# Shooting stars waiting room: is her udder full?!?



## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Shooting star is a FF, a s the first momma to have babies on our farm! I’m not quite sure when she was Bred, the owner of the site where we took her to said she was marked at some point during tfe week of nov 13-20, so she should have her babies any day. She is driving me crazy! She has been acting so dramatic for the last month and a half, and there have been a couple of times where I could have sworn she was going into labor. One night, we had storms come through and I swore she was in labor and having pretty regular contractions, but it all stopped around 3:30 in the morning. I checked her the next day and she was not dilated. Since then, at her other has gotten bigger and she has definitely dropped. She has been losing her mucous plug pretty gradually for the last month and a half, but this morning her toe is definitely more sticky than it has been. Her ligaments are definitely gone, I can pretty much touch my fingers when I press on her tail. But, she’s just grazing like she has no intentions of having these babies...ever!! We have a cold front coming in tonight so hopefully that’ll get things moving!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

What was she doing when you thought she was having contractions?


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

toth boer goats said:


> What was she doing when you thought she was having contractions?


She’d stand up and eat more vigorously than normal for a bit, lay down and grunt/kind of squirm/breathe hard. She did this five-10 min. At a time. She’s grunted when laying down for a while now, it just seemed more regular and intense than usual, and it was pretty regular. She never did the arching of her back, or the normal “tell-tale” labor signs, but it seemed like she was about to start any moment. I assume it was Braxton Hicks or just babies moving a lot.


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Uuugh just felt ligaments and ligaments showed back up, but are super soft. 🤦🏻‍♀️


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Her udder isn't tight enough.


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

ksalvagno said:


> Her udder isn't tight enough.


So I should be ok to keep her out of the kidding stall for the night, do you think?


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Not quite there yet... I wouldn't lock her up but would do a 10pm and a 5am check if she were mine based on the dates!

What type of buck is she bred to?


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

SalteyLove said:


> Not quite there yet... I wouldn't lock her up but would do a 10pm and a 5am check if she were mine based on the dates!
> 
> What type of buck is she bred to?


Perfect. Thanks!! She was bred to a boer buck.


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## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

I know everyone says to look at the udder but I'll be honest with you, I've had does who bag up so much that they get mastitis if I don't milk them (before kidding!) and I have a doe who doesn't bag up until after she kids. So I personally would not look at that too much. As I'm reading what you are saying my mind is going back to last year when I thought my doe was in labor, she was driving me crazy too! All I can say is when it's time, YOU WILL KNOW. Some grunting is 100% normal (my doe is a month from kidding and she has been grunting while laying down and sometimes while standing up). But when she starts having contractions, her whole body will tense, her tail will bend over her hips, her back will flatten, and her vulva (yup we're getting personal here) will sink it. She will clench/grind her teeth, yawn, star gaze (stare at the "sky"), and do the flehmen reaction (curling her upper lip). 
The discharge you have been seeing is probably not her mucus plug. The mucus plus is a long, clear string that will hang from her backside and can sometimes be so long that it reaches the ground. 
So here are the top signs I look for:
Ligaments (they will be 100% "gone" so that you can literally feel your fingers when you reach around her tail. After that happens, it will usually be within 12 hours).
Contractions 
Water breaks (I've only witnessed this once... the doe was laying down, contracting and I heard a sound behind her and she looked behind her, got up, and basically "peed" for a really long time. I usually will just go in the stall and see a big wet spot on the ground.)
Mucus plug

After all that happens, she will lay down and start pushing. Pushing is straining, not contracting. If she is pushing for longer than 30 minutes, I usually go in to make sure everyone is placed correctly. Some people wait up to an hour so just do your research. I go by the rule that you can never be too safe. I would rather go in early and feel a head and two feet rather than go in late and lose a kid because of it. 

I hope that helped! Keep us updated! 

Oh and by the way, I did a long project on this subject, that's why I'm so passionate about it lol. I've also had a lot of false calls with goat kidding so I've learned to make sure I know when it's time. Make note of what you are seeing because most goats will show similar signs every year. Next year you can look back at your notes and figure out how close she is to kidding depending on what she is doing.


