# Will a buck still come into "rut"...



## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Even if there are no does in season?
I'm asking because the more I think about it the more I think that Summer might be preggers.
She got really flirty about a month after I got her and even though I didn't see any mating she was with young Sprite. And I haven't seen her do anything obvious in terms of being in heat since then.
Summer is a naturally friendly and affectionate doe. She and Sprite are (and always have been) very close. They always rub up against each other and every night they sleep right up against each other.
Sprite is definitely acting like he's coming into rut, but I'm wondering if that's just because of the time of year and the fact that he's really starting to mature, physically.
It's hard for me to say for sure, cause I see her everyday, but Summer does seem to be getting a slightly bigger belly.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Very possible.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Excellent.
I'm very excited about Sprite and Summer's progeny.
There is a definite market for "pet" goats around here. I will wether any bucklings that they might have, early, because my pet goat Pan is such a perfect pet. My vet will wether young bucklings for thirty dollars and he does a great job. Pan had very little pain during the quick procedure and he healed up fast and well.
I think I'll probably keep one of Sprite and Summer's little wethers as another pet. Both parents have such exceptional personalities that I can't imagine better pet prospects than their offspring.
I may keep one of their does as well. After this pregnancy I don't think that I'll want to breed Summer again right away and she will need a friend when I separate her from Sprite.
But that will probably be as many goats as I need. Then I'll have a little boy herd and a little girl herd .


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

The nigies will breed all year round and the bucks will come into rut. My big boys aren't in rut yet but the lil ones are getting there.

Stinky Stinky :sigh:


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

LOL.
Sprite doesn't seem as stinky as I think he'd like to be. His fur around his head and neck is kinda sticky from all the "cologne" he's been applying though.
I did get to experience the smell of a buck a couple months ago when Pan was still sleeping in the house. He started having "accidents" at night and I ended up making him sleep in an empty closet for a few nights. After the first night I realised how lonely he must have been, so I brought Sprite in to spend the night with him the following night. When I opened the closet door the next morning there was a smell like I had never experienced before! It was eau-de-Sprite!
Thankfully, since I had Pan wethered young, he never developed that "bucky" smell. In fact, even though I hardly ever bathe Pan anymore, he has almost no smell to him at all! And I would definitely know because Pan spends more time in my arms than any goat ever should. I swear he thinks he's a dog LOL.
Sprite, on the other hand, rarely gets full on hugs these days because he's constantly applying that cologne of his LOL. I actually considered bathing him today, but decided against it because I think he's rather proud of his blooming manhood and would be disgusted if I made him smell all flowery LOL.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

The little guys like Nigerians and Pygmy's tend to be the strongest smelling of all the bucks I've been around! I honestly don't remember my moms Saanen or Nubian bucks ever smelling as strong as my late pygmy buck Hank.....and it seems that regardless of the fact that mini's breed year round, they do have a rut the same as the big guys do, my boys tend to be the ripest from the end of July to mid to late February

If Summer is preggy, you will need to separate her from Sprite before she delivers, those pregnancy hormones can confuse a buck and he'll be relentless with wanting to breed causing her undo stress from fighting him off.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Thanks Liz.
I'll bet if I kept Sprite inside that closet overnight again that I would get that overwhelming bucky smell again .
And thanks for the info on separating Sprite and Summer before she kids. I'll be watching the calander, but I'll mostly be watching for changes in Summer's body. She's kidded before, so I'm assuming that her udder will start to build, but in case it doesn't I'll be watching her shape and eventually her ligaments. I'm very familiar with foaling mares (I've actually never missed a foaling out of about 20 that I've had here) and their bodies are always the best indicator for imminent foaling. (In fact I don't think I've ever had a foal born on the "due date" despite the fact that we did a lot of AI and had very accurate records LOL.)


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## stevepax (Jul 14, 2012)

It's hard to imagine getting excited over the stink getting stronger. :slapfloor:


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## Breezy-Trail (Sep 16, 2011)

Buck are coming into rut early this year. All the breeders in the area are talking about it.
The bucks were nasty stinky at linear appraisal last Sunday.
Usually they don't stink right now...some even were stinking a couple weeks ago.
Not sure why they are in rut early buts its true.
No does are in season that I know of.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Interesting, Jesse.
It must be neat to be around goats at functions like the linear appraisal. I love my little personal goaties, But I love seeing other peoples' goats too .


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Maybe early winter coming?


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Woodhavenfarm said:


> Maybe early winter coming?


My thoughts as well. Hopefully not a harsh one though. My horses used to tell me a bad winter was coming by growing their winter coats in thicker and earlier than normal.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

I had to laugh...give me a Florida winter over a PA winter...please! 

