# Our first kidding in the Shire!



## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

Well we are patiently _(anxiously)_ awaiting the arrival of our first kid to the homestead. Skye should be about due [based on when she was last seen mated] anytime now. She is a FF. We have been keeping a close eye on her for the past couple of weeks, checking ligaments, reading as much as we can _(over and over again)_ to be best prepared to provide the best possible care we can when the time comes, and spending a lot more time with her to catch any slight changes in behavior. But no matter how many posts, videos, or forums one views it can't touch the amount of experience found here, so I tried to take some pics to get your opinions on the matter of how much longer and how many might be in there. I couldn't get a good one of her udder [but will keep trying], since as soon as she sees the camera she wants to lick it. :lol: Her ligaments have been disappearing off and on, but have been gone since yesterday evening and [checking every 1.5 to 2 hours] have not come back. I can touch my fingers when gently squeezing her tail-head. We usually take a nice hike around the property, but yesterday she did not want to go and wanted to stay close to her kidding stall. She has been restless through the night and morning. I have not noticed any amber discharge, but she is laying down a lot and when she gets up the bedding tends to be stuck to her pooch [she was leaking her mucus plug about 3 weeks ago]. Her udder has been getting bigger daily but she is not shaved. 

[[Also on a side note if you have an opinion on her breed, I would be curious to hear it. She was a rescue at the end of last summer and the idgits who had her had no clues about anything. Folks like that make me :angry: ]]


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

Ok so here is the best pic of her udder so far! Definitely not as big as some of the ones I have seen on here so far, but seems tight on her. 

She has started panting/breathing heavy, but no discharge that I have seen. Thought might be because it is a bit warmer here today, but then none of the other goats are breathing this way.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

she's cute! she looks like a Nigerian dwarf or a mini alpine. happy kidding to you!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

She is cute. Some sort of mix. Good luck!


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

About quarter to 6 she was breathing really hard, rolling around, teats really swollen, and her pooch seemed to be pulsing. I sat with her until just now. She seems calmer now, not breathing as hard, still up and down. Thought I would give her a little privacy. Any thoughts?


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

Good luck kidding and my the doe fairy be ever in your favor.


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## shirley (Apr 11, 2014)

Her udder and pooch look the same as my pygmy who is preggers. How far along is she?


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## shirley (Apr 11, 2014)

Oh smh you said she was about due so she must be her 5 months duh! Sorry for the dumb ?


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

Quick Updates:

9:00 pm Breathing heavy again, laying down.
10:00 pm Breathing normal, pacing.
11:00 pm Breathing normal, pacing.
12:00 am Breathing normal, pacing.

She urinates each time I am there and is drinking a lot as well as nibbling her mineral and baking soda. 

Counting the hours till work...really hoped not to miss this!


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

So around 1:00 am she started breathing heavy again and was uncomfortable, rolling around and nibbling her backside. I sat with her and scratched/rubbed her until 2:00. She seemed to calm down. The rest of the night went quietly and at 5:30 I turned in for a bit. Checked her again before leaving for work and she was calmly enjoying the morning. My wife is watching her now and has not noticed any changes since. 

Expecting Thunderstorms tonight and Snow tomorrow!:dazed:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Happy Kidding 


Can you make your lettering normal size like the others, it is too small for my old eye's, LOL ;-)


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

So it appears that yesterday's antics must have been a heavily pregnant doe being uncomfortable in the heat. No noticeable changes since this morning and still not feeling ligaments. She still moving about and up/down but less vocal. It has been a cooler, rainy day today. No noticeable discharge.

:shrug: Guess she is just loving all the extra attention!


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

Well our little lady is still holding out on us. When I went to feel her ligaments this evening, they are back! She does appear thinner as well. Still talking and laying down. Keeping to her stall, but I think that has to do with the rain-snow mix. Kind of glad though since we have been hit with this spring 'chill' and the little one(s) are spared the cold.

I am curious though, my wife read that when the ligaments are gone, that her tail will just lay over her backside and she won't be able to lift it. Is this the case?


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

Her udder is definitely getting larger and tighter. Her sides are noticeably 'hollower'. She is more sensitive about touching her backside. Ligaments gone again. Hoping this is the weekend!


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

Todays Update: Her bag is definitely tighter and both teats appear pink and swollen. She is doing a lot more nibbling and nudging to her tail and back side. Sides still looking hollow. Ligaments still not noticeable. She is becoming a lot more sensitive about her back end - making me work to check ligaments and udder. Perhaps this is a sign that this weekend will be a 'good' one!!!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Hopefully she will kid for you tomorrow.


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

Here back end is squishier this morning. So here are some pics that I snapped quickly this morning. Any thoughts?


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

No new news a of yet. Her udder continues to grow, though it appears one side is larger now. Not sure if it is because of how she prefers to lay down? She as spending a lot of time today laying in her kidding stall instead of wandering about. She fooled me again today though, as I noticed her laying on her side with all four legs extended and panting, holding her breath every so often and moaning a bit. I sat with her for a couple of hours but nothing more happened. Then when feeding time came she jumped up and was perfectly fine and haven't caught her doing it again. Still nibbling her tail a lot. Back to work Monday so we will see! :crazy:


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

arty: :gift: :boy::wahoo: :cake: arty:
Well after a long and [im]patient wait our first kidding has successfully happened. Friday morning at roughly 10 a.m. [while I was at work :sigh:] my wife got to witness our first kidding. Skye delivered a very handsome young buckling without incident. She passed the placenta roughly two hours later. It has been an exciting and busy weekend, but mama and baby are doing great. Haven't had a chance to post pics since we were busy building mother's day presents, but I will do so soon. He is a chocolate brown, with black hair around feet and belly, with a single white dot on his one side. He has been doing a lot of running and jumping, exploring the new world about him! Seems to be feeding well and mom has been very attentive to him. It did seem that one side of her udder was filling up and that the tit was too big for the little guy to nurse on, so I set her up today with some grain and milked it out. Which I am amazed to say with her being a FF and all she was very cooperative and didn't complain. I ended up getting 4 cups! I figured we can freeze it in case we need it later. I will keep an eye on it though and see if that helped fix the problem. Of course it looks like we will have to keep our eyes open for another doe...
onder::wahoo:


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

congrats on the baby! can't wait for pictures!!


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## Mamaboyd (Oct 10, 2013)

Congratulations! Glad everything went well  Enjoy the new little one!


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## oakshirefarms (Jul 5, 2013)

Pics posted in Birth Announcements forum if interested!


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