# Was she in silent heat?



## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

Alright, bear with me. I know what I'm supposed to be looking for, but other than a slight discharge, I've seen no difference in behavior in Callie. We've had her for a little more than 20 days. The breeder we bought her from said her first heat was last month. She's 6 months old this month. By the images, can you tell me if she really was in heat or no? I noticed her flicking her tail a little more than usual yesterday, but nothing that screamed flagging at me.
:shrug:

Here was her bum the day after we brought her home. The breeder didn't write down her first heat, so she was unsure of the day.









Today, I was in a hurry because I'm sick and it's freezing. Plus she was uncooperative with me, surprise. lol So here's a blurry photo of her bum today. She's not swollen or goopy, though her tail and fur around her vulva are.









She'd have to have been in season by now right? I'm not sure if they hit their first heat and cycle normally... or if it can be weird like pre-teen girls and skip a month or whatever.

Thoughts?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

she looks to have had her heat or is in heat -- since the hair is discolored and sticking together


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## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

Damn! I'll mark down yesterday and today I guess then. This stinks. This is going to make it so much harder for me. If they're all secretive, I have no idea what I'll do. lol


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

she is young and it isnt breeding season really (though they are not seasonal breeders their heats are stronger in October to January)


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

The first couple of heats in a young doe are normally not regular....it can take a few cycles to get down a regular pattern.
Most will go from 18-23 days, in my case Bootsie, Binkey, Bailey and Heidi fall into that , Angel's heats are every 25 days and so far Penny's have been very irregular and she's almost 7 months old.

You most likely won't notice discharge because it either ends up on the tail or gets wiped off on another goat or a stall wall...the vulva tends to be pinker and swollen.


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## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

liz said:


> The first couple of heats in a young doe are normally not regular....it can take a few cycles to get down a regular pattern.
> Most will go from 18-23 days, in my case Bootsie, Binkey, Bailey and Heidi fall into that , Angel's heats are every 25 days and so far Penny's have been very irregular and she's almost 7 months old.


That was what I was looking for. Thanks Liz 

I guess driveway breeding is ruled out for me right now... I haven't seen any changes in Cozy or Moony either. :sigh:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

well if you want to try using Dude or Zee at some point you only need ask.

But hay Apollo and whats his name the other one? anyway if you can use them then awesome!


Also on the line of heats and young does and breeding -- Mocha would go into heat and wouldnt stand for the buck. It wasnt till she was over a year old before she decided she was ready! But then I had Mia who wanted that buck when she was 6 1/2 months old and she got what she wanted must to my dismay. So goats will be goats and we will always be frustrated!


Marking off a 3 day span for a heat is normal -- goats go into heat have their standing heat and then go out of heat with in 3 days usually so you can see signs of heat for more then one day. Its just that they will only stand for the buck in that small window of like 24 or less hours when they are in standing heat


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

She's just turning 6 months old?

Her heats will take time to adjust.
Curious though...Are you looking to have her bred now?


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## kids-n-peeps (Aug 24, 2009)

My Nigerian Dwarf, Apple, is 6.5 months old. She's in the snow thread, our blue-eyed doe. Anyway, she went into heat for the first time probably mid-January. She was not as obvious as my others, but there was some flagging and she was a bit more vocal. If I had just recently got her, I don't know that I would have noticed the subtle changes, so I bet it will get easier for you to recognize the longer you have her. I kept her away from our buck, though, as I think she needs a few more months of growing.


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## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

liz said:


> Curious though...Are you looking to have her bred now?


Yeah, she'll be 6 months old tomorrow. But no, I'm not looking to breed her now. Although she's almost the size of her dam, I'd like to give her a few more months to grow... If I have to do a driveway breeding, I want to be absolutely sure of her heat cycles, because everyone with available bucks are 1.5-2.5 hrs from me.

Stacey, I think I'm going to have to lease Zee or Dude. Whomever will be available at the time. With any luck, Kristen will be selling some of her kids and I'd gladly scoop up a doeling. At least that would bring the separate lines in.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

and if she offers stud service in the future you can always do that especially if your boy isnt all grown up enough come fall (but lets home  ) 

Hey you know we can work something out -- Im all happy to provide a lease deal because you will be helping me out big time


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## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

If I'm lucky enough to get a doeling out of Cozy or Moony, I would love to use Kristen's bucks. I'm just stressing out that maybe I was sold a pair of defective does (don't laugh) and I want to get them bred asap... but if I'm leasing a buck, I want Callie to be a safe enough age to be bred as well. Yeah, I worry about random crap all the time, I know. lol 

Atreyu's first lady friend will be Noel  First buckling to first doeling seems fitting.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

it will all fall into place. Once you have the does for a bit longer you will be able to cycles.

Also see if you can borrow one of Kristen's bucks for a month -- might be easier in the end. Just saying. Worth asking :thumbup:

This is why people dont always jump right into breeding their first year -- its so much to learn. Not impossible, just can be overwhelming. 

Once you have yoru own buck it will make life SO MUCH easier


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## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

Kristen will not lease out the bucks. I've already asked. Nor will she meet me or bring them here for a driveway breeding. I'll need to borrow my Dad's pickup to take them to her.

I figured leasing a buck would be less hassle because it's a new bloodline, plus he'd be here for at least a month.

I'd love to dive head first into breeding because the reason I wanted the goats in the first place was for a home dairy. We live on a small homestead. While selling extra kids would be a nice offset, that's not really my main goal. I just want good milking lines from flashy individuals. 

Zee fits my .... standards? liking? I'm not sure what to call it. I like his background. I'm most interested in him for sure.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I think Zee would do well for you -- and with the udders behind him you should do great -- just note that the doe "anna" that Kristen has is his mom  so any kids from her will be related (not that it matters to you that much since you wouldnt be breed him to those does but if you wanted to keep a bunch of unrelated does Anna wouldnt be the do to purchase from, but here I go rambling about stuff that is WAY down the road if it even ever happends because i know Kristen plans to retain her doelings this year- at least thats what she told me)


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## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

I don't mind rambling.

It's good to know she has Zee's dam. I specifically asked if she'd be selling anything this year and she said "you can look when you get here and we'll see". So, I think it's a make an offer thing... I dunno.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

well she doesn't have anything due for a couple weeks yet 

I think Anna and Star are due late February.


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## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

No, yeah I know that. I told her I was looking at March to breed the ladies.


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