I've decided to stop trying to breed my normal girl this season because she looks too thin. She hasn't eaten for about two months which is the longest she's ever gone, she hasn't been losing weight (stuck at 1300 grams), but I figure I'd rather play it safe. The thing is, a while back I thought I saw a lock between her and my lesser.

What I want to know is that if they really did lock and once was enough, is she likely to eat for me again before the eggs arrive or will she fast until she lays? Do females EVER eat while they're going through this process, and if so at what point do they normally eat again?

Also, is it possible for her to produce follicles without being paired at all? Last winter I palpated her just for the sake of it and I certainly felt 5 marble-sized bumps in her lower abdomen, but I didn't even own a male at that point. Do females produce follicles every winter?