Is it normal for kids to pretend to mate?

SiameseVA · #1 06/02/10, 10:41 PM

Or maybe they're not pretending! I have an 11 day old buckling that was mounting my little doeling (1 month old). I wasn't close enough to see if he was actually doing it, but he was doing all of the motions! I sure hope pregnancy is not a possiblity at this age. He will be neutered asap. (emasculator) What age do you usually neuter your bucklings?

CaliannG · #2 06/02/10, 10:49 PM

At 11 days, he is likely not fertile. Goats will do mounting behavior to establish dominance, and it doesn't *necessarily* mean they are mating. My bucklings will mount each other, and even does will mount one another.

However, most people start banding at 2 weeks old.

**mygoat** · #3 06/02/10, 11:08 PM

This is likely just 'practice' or dominance at his tender age. However, I've heard of doelings getting pregnant at 4+ or so weeks old, or at least kidding when they hit 6 or 7 months old - meaning they were bred at 4-8 weeks of age. USUALLY this occurs when you have an older buckling in with the doelings - at 11 days I wouldn't worry too much. Usually bucklings are weaned/separated from their dams and sisters at 8-10 weeks. If I know I'm going to band, I usually get them done before they hit 2 weeks old... more or less. Depends on when I get help to hold them - the boyfriend refused to hold them for castration after he helped with one, once.

shiandpete.1 · #4 06/02/10, 11:11 PM

We usually band at 6-7 weeks old. I agree that the little buck was just working on being more dominant.

SiameseVA · #5 06/03/10, 08:29 AM

Thanks! If I keep him, he'll live with my buck, but as a wether. It looked like more than just mounting!

Does anyone use an emasculator? Just curious at what age is best to use that tool?

hoofinitnorth · #6 06/10/10, 11:13 AM

As others said, it's likely a dominance issue. Girls do it too.

We castrate after 12 weeks of age but often separate boys around 8 weeks of age - usually around the time the penis makes its first appearance outside the body. Sometimes it's earlier, sometimes later.

This year I had a very frightening moment of a 7-week-old doeling "bred" by her brother of the same kidding. I never did see his penis but she had white goop on her rear after he climbed off her and I yanked those boys out of there so fast you wouldn't believe it! I cleaned her up and now will be watching to see if we need to Lute. *sigh* It's very unlikely he's fertile or that she settled, but I'm not going to let her take a pregnancy to term at this age/size.

luvzmybabz · #7 06/10/10, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoofinitnorth

As others said, it's likely a dominance issue. Girls do it too.

We castrate after 12 weeks of age but often separate boys around 8 weeks of age - usually around the time the penis makes its first appearance outside the body. Sometimes it's earlier, sometimes later.

This year I had a very frightening moment of a 7-week-old doeling "bred" by her brother of the same kidding. I never did see his penis but she had white goop on her rear after he climbed off her and I yanked those boys out of there so fast you wouldn't believe it!

I had one of those moments last evening with a little buckling that is just barely 8 weeks however I saw the penis extended so he got moved into the pen with the bigger boys.

Wolf Flower · #8 06/10/10, 01:00 PM

This is my first time raising kids, they are almost 8 weeks old now and they hump each other constantly! In fact I just started putting the buckling in with the other boys, and he immediately tried humping my buck! He's going to get wethered next week.

The doeling even humps the buckling sometimes.

I hope my neighbors don't hear me saying "Stop humping your sister!" God knows what they think...

hoofinitnorth · #9 06/10/10, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolf Flower

I hope my neighbors don't hear me saying "Stop humping your sister!" God knows what they think...

It seems I'm saying that all the time (and most of the time it's two sisters)!

We're wethering this weekend. Yippee!

Backfourty,MI. · #10 06/10/10, 09:19 PM

All baby goats, boys & girls do the mounting behavior. It's completely normal. I wouldn't worry about an 11 day old little buck, you'll be fine for awhile.

I have never used the emasculator to wether any boys, if I want to wether them I always band them. I usually do that around 4 or 5 weeks of age, depending on there size.

wintrrwolf · #11 06/11/10, 09:16 AM

I will be banding Seeker this weekend. Both boys I have seen mount each other its normal. But if one of the boys had been a doeling ...