Breeding our Goats

Nubian dairy goats need to be bred every year in order to have milk.  Our goats dry up (stop producing milk) mid to late November.  Nettle was bred for the first time last fall and she had two kids in February (as did our other three girls) but she is still producing nearly three quarts a day.  Alure dried up last month and Surely this month, but Nettle is still going nearly full speed.

Nettle getting ready for EV the Boer Buck

Last February all four of our goats (Zoe has passed on the the freezer) gave birth within two weeks, with 10 baby goats and it was hell on me - really too much work.  So this year we decided to spread out the breeding, allowing only one per heat cycle to be bred.  Nettle we decided to do last because of her strong milk flow.  We have to dry them up at least two months before kidding to give them time to build up their strength (milk takes a lot out of them).  But last month Nettle didn't go into heat and we were worried.  Pam talked to a breeder we are friends with and she said due to the warm weather in late October and early November several of her does skipped their cycle.  Nettle has been going into heat every 21 days and yesterday was on our calendar as her heat due day, so I put her in with EV, our boer buck. No luck.

This morning when I milked her she was dripping mucus from her behind and then when I was finished she ran to the gate connecting the buck yard and started moaning.  I put her in with EV and she is bred!  It takes about five months so it looks like we'll have either late April or early May babies from her.

Nettle at the time of her breeding last year

Surely was bred September 15th and Alure October 11th, so we'll have them spread out this year like the plan.  Surely is due February 15th, Alure March 15th, and Nettle April 27th.  In addition to having the births spread out, next winter we should have fresh milk without the normal winter break.  Usually we freeze several gallons to hold us through the winter but when we thaw it out it is not very good as it separates.

Yesterday morning we had another surprise.  We were given four laying chickens by a client of mine that decided to move back to California and one of the hens has been sitting on some eggs and two hatched.  So we have two new chicks born - she has three more eggs in her nest so maybe we'll get more.