Greetings all-

We have a LaMancha doeling who has been with a buck since September. The two other does (my moms) who have been with her the whole time are starting to thicken up, as expected, but not Molly (the doeling in question). She was 8 monthes old when the buck was introduced. I've never not had a doe take, but I have only had two milk goats as a teenager. Is it possible she's bred, but just bred later? What should I check for, short of calling a vet in for tests? I've never had a doe birth only one kid, but have you? That would account for small size yet...

Please share your thoughts here.

-- Marty (Mrs.Puck@Excie.com), January 18, 2002

Answers

Doelings often do not show very much, sometimes you canot tell if they are expecting or just full of hay. It may be a single kid, or small twins.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 18, 2002.

The buck also would have chossen in a pen breeding situation to breed the older girls first, given the chance. The older girls would have also hogged the bucks attentions away from the younger girls. Rarely when we pen breed do the yearlings have kids first, even though they may cycle. I would bet your yearling would freshen a full cycle later than the older does. I agreee with Rebekah, yearlings here are big, we don't breed at 8 months, but even the ones who are due in March, are plump, but have very little udder developement started, just look more mature. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 18, 2002.