# leaving buck with does



## Joanzak52 (Jun 11, 2014)

I am thinking about getting a buck next year and keeping it with my does, not separating it. After mating, does the buck leave the females alone? Does he keep trying to mate? I am thinking in the wild, herds are together and they are just fine. I keep my male and female sheep together and I have no problems. Has any one tried this?


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

Because I only have 1 buck and I don't currently have any wethers my buck has been living with my does. He has been with them since May and will stay with them until next weekend. After that I will move them to my second set of does and will stay with them for the next 4 months. I don't want to leave him with them after that because he is more aggressive during feeding and I don't want the girls getting hurt.
It probably depends on the individual buck but ours leaves our does alone for the most part.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I kept my buck with the does all the time. The only time there was a issue was right after a doe would kid. Even then he wouldn't mount her just drove her crazy while she was trying to tend to her kids.


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## Blackheadedboers (Dec 19, 2013)

I think you should be fine, I have two bucks that stay with our does year round. Well besides a month before breeding; just to bring all the does into heat together. and they seem to do just fine.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I don't.
After the Does have settled, I separate them. 

Some bucks are more pushier than others and may still ask and chase Doe's, but not always. 

When the Does get closer to kidding, they have a discharge, this can start a few months prior to kidding, to which a Buck can get false signals and will chase and try to mate her. 

After a Doe kids, the Doe can re- breed shortly after. Which is not good.

Some bucks at feeding time may get aggressive and hit the Doe in the side, which can cause them to abort.

I myself will not leave them in with the Doe's after being bred.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

My bucks are usually very gentle with the girls but when it comes to food or the discharge/kidding mentioned by Pam, they get excited and either butt (food) or mount and try to breed the girls. As was mentioned, they will go back in heat sometimes right after kidding. Bad idea, 5 months between kiddings. Plus, I don't want the buck breeding a pregnant or newly kidded doe, too much of a chance of infection when they are at a vulnerable time.

Probably if you have a large enough pasture for them you would be ok when it comes to the food issue, but the kidding and pregnancy discharge? Maybe not.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

The other downside is not knowing for sure when you will be kidding. I've done that before and it's a nightmare trying to figure out when one will kid. They drive you nuts when you have a due date, let alone when you have no idea! Even "seasonal" breeders will breed year round depending on the weather. We've done it both ways and will never keep a buck with the does full time ever again.


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