# Separating does from bucks?



## Bonfire98 (May 25, 2013)

Im 15 and I've only had goats for about 7 years but they have always been low maintenance breeds (mixed breeds/ woods goats) i would always get my does bred at my grandpas farm and once they would kid bring them back home for about 5 months then send the mama back an ween the baby but now im older and decided to get a buck of my own they are percentage boers and i was wondering should i let the buck stay with the does year round or keep them separate?


----------



## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

That's up to you, you don't want your doelings bred too early or you can lose them.. My buck stays with my grown does all year, but I'm having to build him a pen to avoid my doelings from breeding for a few more months and to not breed my registered dairy does


----------



## Bonfire98 (May 25, 2013)

Thanks for answering... Im selling a doe and her 3 month buck and 2 6 month does. So that will leave me with 3 4 year old does but one has a 2month old doe i would like to keep and a 3 month old buck (no relation) he is 'trying' you know but i don't want the baby doe to kid for at least a year... should i separate the mama and baby doe or just buck? And the breeder we got the boers from said to vaccinate pregnate does a month before birth...so would it be easier to keep track of it if i separate them? Very new to breeding my own and keeping healthy pregnant does way harder then i thought and i think i should have learned my original easy breed before i moved up to high maintanence goats.


----------



## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

I suggest you do some research if you plan on getting a buck. You can probably go visit your grandpas farm while the does are pregnant there and maybe kidding. You will learn a lot about the care of a pregnant animal, and what to do while kidding. I wouldn't suggest getting your own buck if you can simply breed them for free at your grandfather's, it would be a lot cheaper than getting your own buck, plus, you won't have to deal with all the un-fun parts that come with pregnancy and kidding Make sure you don't jump into buying a buck needlessly. If you have a good thing going, don't try and fix it  You have plenty of years to start your own full herd and such, so try not to rush it.

If you want to know due dates(this is a lot safer so you can help with the kiddings and vaccinate and supplement accordingly) you should separate the buck. If you don't care about due dates, letting him run free with them should be fine. I would suggest separating any doe that is under 1 year of age if you do that though, just to be safe.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Is there a reason you can't/don't want to just band the buck? The doeling isn't going to cycle until around 6 months of age, but banding would solve the problem of unwanted breedings. If there is a reason for not banding, I would separate the buck following weaning at 3 months of age.


----------



## CountryCrazy (Feb 28, 2013)

Well, I'll tell you how I'm setting my goat area up

I've got the Girls pen 75x75.

Then beside that I'm putting a Breeding/Birthing pen. It'll be about 20x75.

Then beside that I'm putting the Boys pen 50x75.

Like this....

|________|__|_____| 

I'm doing this for many reason:

Bucks can breed Does thru fencing.

Does will get Bucky smelling from close Bucks, which will make their milk taste bad.

I can take my Buck and the Doe/Does I want bred and put them in the pen together. Then I know who's bred and when.

I can put expecting mothers by themselves when it gets close to kidding. 

I can separate sick or injured goats.

Hope this helps


----------



## Bonfire98 (May 25, 2013)

Thank you everyone who replied.  my pens are set up with a 4 acre horse pen, and 1 acre horse pen on one side of the house with only two horses and on the other side of the house i have a 2 acre goat pen with a little two stall barn in the corner of the field with a little 30 by 50 area behind it. So i can separate any easily. The goats i am selling are my woods goats that is the same kind my grandpa has but i only have around 8 of those while he has more like 60. We both sell the kids every year at auction and since i can only have a few due to space i wanted to get a higher selling priced goats. So thats why i traded my other goats for boers and needed my own billy. Thanks again for all the great answers.


----------



## lovemykidds (Dec 24, 2012)

Also keep in mind %boers bring just as much and sometimes more than pure because they're hardier  you loose fewer to parasites and illness. Good luck to you


----------



## Bonfire98 (May 25, 2013)

They aren't purebred. Thanks for the warning now i think ill stay at % instead of trying to get some purebred. Thank you for all the great answers and info.


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I agree, take time and think about if you want your buck to run with your does. I have always done it this way, the pros were way better then the cons. You will not miss a heat if they didnt take the first time, and you catch that first heat after weaning your kids, if thats the way you want to, I do as long as they are fit enough to be bred. But after now 5 years of having these goats I am changing things up a little. I have found that I have more health issues with new borns during the winter then any other time of the year, so right now I am building my buck pen to put them away and turn back out so the girls will kid in march or later. Now about the purebred thing, its up to you but it sounds like you kinda run your goats like I do, they eat brush and for the most part find their own food. I have learned over the years, and I strongly belive that no matter the goat they are just as hardy as you make them be. I have purchased some 100% at a young age and they are just fine, no issues. I have bought some expensive pampered pets, and it seem the most I spent on the goat the more health issues they have. So with that said, if you go with a purebred get it at a young age. Thats what I do with all my bucks and they are fine. I will not buy another goat over the age of 5 months, its hard for them to adjust to any difference in life style.


----------



## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Personally, I don't ever recommend keeping a buck with the does year round. If you don't want to do leash type breedings, then you can keep the buck separate until breeding season and leave him with the does you want bred for just a few months and that way you'll have a timeframe for kiddings. You also won't have to worry about young does getting bred or him breeding his daughters, etc. I love having my bucks and does separate and doing leash breedings. I have the exact due dates. But I also don't like the does being pestered constantly and the bucks getting worn out from harrassing and chasing the does all the time. 

I do recommend another buck or wether companion for a breeding buck so he still has a "herd."


----------



## Bonfire98 (May 25, 2013)

Very nice to see both the pros and cons.  but since my does just weened old kids and my buckling is only 3 months ill have a little while longer to think about it. In a way im leaning towards keeping them separate so ill know due dates so no surprises and when to vaccinate. Also keeping him separate i would probably keep him with my 2 horses and i have been wanting to get a whether so i could train him as a kart goat, for my little siblings or cousins, so i they could be buddies. But than again it takes alot more knowledge to keep them separate so i won't miss a cycle. I just found this site yesterday and im amazed at how much you can learn from so many nice people willing to help.  thanks alot!


----------

