Will I have babies?

This is our first year breeding our goats. Our buck was born Feb 2012. He is really a sweetheart, but I worry about whether or not he's doing his job.

We have been moving girls in and out with him when we suspect they are in heat. He seems to not even notice. Only once have I seen him even attempt to mount one and he shows not signs of being in rut.

Is he just shy and prefers to be romantic in private? Or is he not up to the task?

I would leave the buck in with the girls. A buck can bring the girls into season but he has to be there for more than a few days.

We used to just leave the buck in with our girls for about a month.
They always got pregnant.

I NEVER see my rams perform. They often don't seem interested but every spring, there are lambs. So don't be discouraged, but yet, I'd leave them all together for a few weeks.

So his age should not matter? I have about 15 girls for him to service. I am a bit afraid that my two big old girls will bully him - they bully everyone else.

Also, can I breed my little doelings (born April this year) or should I wait until next year for them?

I can't wair for the babies to arrive!

My Shetland Sheep are slow growing so I wait for the ewe lambs to be 20 months but sometimes mistakes happen and so far so good. It's not so much the breeding as the birth that is the worry with young females I think.

The rams are ready much earlier and when most ewes are in heat they will stand for almost anything.

A goat person should know better.

Also if you are questioning if the buck is doing his job you can buy a marking harness for him.
Then the girls will have colored marks to prove if he is doing his job.

We always used them with our rams so we know when each ewe was breed and by which ram.

Bucklings can breed by 4or 5 months... no problems. We had a neighbour who had dairy goats and didn't think anything of leaving the pygmy buck in with them because he was so small. yeah, he must have been firing scud missiles because the girls got pregnant. 15 does for a buck is ok.

RE: Also, can I breed my little doelings (born April this year) or should I wait until next year for them?

I wouldn't. There are lots of folks who breed does at 9 months, but I believe that is too young. They really aren't mature, pyschologically and my experience with others folks goats is they didn't make as good a mom. I never bred the does until they were over a year and closer to 15 months of age.

Breeding young, we have friends who has been raising sheep for over 30 years and experience was that sheep breed at 8 or 9 months weren't productive anywhere near as long as sheep who got breed at 15 months (could breed these girls into years 10-12). I would assume the same with goats.

He is old enough to breed.
What breed is he?
Like others have said Leave him in with the girls as that will help them come in standing heat and him coming in full rut
s for the older girls watch them but he should be okay.
as for breeding the Doelings that were born in April I use to breed my young girls
again alot depends on the breed.
and you can go by size if they are mini's they should be okay if they are standard size goats how big are they.
and what is the size of the sires line at birth.
Pics woul;d be helpful.
I had a Goat dairy at one time and had 150 milking does at so I kinda know alittle bit LOL
Joe

I am loving all the info.

The buck is high % boer. The girls range from the same to nigerian/crosses to others I just don't know what they are. This is basically a starter herd for me to get my bearing with.