# Buck Worries



## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Hey everyone! So I purchased my first buck two months ago, and I guess i'm having first time buck owner worries?

What are the chances that a buck wont breed does? I've always rented older bucks....Winston (my buck) was born in January and is very people attached, he was going to be a 4-H goat but was raised with his twin buck brother and another weather. 

Anyway, I have had a doe with him for three weeks. I haven't seen her come into heat since though, not sure if she is bred or not (she's my two year doe that I haven't been able to get bred) and now I'm planning on turning him out with all the does. 

I guess just the usual yearly "is the buck breeding the does" concerns, since I've never seen the act. I am a bit worried on how much he likes people, but hopefully that wont make a difference.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

If she was in with him for a good amount of time and didn't come back into heat, she most likely was bred. 
Breeding can be so quick and easily missed.

Try him with the other Doe's, I am sure you might she one being bred.


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## Laney3535 (Jun 25, 2012)

This may sound like a silly question, but is he in Rut? I am only asking because he is young. If you want to make sure he is breeding does, I woudn't run the does with him. That way when a doe is in heat, you put him in with him for a little bit and watch and make sure he breeds her. Another plus with doing that is knowing exactly when your doe is going to kid  but everyone does things differently haha.

If you are really worried about knowing if shes bred or not you can send blood in to be tested, or wait and see if a heat comes. 

I wouldn't think that him being friendly with people would impact him breeding does. Since breeding is an instinct, its literally embedded into their genetic code, she should be able to know how, and be able to breed just fine.... you could always separate him from everyone until you know for sure a doe is in heat and then let him out to see her, and if he breeds her you know he can. Then let him lose with everyone because you'll at least know hes doing the job haha.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

I'm not really sure if he's in rut actually, he is starting to get his buck smell but it's not nearly as bad as what I've experienced before. From what I've read it might the smell might not be as bad his first year? When I first put her in with him he stuck his face in her urine, so hopefully he is.

I think a big part of it is they stop all goat behavior as soon as they see me (they are kind of isolated where they are now), and with them both being very people attached...they just want attention. I only get down there once a day just to feed them and to spend a little time with them (they are at my neighbors), so they get pretty desperate. 

Can't wait for this weekend when I can just bring them both home, to keep a better eye on the both of them.


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## Laney3535 (Jun 25, 2012)

First year they aren't as bad with smell but they definitely still pretty bad. Especially in rut. I have 4 month old lamancha buck and he just smell terrible! Your buck probably hasn't been around enough does in head to come into rut


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

He hasn't, he's been with just her for three weeks and a wether for around 2 months. I think part of it might be that I've gotten somewhat used to the smell, the buck I rented last year was also very friendly and smelly, but didn't smell as bad to me when he left. They are about 1/4 mile away so he probably cant smell my does or anything, who have been having very strong heats. 

Mabel is with him because she's just my problem child, haven't been able to get her bred and she was with two bucks last year. I have been hoping that letting her have him to herself (she's the dirt below the totem pole pecking order), before turning him and her out with all the does, she might get bred.


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## Laney3535 (Jun 25, 2012)

Mabel is probably not cycling then. Is there a possibility she's a hermy? Or maybe she's cystic?

Run another doe with him when she is in heat, so he can get a chance to come into rut. He will not come into rut unless he is around does who are in heat. And if Mabel isn't coming into heat, and he isn't around does who are coming into heat, he will not come into rut.


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## Jasmar (Mar 28, 2015)

What is cystic?


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

I think it's mostly because she was a bottle baby, doesn't really have any social skills plus is a Nubian without horns in a herd of elephant boers, with horns. The breeder claimed she had two strong heats when I bought her, I bought her two months before I picked her up so she would get bred there...didn't happen, and then she came with my does and with a buck for another 4 months. I'm not sure about the breeders bucks attitude towards her, but the buck I was using last year really didn't like her at all, would butt at her etc. Winston at least likes her, as a friend at least anyway. 

If she cant get bred I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world, I was just hoping to give milking another try with her vs. my other Nubian doe who is a difficult milker. She's just my buddy/shadow when I'm with the goats, so she will stick around for awhile. Could just always be Winston's pen mate instead of having to keep a wether just for him. All assuming she doesn't get bred AGAIN lol, after having roughly a month of alone time with him and then another three months when I let him loose with the rest. 

A lot of my does should be coming into heat again on Tuesday I believe, like 7ish of them all come in heat the same day for some reason. So more will be known then, there's two that have the psychotic lovesick heat so hopefully they can coax him into it.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Being 8 months old, he won;t stink as bad as an older buck will, but he is acting bucky, by smelling her urine and flaring up his lip. 

Mature Doe's won't take him seriously until they are at standing heat,m because he is a youngster. 

If any Doe's do not come back in season you will know they should be bred, especially showing the signs of it.

Put him in with your Doe's and watch, when it is time for your Doe's to come in. 

You can get also get a buck breeding harness, that has chalk in it and will mark any goat who is mounted, if you cannot watch them, then you will know.


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## Laney3535 (Jun 25, 2012)

Well the head in urine thing is a toss up. My does will do the same thing. But I still think you should expose him to does who are in nice strong heats, it should bring him into rut. And though they don't smell as bad as an older buck, they still smell pretty dang bad.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Good news, the ladies seem to find him handsome. I was by them working on fences all day today and I for sure saw him mount two does and they stood for him, with the second I saw him arch his head back. Going to be writing both of those down.


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## Laney3535 (Jun 25, 2012)

Woohoo!!!


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

Congrats!!! Way to go, "bucky"!


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