# Pregnancy help



## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

Ok, I am new to this forum, and new to goat ownership.
I bought a Pygmy goat back in July, whom the seller said was bred. She told me her due date would be around November 15th, and guess what....no kids yet. Since I have had her she has never shown signs of heat. She hasn't become real large though, and no udder development. I took this for being normal though since it is her first time kidding (maybe) and assumed she may only have one kid in there. Otherwise, the last two weeks, I have noticed her vulva opening up more and an almost constant clear to brown mucous discharge. It seems especially more open in the morning. I have been feeling her tail ligaments every day for the past month and they have been consistently solid, up until about three days ago, when I said "Oh my gosh I think they are finally soft now"! I spoke with the previous owner again and she said that my goat was in with buck up until the time I got her. This by the way, is not what she told me to begin with. She said that she put her in when she noticed she was going into heat, and that is where the date came from. So I'm really not sure what to think, and getting so confused/frustrated. One day I say oh yeah she has to be pregnant, and the next I'm like maybe not, I DONT KNOW! 
So what do you guys think, pregnant? 

Here is my Gertie a few weeks ago. If needed I will try to get some pictures of her vulva in the morning.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Pretty! She looks big enough on the left to carrying alright, if she was with buck mid July she would be due mid December.
You might want to think about having the discharge cultured though, it shouldn't be brown.
Some wont bag up until shortly before kidding. And yes, vulva pic would be good.

And welcome to TGS!


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## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

Thank you! I will get a pic tomorrow. I actually think it comes out clear, but it hangs around sometimes and turns that color after she pees? I got her July 21st so I guess she could go anytime from now until dec. 21st...agh I hate not knowing! Here she is the day I got her..sort of skinny then I think (for a pygmy).


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## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

Also, how do I culture the discharge, and where do I send it?


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## janecb (Sep 23, 2014)

Gertie looks very sweet- I love her frosting. I love black agoutis with expressive faces. 

I've seen what you described the mucus as a few times. Sometimes, my does due to kid will get the brownish goo a few days from kidding, both first timers and veterans. As long as it isn't frank red, with actual blood in it, or as long as it doesn't smell bad (rotten, fetid, take your pick of description) she should be fine. 

Do you see any udder at all? Even a little bit of pink may be an indication she's close- many pygmies don't get huge udders their first times, or even ever. DON'T expect the bag a milk doe will get. Most likely, her udders will get a very soft, almost babyish pink, and start to fill a week away from kidding. Many don't get totally full until AFTER they've kidded, so you may want to be looking for something tiny, maybe even half an inch of pink starting to show. The teats should be visible (some of my does seem to lose theirs in their hair). I can get some pictures of my girls due next weekend with small bags in the morning, if you'd like something to look at for a reference. Oddly enough, all but one of my does this year goat small, bright pink udder a few days from kidding.

Also, did you buy her from a breeder? Is she papered? If so, do you know her name? Some lines just don't get large udders before and sometimes after kidding, and raise their kids fine.


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## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

Thank you janecb,

I not sure u would be able to see that pinkish you are talking about because she is all dark under there. Even her teats are like a dark brown color. I have noticed though that the teats used point out toward the sides a little more, and now they are pointing downward. Does that mean anything to you? 

If you could show me some of your goats udder pics, that would be very helpful. I did not buy her from a breeder, and she is not registered, so I have no clue as to her lines. She has sadly been passed through a few homes in her short 2 years of life, and I plan to make her last one here with me a good one. Poor girl still doesn't fully trust people, and won't tolerate much handling, but she follows me around like a puppy


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## janecb (Sep 23, 2014)

Try tortilla chips- all of our goats go crazy for them, even the shy ones. It may take a while, but pretty quickly you won't be able to go near her with a crinkly bag without being tackled :lol:

She does look very skinny in her 'before' picture, but you got her looking nice and shiny!

I have noticed in many of my goats that the teats do move downwards before starting to get pink and fill up. It's too dark outside for me to get pictures right now, but as soon as it's light in the morning, I'll run out to the girls and get some. One has a smaller 'bag' but a pinker vulva, and the other is the opposite. If there isn't much of any udder yet, she may be bred for December. One of my girls did the same thing this year- her teats were very dark, then moved down; a few weeks later she started filling and going pink, and finally kidded. 

However, she may just be waiting to surprise you, and fill up overnight. Those pesky little goats like to make trouble wherever they can when it comes to kidding!


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## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

Again, thanks for all your input janecb! Here are some pooch pictures I took just now:


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## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

Another where you can see her teet a little


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## SerenitySquare (Jun 28, 2014)

no opinion as I am a newbie but I just love the look on her face in that last photo:lol:


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## PygmyMom (Mar 3, 2014)

Welcome! I would say kidding within about two weeks if her vulva is doing that. Congrats!


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## janecb (Sep 23, 2014)

I agree with PygmyMom- she looks fairly close. