# Prelabor too long?



## Daffodil_Dairy (Jan 27, 2015)

My doe Heidi has been driving us crazy all week. Usually, when we see a bit of goo, it means that she will kid in about 3 hours. (We've never had a doe lose her plug weeks in advance.). This will be Heidi's fourth kidding, and she has always had the normal signs and kids soon after the plug is lost.

On Monday (a week ago) we saw yellowish goo; expected babies that day. No babies. We set up a baby monitor in the barn to keep track on her. From Monday to about Friday, there would be a little bit of yellow goo off and on. Her udder became very full (another tell tale sign for her.). But she still seemed to be carrying the babies 'high'; she hadn't dropped. We assumed that it was because she was so big, there wasn't anywhere for the babies to drop to.

Since Saturday (three days ago) we haven't seen any goo. She sometimes acts like she's getting close, lots of yawning, glazed eyes, laying down and grunting, being more friendly, and then sometimes she's her usual self (headstrong, pushy, and wants to be 100 miles away from you.)

Saturday night she seemed to have dropped and 'hollowed out'. I think her udder got even larger, if that was possible. Still no further signs of kidding, not restless, not in distress.

She's half Nigerian and half Nubian, all of my other goats are full Nubian. For some reason, Heidi's rump is like a brick, so I can't check for ligaments because it all feels hard. Right now, the muscles are loose and I *think* her ligaments have gone, but I can't compare it to anything.

She's eating and drinking like normal and doesn't seem to be in any pain. We've been "letting nature take its course", but she's going against all her usual signs and now we are getting a bit worried. Could the baby have died getting in position? I haven't felt the baby kick in a while.

We would like to be there when Heidi kids because she does not care for her babies and probably won't clean them off by herself.

Any advice would be appreciated! 

Thanks!


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

When is/was her due date?


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## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

Yes, when is her due date? I'd also keep trying to feel for baby kicks.


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## Daffodil_Dairy (Jan 27, 2015)

We don't really know. She was with the buck since July. Our other doe just kidded, so we expect they took at about the same time.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Is she out and about getting exercise or do you have her in a small pen? Walking around really helps them get the kids in position!

If she is eating, drinking, peeing, & pooping normally then I wouldn't do anything yet. The kids can be quite still at this stage as there isn't much space or they have already moved into position. 

Hopefully she does not pass her poor mothering skills on to her offspring.


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## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

All you're seeing sounds normal to me-just another doe trying to drive us crazy.


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## Daffodil_Dairy (Jan 27, 2015)

She now has yellow orange goo mixed with her poop. It was pellets covered with this goo. It's not coming from her vulva. It looks like ketchup and mustard mixed together ( mostly mustard). Her body temp is 102.

Still eating and chewing cud.

We are getting worried since this isn't like her usual kidding signs.


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## Daffodil_Dairy (Jan 27, 2015)

The first is the ketchup mustard stuff.

The second is sticky brown scours.

Still happily eating beet pulp. What's going on?


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Have you read the Does' Code of Honor?


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Do you have a vet you can consult over the phone? I would think loose poop would be normal, since the birthing hormones stimulate your bowels to clean out. I might glove up and check her if you're really worried. At least you'll be able to see if she's dilated. A trick to get kids to move is to give the doe something sweet, like molasses water, and wait 20 minutes. It seems to give the kids a boost of energy and they'll squirm around.

I always say trust your guts. You know this girl and if you feel something is up, it doesn't hurt to check.


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## Daffodil_Dairy (Jan 27, 2015)

Heidi kidded today. We stopped keeping a monitor on her and when we came back from doing errands, she was cleaning off her second kid! The first one was already clean and walking around. We were astounded. We didn't intervene and just let her lick everything up, in hopes of it triggering her mothering instincts to turn on. And they did!! For the first time in five years, she actually wanted to lick her kids and is even letting them nurse!

This season certainly isn't like her, but maybe the week and a half of teasing had her hormones on high which made her like her babies. No bottle babies this year! Hooray!


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## Daffodil_Dairy (Jan 27, 2015)

Two bucklings


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Congrats! Glad everything turned out well


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## billiejw89 (May 7, 2014)

Congrats!!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Cuties!


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Congrats! they are so cute, and mama looks great!


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## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

Congratulations! Babies & mama are BEAUTIFUL!


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

Congrats on the buckling s they are so cute and I'm happy their momma loves them!


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

See...All you had to do was stop monitoring her. ;-) What handsome boys! I'm so glad everything went well.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Congrats, they are adorable.


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