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Green Mountain Farm said:


> I know everyone says to look at the udder but I'll be honest with you, I've had does who bag up so much that they get mastitis if I don't milk them (before kidding!) and I have a doe who doesn't bag up until after she kids. So I personally would not look at that too much. As I'm reading what you are saying my mind is going back to last year when I thought my doe was in labor, she was driving me crazy too! All I can say is when it's time, YOU WILL KNOW. Some grunting is 100% normal (my doe is a month from kidding and she has been grunting while laying down and sometimes while standing up). But when she starts having contractions, her whole body will tense, her tail will bend over her hips, her back will flatten, and her vulva (yup we're getting personal here) will sink it. She will clench/grind her teeth, yawn, star gaze (stare at the "sky"), and do the flehmen reaction (curling her upper lip).
> The discharge you have been seeing is probably not her mucus plug. The mucus plus is a long, clear string that will hang from her backside and can sometimes be so long that it reaches the ground.
> So here are the top signs I look for:
> Ligaments (they will be 100% "gone" so that you can literally feel your fingers when you reach around her tail. After that happens, it will usually be within 12 hours).
> ...


THANKYOU! I love your passion for it! And it makes me feel better that even someone who does a long project in this subject can be fooled!!! Haha!
I’ve seen births, but never labor. I’m mostly nervous about missing signs she’s about to give birth in case one needs help. I’m trying to somewhat arrange my work schedule around so I can try to be present but it’s impossible since it’s all such a guessing game!!!


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Picture of her this morning. I swear she has indentations next to her tail (that’s a sign of ligaments gone right?) and she was holding her tail up more, which I haven’t seen in a few days (but I thought holding her tail up meant ligs are still there?) She seemed to do some small stretches a few times when she got up, very slight arching of her back, which is what she was doing in one of these picture. Who knows.


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## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

carrie994 said:


> Picture of her this morning. I swear she has indentations next to her tail (that’s a sign of ligaments gone right?) and she was holding her tail up more, which I haven’t seen in a few days (but I thought holding her tail up meant ligs are still there?) She seemed to do some small stretches a few times when she got up, very slight arching of her back, which is what she was doing in one of these picture. Who knows.


I can definitely see the indentation by her tail. Anymore discharge? The mucus plug usually starts out being yellowish/white and then turns to the long clear string I was talking about earlier. I can't tell for sure but from the pictures, I wouldn't say that's a contraction. Another sign I forgot to mention is her belly will hang really low and her sides will look sunken in. I can't see too well but I think her sides look somewhat sunken in. At that point, it's usually 12 hours if her ligaments are gone (the sinking in of the sides means the kids are moving into the birth canal). I've never heard of them holding their tail up as a sign that they still have their ligaments, I actually take that as a sign that they are close! I would keep close if I were you, but don't get your hopes up until you see that mucus plug, lol!


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

This is the picture where I noticed she dropped on Monday. She is acting a little off this morning, she walks around, takes a few stops and kind of stops, takes a few more, stops, etc. She grunting even while standing which she typically just grunts when laying down, and is headbutting anything that comes near her. She’s not really eating, just kind of picking at food. No discharge yet though🙄

i’m definitely going to keep an eye on her, in case this isn’t pre-labor but something else like hypocalcemia or early toxemia.


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## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

Here are some pictures of my Lexi in labor. The first one is a contraction, the second one is of her ligaments gone, the third one is another contraction, and the fourth is a push. Once she started contractions, she had her first baby on the ground in 30 minutes I believe.


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Oh these are great. And they totally prove my misunderstanding about the tail not coming up wrong. Lol. I’m not sure where that came from, I feel like I read it somewhere A while back for maybe I just thought if they lose control of their tail then that means they can’t lift it. Who knows. But, now I know the truth🤣


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

This morning, there are no ligaments to be felt. She has a little discharge, which I know be completely meaningless. The biggest differences are that I didn’t see kids moving like normal and she’s only eating alfalfa if no other goats are around.
I’m getting nervous. I have to go out of town Saturday-Sunday. I really thought the babies would be here by then so I could make sure they are latching/eating well! Ugh. The doe code really sucks 🤦🏻‍♀️


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## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

carrie994 said:


> This morning, there are no ligaments to be felt. She has a little discharge, which I know be completely meaningless. The biggest differences are that I didn’t see kids moving like normal and she’s only eating alfalfa if no other goats are around.
> I’m getting nervous. I have to go out of town Saturday-Sunday. I really thought the babies would be here by then so I could make sure they are latching/eating well! Ugh. The doe code really sucks 🤦🏻‍♀️


Any progress? She definitely looks close to me, but the discharge doesn’t look like the mucus plug to me. I hope she has them before you leave!


