Late fawns this year, a little confused

I am in central PA and I just wanted to see if others that live bred are running late this year. My does (6 of them) appear to be at least a couple weeks away from fawning. None of them have bagged up yet. They aren't as large(bellies) as other years, and two are skinny and are making me wonder if they will even fawn at all this year. I have always had several does that fawned by now. I dont know if the rut was late or what, it is just unusal that there not close yet. I have started to suspect 2 things.

1. Worms. making them look skinny. I wormed them in Feb. But I did it again yesterday just incase they have worms. Would the worms keep them from looking bagged up too?

2. Yearling breeder didnt get it done. I had to use a yearling this year (my big guy hit the fence and died earlier last year)I had a button buck in the pen with the yearling and I saw him chasing does in Dec. so I wonder if the yearling bred them first cycle but they didnt take, so the button buck got them next, if thats the case I got a while yet until fawns show up. I know its rare but maybe he wasnt any good. I did see him breeding one way back in November.



Sorry if I sound rediculous, but that is the only two things I would suspect, other than a late rut. You never know, I could have a fawn today, but I have never seen my does look so "unready" in late May.

How old are the does? Maybe they are carrying singles. There are many factors that may be the reason for late fawns. I have seen does bag up just a day or two before they fawn. I hope all works out for you. What was the buck fawn you used? I use buck fawns every year and I have had good luck with using them as long as they were born early enough. We like to have early fawns from good proven genetics so we can get a jump start on proving him.

Thought I should add that I only breed a small percentage of does with buck fawns. I read the above post over again and it sounded like we only use buck fawns to breed with. I just wanted to clear that up.

We also do all natural breeding. Last year our first fawns were May 3, and normally we have a couple by the 15th. but this year we just had our first set yesterday. So it would seem that the rut was a little later this year. All of our bred does a huge so the dam could burst anytime now.

Same here my live bred does seem to be a little behind. Just had first live bred ones yesterday. Most are usaully born memorial weekend but looking like it may be little later this year.

Had 2fawns born 5 days ago and other doe looks a week or more away, both bred at same time, north eastern PA

Here in cental Il. we had are first to sets born yesterday. Thats about 2 weeks later than our first last year. Got another one we saw get bred due tuesday. Rick

We may be ahead of the curve. I have 6 does that were live bred (13 fawns) and 3 does from AI ( 7 fawns). Most are showing very heavy and should break loose this weekend. Our Ai date was Nov.14, so 190 days is this weekend.

I am paticuarlly worried about one of the 5 year old does I have, she probably will not fawn this year, she is the skinniest doe I have, you can see every rib and some of her spine I noticed it when her winter hair finally started shedding. She has had a nasal deformaity and the fllys get in there and bother her, she sneezes alot and kicks at her nose. She is stressed and it makes the others go on edge. Other years she did not get this thin, but spring came early this year and she got the flys earlier. I think coming out of the winter and the flys getting to her early was to much and if she was pregnent she probably lost it. she eats like a horse but wont put the weight on, I worm her reguarly with the others, even give her rice bran but she wont gain. I think i will put her down this year if she goes fawnless, this is her third spring here with me and she produced 2 sets of twins in the past but always lost one the first day from being so small, her yearlings are always small.2 fawns in 3 years is not a good thing.

My others are just smaller than any other year, even the 2 other 5 year olds,, they have just a little bump for a belly.Just an unusal year this year I guess, hopefully my fawns get here in the next few weeks. I am getting really anxious, I've been ready since the end of last fawning season!LOL

I live bred 2 does last year and the fawn's were born june 5(both does on the same day).Live bred the same 2 does this year,one of them had twins(1buck,1doe)on the 20th of may,and still waiting on the other one.Who know's.Just got to be patient,it is mother nature.I wish you all big heathy fawn's.Good luck.Hillbilly

we always joke about the fawns being like christmas presents....I'm beginning to wonder if my does are going to hold on and wait till Christmas to give me my presents.....they all are ready to explode I'm hoping they can't hold on much longer.....i want to get all my pens sprayed and won't do it till fawning is done.....I hate seeing the deer covered in flies and bugs!!