My Nubian is hollering!

[Jillis]

It is the wee hours and she is bellowing---loudly! She doesn't usually do this.

Of course I went out in the dark and tripped my way across the yard until I could get to the barn and wave in the dark until the motion detector lights came on...

[note to self: have Nate the electrician install some motion detector lights on the side of the house facing the barn...]

Everyone was fine and VERY happy to see me...except Esmerelda. She walked out, and back in. I thought, is she a little hunched over? I called and called but she stood in the dark door of the barn and just looked out at me unhappily...I wasn't what or who she wanted...

I stupidly had gone out in my slippers and I could feel the cold wetness trying to seep in from the wet hay/mud mess I was standing in...

I got some hay and threw it down and they all ran out to have some...except Essie...sigh...I am thinking, is she going to make me climb this fence and walk in all that muck to check her out???

So I got a little grain and shook the pan. Bingo! She trotted out and gobbled it down, and then retreated to the barn...

As I tripped back through the darkness the strong aroma of buck wafted down on the night breeze...and the light dawned on me...she must be in heat!

This is a very strong-willed doe that I took to be bred last year. I left her there for 3 weeks, and she wasn't having any of what that buck was offering!

Now, the Alpine I want to breed her to is about 6 months old...and he is very interested in breeding...but I wonder if she will let him...he is still smaller than her. She is a funny, bossy, aloof type of goat. She loves my son, but is only polite with me. Very classy looking too.

I was going to wait until the end of this month to breed any goats, so that I won't have babies in March...but if she is in heat, I may breed just her, because I have never seen her in heat before and I don't want to miss my chance.

I think she is going to be hard to milk, though...she really is very independant and thinks quite highly of her beautiful self...

Wish me success, everyone!

[GoatLove]

Originally Posted by Jillis

Of course I went out in the dark and tripped my way across the yard until I could get to the barn and wave in the dark until the motion detector lights came on...

You sound just like me!!! Good luck with her, I am sure everything will go well

[Jillis]

We led her out to the buck pen and brought out Kronk, our 6 month old Alpine. He is big and chunky for his age, but she is bigger. But she was quite cooperative and everything was over with, a few times, quite quickly. Then she got annoyed with him and wanted out. I'll bring her back in the pen tonight an again tomorrow, but I'd be surprised if this breeding didn't take.

She would NEVER have cooperated if she was not in a strong heat. She is way too bossy for that.

So, number one has been bred for the season. My first time breeding a goat, too!

[GoatLove]

Congrats to you!

[gccrook]

OK, first thing on your list: a flashlight. I have several; one that has a headband, so I can go hands free. Another is a 1000000 candle power spotlight so I can see across the pasture without going there. My DW still ikes to go out without a flashlight, and then complains about injuring herself

Second, congratulations on your breeding. I am getting ready to start myself. My nubians are a real pain when they are in heat. However, we succesfully bred all of them last year.

[Jillis]

Yeah, i was thinking about that as I groped my way through the darkness...I actually have several flashlights, but they go walking, or the batteries do...I want one of the Millions candle flashlights.
The nubian has been quiet since her "experience" with the buck yesterday. Does that mean it "took"?