# How early can a goat give birth and babies live???????????



## Frozenloc2

My doe is due April 5th. There's no way the birth date is wrong either cause I hand bred her two days in a row. She has been wagging her tail and crying alot. She also has been laying down more than up. This all started yesterday. Her crying is more today. I'm hoping she is just uncomfortable and not showing signs of kidding early. I have foaled mares 3 weeks before there due date and the baby be fine. Can this apply to kids also??? Should I start watching her at night? I'm freaking out cause I have too babysit my nieces tonight till about midnight :hair:


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## Sweet Gum Minis

What do her ligaments feel like? How is her udder? Is she just miserable because she's huge? Some of mine are quite the whiners when pregnant and huge. Some don't make a sound. Others moan, groan and carry on.


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## Frozenloc2

I honestly havn't paid much attention to the ligament thing only because it didn't always stand true for horses giving birth. She's normally a quiet girl so her crying is very out of character for her. This is my second time with this doe kidding and she is huge! Looks like triplets this time, twins last time. Her bag is full but not tight yet. Last year her bag was full and wasn't tight either when she kidded. She's eating her hay right now but not her grain which isn't unusual. She did this last year also. Her appetite picks up after the babies are born. How many days early can she kid and they live? This ligament thing? is she supposed to feel hollow or very squishy? With horses its very squishy. I'm still learning about goats.


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## trob1

145 days is the norm but I have read that 136 days is the cut off for being able to survive. Sometimes the kids can get in odd positions and cause the doe to be uncomfortable. I would encourage her to move around. Make sure she is still eating her grain and hay and that she gets lots of calcium rich alfalfa hay or pellets at this point so she does not go down due to too little calcium. Going off of grain is the first sign of hypocalciumia so make sure she is getting enough calcium.


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## Sweet Gum Minis

140 is the earliest I've heard of being safe, but they don't always live at 140 either. So it depends on so many factors. 

The ligaments turn to mush and then disappear when they're close. Watch for her tail head to raise up high and her tail to be arched out too.


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## goathappy

141 is what I've heard. with goats, ligaments are a tell tale sign that they will kid soon, when their ligaments are completely gone, kids can be expected soon.


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