# Tiny doe is pregnant. Anything I can do to prepare?



## EmmaDipstik (Sep 22, 2011)

I have this doe that is around 6 and a half months old and she is a month and a half pregnant. She is extremely tiny and I don't know who the kids' sire is.

She is a Nubian/Alpine cross and weighs around 60 pounds. She was very underweight, was sick and had an overload of lice. I got her to gain about 15 pounds and she doesn't look as sickly and thin as she did when we first got her.

I am not going to feed grain until she is about 4 months in. Are there any other ideas? I want the babies to be healthy, but I dont want them to be too big for her to have.  *Oh and ignore the horrible shave job...I had never shaved a goat before! *

*The day we got her*:









*Today*:









*The pictures really dont show how much better she looks..*


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Have the vet on speed dial. I would have probably given Lutalyse but that is up to each individual person whether to maintain the pregnancy or not.


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## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

I, too, had a 5 month old doe get pregnant. Actually, it was the original owner who had it happen. I will just say that you should have OB gloves, lube, and have the vet on speed dial. Also, be mentally prepared, you and your family, for the kids to be lost. Definitely not saying that they will not live, it is just better to be prepared instead of having to quit farming because you were not expecting it. It went fine with our doe, hoping everything works out for you!


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## sandhillfarm (Feb 25, 2013)

Do what u can and cross your fingers.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

I agree with ksalvagno, at this stage I would lute her to abort it, IMO my does are not worth the risk


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## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

Would like to see how this turns out, I have a tiny little doe, she's about 8-9 months, and _very_ small. I would say even smaller than your doe. She's in with a buck atm, we have no choice but to keep her there, and I'm very worried about her getting bred. Good luck!!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I have a wonderful buck that just loves to jump fences now, I have been in your boat a time or two. Now what I would do is give her all she can eat from now till the last month, the last month is when the kids grow the most. But you also have to think about preg. tox. if you cut her down. But still, again if it was me I would still cut her back the last month and keep a close eye on her the last month. Dont starve her but I would feed just hay.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I would lute her as well. It is not fair to her or the baby.


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## EmmaDipstik (Sep 22, 2011)

Hi everyone! I called up the original owner and had him look up what day she was born. *Turns out she was born 7/26/12 so she is 8 months old. I also re-weighed her and she weighs 86 pounds. * I don't know how I got all this information wrong, but I've been able to get a lot more information on her to help reassure me.

I feel a lot better knowing she is older than 6 and a half months. But I am still weary about pregnancy toxemia and other problems that could occur, luckily one of my friends who had raised goats forever lives really close so if anything goes wrong she said to call her no matter what time of day. She also came out to look at her and thinks she's big enough to deliver, so we made the decision not to lute her.

We have her on good quality alfalfa hay at this moment, and will possibly start introducing grain when she is past 4 months. We are praying that everything goes well. ray:

Well maybe I can stop worrying for a few days and actually get some sleep. It's past midnight right now. Yeah I think I will head to bed! Thank you so much for your opinions and help! I truly appreciate it and am glad I will be able to count on this forum helping me if I need it.

Now... :sleeping:


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

If you have been feeding her grain, don't just quickly stop...just gradually taper down the amount you are feeding her...to a "token" amount when she hits 4 months gestation. Because, when she kids, you want to restart feeding her and you don't want that to be a "sudden change" either. You have to feed her to keep her growth rate, and support the pregnancy. We just don't want to make the sudden changes. 

Almost everyone has had an "oops" breeding. Mine was a ND doe that kidded at age 11 mos. She had twins, both perfectly positioned, and vigorous. She was a great mother. Good luck!


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## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

Di, that's crazy! Mine was an 11 mo. old ND doe too, who had twins, and she was a great mom!


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## Ember (May 23, 2011)

We had a Pygmy female that was bred by our fullblood boer buck. And she was a small Pygmy. She did great had twins who were so damn adorable. I bottle raised her doeling after a dog got in and killed her and the buckling and she's bigger than our yearling doe. 

She may surprise you. Our Pygmy was smaller and did very well and the babies weren't huge that was our concern as well


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## EmmaDipstik (Sep 22, 2011)

Di said:


> If you have been feeding her grain, don't just quickly stop...just gradually taper down the amount you are feeding her...to a "token" amount when she hits 4 months gestation. Because, when she kids, you want to restart feeding her and you don't want that to be a "sudden change" either. You have to feed her to keep her growth rate, and support the pregnancy. We just don't want to make the sudden changes.
> 
> Almost everyone has had an "oops" breeding. Mine was a ND doe that kidded at age 11 mos. She had twins, both perfectly positioned, and vigorous. She was a great mother. Good luck!


She hasn't been on grain at all other than when I was lead training her, and she only got about 2 cups at the most, other than that she hasn't had grain. Right now she has free access to alfalfa hay, and minerals.

I will slowly start introducing grain when she is around four months into gestation. I will definitely not make a "sudden change". When she kids she will get 4 cups a day for the first 3 days and then two cups until the kids are weaned. (Thats what I do with all my does when they kid.)

Yes this was a major oops breeding! :hammer: I'm just glad it wasn't my fault. (Breeder sold her to me, but he didn't say she was bred.) All I can do now is be prepared and help her through.  I hope she will be like your 11 month ND mom!



Ember said:


> We had a Pygmy female that was bred by our fullblood boer buck. And she was a small Pygmy. She did great had twins who were so damn adorable. I bottle raised her doeling after a dog got in and killed her and the buckling and she's bigger than our yearling doe.
> 
> She may surprise you. Our Pygmy was smaller and did very well and the babies weren't huge that was our concern as well


A Pygmy to a Fullblood Boer!  WOW! I hope she surprises me. :laugh: I would love to see pictures of those babies! I bet they were adorable! 

*Any guesses on what the kid(s) dad's breed will be? I don't even know who the sire is so they could potentially come out with LaMancha ears. Oh my I would love that ahaha! :lovey:*


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## Ember (May 23, 2011)

Let me see if I can find some!!


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## EmmaDipstik (Sep 22, 2011)

Awesome!


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## Ember (May 23, 2011)

Here she is. 50% Pygmy 50% Boer. She was my bottle baby after my husbands dog killed her mom and brother when they were 2 days old. 

She's a lot bigger I gotta find the more recent pics. I'd say she weighs 70-90lbs now?


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## StarMFarm (Jan 17, 2013)

Like Jessica said...I would watch the grain after her fourth month. That is when the kids grow the most. I am very strict with my girls grain during the last month, usually only giving them very little to none at all. Good luck with your girl, I am sure everything will be just fine.


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## EmmaDipstik (Sep 22, 2011)

Yes I will watch grain 

And she is sooooo cute!!!!


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