# Heat Cycle



## carlidoe (Jul 30, 2010)

What happens to a doe's heat cycle when you put a buck in the pen with her? Will she come into heat even if she isn't due to come in for another couple of weeks? 
I have 4 does. How long should I leave the buck in? How do I know when they are bred if I'm not out there to see all the action?


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

You will see the "evidence" stuck all over the does tail and back end if the buck bred her. I put my buck in with my "to be bred" girls 150 days from the earliest date I want kids and leave him with them until they come inside for the winter. My goats cannot go outside in the winter because the snow totally fills up their outside pen and the gate freezes shut (or open). They are also in the barn when I am not home. The buck has a separate inside stall, but during breeding season he will share their outside pen. They are usually inside for the winter by December, so the buck is out with them for 2-3 months.

However, I check back ends and mark down who got bred when, so I know when to re-check for heats. My girls are all pretty obvious when they are in heat, so I also mark that down on the calendar. The buck stall and outside pen both share a wall/fence line with the does, so it's easy to see who he is extra interested in and which girl is flirting hot and heavy with him. I have a very small place, so I am in sight of my goats all the time i am home and awake. Its easier for me to observe them than if I had a large pasture. As much as I would LOVE to have a bigger farm, sometimes smaller is better.

The heat cycle depends on the doe I think. I have had does suddenly come into an off-schedule heat when a stinky buck arrives and there is suddenly a buck on the property, others don't care and continue with their regular cycle.


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## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

You can put your buck in with the girls for about 25 days. Go out to the pens every day and check the does. Plan on spending at least 20-30 minutes watching them for signs of heat, tails flagging, the buck making all his blubbering noises to them. Check each does rear end every day looking for signs of semen being stuck to the hair in their tail and on their back end. When you see the signs of semen stuck to her mark it on your calendar, putting her name and date bred. Watch that doe in 21 days to see if she comes back into heat again. If she doesn't you can assume she is bred. Having breeding dates and due dates is a really good thing.


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## carlidoe (Jul 30, 2010)

Ok! Great advice guys thanks a lot. 

I have a tiny famr and my 4 goats are in my backyard practically. They are family pets so I spend lots of time out there. Will definately have to keep the kids away from the pen while the buck is visiting. I'm not ready to answer those questions!


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## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

The kids catch on real quick and then it becomes second nature to them. Josh was helping wipe baby goats off as soon as they came out when he was 3 years old. Kinda makes it real easy when it comes to the human birds and the bees talk. Never have heard Josh utter the words, "Mama, where do babies come from?"


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## Dana (Dec 7, 2009)

Funny, Carli, my kids are homeschooled and I call that sex ed. :rofl ...but I don't know how old your kids are and that can make a difference.


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