Love is in the Air

Well Love is in the Air here at Russell's Ridge.  With the cooler weather here now all the girls have gone into heat.  Priscilla is the only girl old enough to be bred this year. Female goats, does, are only in heat for 3 days.  Starting last Thursday we started putting Priscilla in with Brady to be bred.

Brady being the young buck he is, only 7 1/2 months old, was a little slow to figure out what he was suppose to do.  The first day, Thursday, I only had them together for a few hours.  I also had her sleep in the boys area for the night.  Friday I moved her back in with the girls after milking. I actually got a lot of milk from her since she was separated from her girls, who seem to still be nursing even at 4 1/2 months.

Brady & Priscilla together

Friday afternoon I put Priscilla back in with Brady.  Brady was now starting to figure things out just a bit.  He was smelling her and when a doe is in heat she gives off a scent.  The buck will curl his upper lip showing he likes her scent.  Brady was sniffing and curling his lip but Priscilla was teasing him.  Lifting her tail and wagging it but if Brady came close then she would run away.  I also left her in there Friday night overnight.

Saturday morning Jamie was home from being out of town for business and he knew right away that Brady was in rut.  He was now giving off a stinky smell.  After milking I put Priscilla back in with Brady and moved Bruschi in with the girls.  Brady was very happy and tended to Priscilla.  He was staying right by her side, smelling her.  I decided to go in and hold Priscilla for him since I was told that Brady may need a little help with him being inexperienced.  He was in his delight.  Started lip curling and making this clicking noise with his tongue.  Also would lick Priscilla on her sides and back and then let his tongue hang out.  It was actually quite comical.  Finally after all this courting the deed was done.  In fact quite a few times.

Brady & Priscilla together

I went ahead and left Priscilla in there with Brady for one last night just in case.  This morning I moved her out, milked her and now she is back in with the girls and Bruschi is back in with Brady.

A dairy goat doe's heat cycle runs every 21 days.  I have marked on the calendar when her heat cycle started last week and we will watch to see if she goes back into heat in 21 days.  If she doesn't go back into heat that means she is pregnant and we will have babies in 5 months.  If she does go back into heat it means that the breeding didn't take and she will go on more "dates" with Brady at that time.

I'm really hoping for babies to be born here.  I think it will be a great experience for the kids to witness.