# Are my does back in heat? :-(



## Thesuz (Jan 27, 2011)

My Nigerian herd consists of 2 adult does, one adult wether, and one 6 month old doeling. I've had my goats over a year, and have never been able to tell when my does are in heat. Because of this, I "borrowed" a buck from a neighbor and kept him with my does for thirty days, hoping breeding would take place. About a week after he came to stay, I noticed a pink discharge on both does, so I assumed breeding had occured. Just to be safe, I kept him for the next few weeks, and brought him back yesterday. After bringing him back, I put the wether and doeling back into the larger pen with the does. Today, the wether is going after my does, humping etc, and acting very bucky.
Could he just be "re-establishing" his territory, or are my does back in heat? Wouldn't it just figure that'd happen the day after I return the buck. 
Any thoughts?


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Since a new male was brought in, he may be trying to show dominance. Are your does wagging their tails...or calling a lot...letting him mount or running away from him? 

Some heat signs:

-swollen pooch
-discharge
-excessive tail wagging
-mounting other does
-making more noise than usual
-making strange sounds
-standing for other goats to mount


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## Thesuz (Jan 27, 2011)

They let him mount... not that he accomplishes anything. He only does it for a few "thrusts" and moves on. These are pretty polite does. Even stranger... later in the day, I saw one of my does rear up and "buck" at him. I'm assuming (hoping) this was a territorial/dominance thing.


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## Texas.girl (Dec 20, 2011)

I have one doe who just showed up last November. She appears to be young, a spring baby. Since her pen is still being built, I am keeping her in the vegetable garden, and let her out to graze for an hour or two while I work outside. Today she was really feisty. For example she kept standing on her two back legs acting like she wanted to box me. She has never done this before when I am standing up. Could this unusual behavior be a sign she would like a boyfriend? I do want to breed her next fall so it would be nice to be able tell when she is ready.


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## Texas.girl (Dec 20, 2011)

Yesterday I drove to town and ran into a goat rancher. He told me that estrus is tied into the lengh of day. A goat will not come into heat until June when the days start getting longer.


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## mistydaiz (Jan 28, 2011)

Boers are supposed to be year-long breeders. I'm just going by what I have read, since I just have dairy goats.
But our neighbors' Boer goats start breeding in August and September and kid 5 months later.


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