Actually, we kind of had that last year. It was a pretty nice winter. I forget when, but, we had the remnants of one of your storms make its way up here. I went outside and made DH come out because "it smells like a tropical storm!" Very strange winter last year. onder:


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

LOL, I know, we don't get it bad compared to you northerners. But we've had years when in the mornings it's 9 degrees with the wind chill and our water troughs are covered with inch-plus thick ice. And it's no fun .
But I'll take my animals' forcasts and the Farmer's Alminac over the Weather Channel any day as far as accuracy is concerned.
The other fun part of Florida's winters is that we'll have a week of 60-70 degree weather then overnight it drops into the teens. We just remember here that if it rains it's gonna get cold that night or the next day.


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

Our weather around here has been just as crazy as everyone else's. Back in 1997ish we had a storm in October that shut down the town and caused a few dealths. Forgot the snow accumulation ammounts but it was pretty good considering we're use to snow around here.

Usually I get about 6 weeks of below freezing and didn't get it this year. I think it comes with the storms and since we're in a drought :hair: 

I'll officially go on record and say my gut is telling me we are in for a cold winter and hopefully wet. I remember foaling out end of April in wet cold snow storms with icicles every where. 

So - only 1-2 late winter / early spring babies for me. Hate kidding out in really cold weather. I'm going for summer babies this year. The boys are going to go crazy. :GAAH:


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Poor boys! :slapfloor: 

So I went out to watch my goaties. Pan was thrilled. He came running up to me and climbed right into my lap to be loved on (Man, I LOVE this goat!!! :lovey: ). And I was able to watch Sprite and Summer.
Sprite wouldn't let her get more than five feet away from him and he was vocal every time she tried to wander off. I watched her tail and she wagged it fairly frequently, but I can't say for sure if it was more than she normally wags it. She did squat and pee for him once, and oh boy, he loved that and got his face right in it and did his flemen (sp) response for a few minutes afterwards.
I wish I could just see him try to mount her once! Just to see her reaction. But he wont even try.
Here's a question; will Queen goats ever try to control everybody's reproductive behavior? I've had lead mares who were like that.
I used to keep my good old stallion turned out with his band of mares 24/7. But the only mare who was allowed to get bred (by her own rules) was my lead mare, Delilah. If she saw another mare flirting with the stallion she went into shark mode and stopped that behavior in no uncertain terms!
If Mindy was like that it would explain why Summer hasn't been bred, and it might explain Sprite's reluctance to mount her.
Has anybody seen behavior like that?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

You know... I had that happen with one of my Does... she hogged up the buck like he was hers and no one else mattered...I was frustrated with her...so... I had to remove her from the field .....so the others can be bred....it is truly weird... but yes... it happened to one of mine.... :hair:


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Interesting, Pam.
I wonder if something along those lines was going on with Mindy. If nothing else, she was SO dominant that little Sprite might have felt intimidated. He is a very young, completely inexperienced buck. And at the place I got him from, he was way at the bottom of the pecking order, being the youngest, by far the smallest and unhealthy as well.
I know he's a happy, healthy guy now, so I have every confidence that he'll get things figured out eventually.
I looked as closely as I could at Summer's vulva this morning and besides having the whitish mucus hanging from it, it also appeared just a little bit pinker and puffier than it did yesterday (but that part could be my imagination).


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

If you are seeing a white discharge... she has gone out of heat now.... hopefully he did the deed... check her in 18 to 21 days...to see if she comes back in... :wink: :thumb:


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Okay, thanks. I'll mark my calendar.
Hopefully he got it done and that's why his self esteem seems to be so high right now LOL.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Well now this is just getting ridiculous! When I fed tonight Sprite and Summer were hanging out by the mews (hawk house), about thirty yards from the feed buckets. Pan and Fantasy were all over me (as always) but Sprite was guarding Summer and wouldn't let her come over to the feed. He was SO worried LOL! Fortunately Summer eventually snuck around him and went to the feed buckets and of course Sprite followed her. Once they got up by the buckets they both wanted to eat and did.
But I don't think that Sprite has put his little pencil away in the last 24 hours. I'm afraid its gonna dry out at this rate!
Something has definitely changed for my little buck.
(Fortunately he is still sweet and loving towards me. I gave him a good scratch on his shoulder this afternoon, while he was guarding Summer, and he loved it so much that he tried to itch himself LOL)


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Goats are so funny... :laugh:


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

toth boer goats said:


> Goats are so funny... :laugh:


That's why we love 'em! LOL :lovey:


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Well things have settled down a bit in terms of Sprite: Superbuck LOL.
He was calmer at feeding time this morning, not nearly as possessive of Summer and he didn't have to headbutt Pan at all.
Then this evening they were nice and calm too. I didn't spend as much time outside with them today, but I think I only saw Sprite's little penis out once. Whew! :wink:


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