# Getting does to breed.



## Detdake (Oct 9, 2008)

Does anybody have any advice for me on getting my stubborn doe to breed?


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## dilligaf (Oct 17, 2008)

I am asssuming you are talking a goat here.. How big of an area do you have her in, maybe try to confine her n the buck to a smaller place.
How old is she?
Has she been bred before? 
Has this buck bred other does this year? 
Are her feeds and such providing the nutrients needed to bring about heat cycle?
Is she showing signs of heat?

maybe the buck isnt her type and just simply not to her liking  

I have one of mine that is refusing to breed this year. If she doesnt take very soon, she will be dinner come spring.


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## wildman800 (Oct 17, 2008)

Doe; I assume you're speaking of either rabbit or deer. I know very little about deer but I recently learned this about breeding rabbits.

The males and females have to be kept separated until you are ready for them to breed. Then you have to move the doe to the buck's cage. Then they will do the nasty.

If you bring the buck to the doe's cage,,,she will reject him.


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## guyfour (Oct 15, 2008)

I heard you have to tease them somehow? ?


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## Judygranny (Jul 8, 2010)

If talking about Rabbits, this isn't the time of year to breed them. Or rather, we're just coming into the breeding season. Be sure she isn't over-fed (fat is not fertile!), and do take her to the buck, not the other way around. W/hold grain and allow good hay if she's overweight. Lots of fresh water at all times for all critters! If she's old, it may be time to cull. If she's a first-timer, just give her time to figure things out a bit.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

We never had any trouble with our goats breeding. In fact the buck did a lot of damage to the fencing just to get to them. We had a lot of unplanned babies that year.


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

wildman800 said:


> The males and females have to be kept separated until you are ready for them to breed. Then you have to move the doe to the buck's cage. If you bring the buck to the doe's cage,,,she will reject him.


Yup. In fact, the does and bucks should be separated so that the does should be up wind whenever possible.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

UncleJoe said:


> We never had any trouble with our goats breeding. In fact the buck did a lot of damage to the fencing just to get to them. We had a lot of unplanned babies that year.


We had an Houdini also ...

No fun, no fun a all.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

guyfour said:


> I heard you have to tease them somehow? ?


usually a 'teaser' goat is a castrated male kept with the females that is used to get unwilling males ready by making them competitive


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## goatlady (Nov 7, 2011)

Female goats are seasonal breeders. They normally will start their "heat" cycle at the first hard frost in the Fall and then cycle every 28 or so days until bred or until nature says it's too late in the season which may happen around Feb. or so depending on your location. Kids need to be born in early spring so they have a chance to get big enough to survive the coming winter season. There are does that will not breed or even cycle. Nothing to be done except cull that goat. Gestation runs about 155 days (5 months or so). Also if a doe is carrying too much weight/fat she will not breed and if she gains too much weight during gestation she WILL have a hard time delivering successfully. Diet is most important for all facets of a goat's life. Too much protein is not good, too little roughage is really bad.


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

Guess our girls were cooperative. We have 3 does and they had a young visitor last fall. I thought he was too young and too little - didn't think he could reach, but, starting in early March, the first one had a doe, the second one had twins, and the third one had triplets! The mama's are doing a wonderful job, but now we need to learn more about when to start milking, etc.... I love spring with all the new life...


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## fondini (Mar 18, 2012)

Try a movie and maybe a dinner, if that doesn't work buy some tall rubber boots.....


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Possumfam said:


> Guess our girls were cooperative. We have 3 does and they had a young visitor last fall. I thought he was too young and too little - didn't think he could reach, but, starting in early March, the first one had a doe, the second one had twins, and the third one had triplets! The mama's are doing a wonderful job, but now we need to learn more about when to start milking, etc.... I love spring with all the new life...


Congrats on the new kids!

And you are right ... spring and farm babies, The best!

As for milking, some folks take the kids off the mom and bottle feed ... I do not ... After 6 weeks I start putting the kids up at night. Next morning milk mom then turn them out together. After 12 weeks (if baby is looking good and taking some grain) I wean and milk twice a day.

It is what works for us ... best of luck.


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## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

My understanding is that does have a heat cycle every month and have the potential to get pregnant every month as a result. The BUCK is NOT always in rut, however and that's the key to a pregnancy. Some bucks are naturally more horney, and therefore you'll have kids in the colder months of Dec and Jan. If you live in a warm climate, that's not too much of a problem, but if you're further north a cold, wet kid is a dead kid if you don't help get it dried off and under a heat lamp.
Females will start "flagging" (wagging their tail high up in the air) when they're receptive to a buck and this will usually get him motivated as well. If you have a buck who is in the mood only once a year it will normally be in October.


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

*Andi said:


> As for milking, some folks take the kids off the mom and bottle feed ... I do not ... After 6 weeks I start putting the kids up at night. Next morning milk mom then turn them out together. After 12 weeks (if baby is looking good and taking some grain) I wean and milk twice a day.
> 
> It is what works for us ... best of luck.


Okay, this is probably what we'll try to do, too, then. As for bottle feeding the babies, that just makes 2 more chores - first milking, then feeding. Don't have that much time. Thanks for the info, Andi!


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Possumfam said:


> Okay, this is probably what we'll try to do, too, then. As for bottle feeding the babies, that just makes 2 more chores - first milking, then feeding. Don't have that much time. Thanks for the info, Andi!


You are Welcome ... but just so you know most folks frown on the way I do it ... :gaah: ... and yes, I can understand but I have never had a problem milking this way. :dunno:

It all comes down to finding what works best for you and going with it ... (IMO )


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## DirtyHarry (Mar 8, 2012)

Detdake said:


> Does anybody have any advice for me on getting my stubborn doe to breed?


A good diner and soft music...


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## md1911 (Feb 9, 2012)

*Andi said:


> You are Welcome ... but just so you know most folks frown on the way I do it ... :gaah: ... and yes, I can understand but I have never had a problem milking this way. :dunno:
> 
> It all comes down to finding what works best for you and going with it ... (IMO )


That's how grandpa used to do his cows. He always hated buying milk replacer so he would wean the bull calves early. Good advice.


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