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Green Mountain Farm said:


> Any progress? She definitely looks close to me, but the discharge doesn’t look like the mucus plug to me. I hope she has them before you leave!


Nothing 🤦🏻‍♀️


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## Kass (Apr 26, 2020)

All these labor storys are cracking me up! I wa expecting this for my doe... nope. She showed no labor signs expect for no ligaments. Litterally acted so normal i took her for a half hour leisurely stroll to let her forage. Got back into the pen, 5 minutes later babies were on the ground lol. No mucus or not eating or anything. 
Its really interesting to hear others experiences!


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Omg i had to leave for work for a couple hours. If that would happen while I’m gone, I’d be so so happy!!!! 🤣🤣 that’s so awesome.


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Before I left, I went to check on her and she was straight up pissed off at the world though. She was headbutting anything and everything in her sight, including me🤣 I mean, I don’t blame her. She’s probably feeling pretty miserable right now. She’s as over it as we are!


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## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

Any updates?


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Nothing


Green Mountain Farm said:


> Any updates?


Nothing!!!! Absolutely nothing. Lol. I just have her due date wrong I guess. She’s perfectly happy grazing with the herd.


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

The only difference today is that her udder is quite a bit darker...more of a reddish tint instead of light pink, and “veiny” but nipples still don’t look full (which I know for a ff, may not be relevent. Who knows.


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## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

carrie994 said:


> The only difference today is that her udder is quite a bit darker...more of a reddish tint instead of light pink, and “veiny” but nipples still don’t look full (which I know for a ff, may not be relevent. Who knows.
> View attachment 207623


She is taking her own sweet time!


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Progress!!!! Finally!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Happy kidding.


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

She did it! Well. We did it🤣 both boys got stuck so I had to help her out. Little girl came out great, but had some difficulty warming up. All are great now! My first indep kidding, a bit crazy but there’s definitely nothing like get your hands dirty learning.
Boys are9.4 and 10.8 pounds. Girl is 4.6


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Aww a big congrats. 

Good work.


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Thank you!!! 
Photos


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

How cute.


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Well, mom ended up with a slight fever this morning. 104.2. She was off feed and water. I gave her Neutra drench, vitamin B, banamine and started penicillin. When I got home from work, she seemed to be doing better but it was pretty obvious the kids were lacking food. now that she’s up more, the boys are starting to nurse well but a little girl is not. She tries, but it seems like she gives up quickly. I think it’s a combination She tries, but it seems like she gives up quickly. I think it’s a combination Of boys taking the milk and a little girl not having a strong sock. I’m working on the bottle, so hopefully she can start taking that soon


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Suck. Not sock 🤦🏻‍♀️


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## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

So exciting! I hope the little girl and mama are ok!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Make sure mama’s milk looks ok and no mastitis or congested udder is happening, just in case.

Hope they will be ok.


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

toth boer goats said:


> Make sure mama’s milk looks ok and no mastitis or congested udder is happening, just in case.
> 
> Hope they will be ok.


There is definitely not mastitis. But, I don’t think she’s making a ton of milk, due to dehydration. I’m having a drench her with water because she’s really not drinking very much at all. I’m picking up some anabiotic’s from the vet for pneumonia. Mom is up and eating a lot more today than yesterday though, and both boys are nursing like crazy. I am tying mom up to let the little girl nurse and she is definitely more energetic today, especially after I gave her an enema because she was not pooping on her own either. Thankfully she had a good, yellow poop. Not super bright like the boys but definitely yellow. I really hope and pray that it is yellow enough. I am struggling and getting her to take a bottle, but I picked up a different bottle today to see if that nipple works better.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

How are things?


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## carrie994 (Aug 17, 2016)

Much better!!!!! Mom is getting over her infection, milk flow is better, Babies are growing well (1/2 pound/day),and little girl is taking a bottle!!!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

YAY, good job.


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