid as well.


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## logansmommy7 (Nov 11, 2009)

*Re: Can you really tell the sex of kids by smelling a does h*

Our girl smelled bucky just as she was getting ready to kid...she indeed had twin bucklings. We will see with the next one...


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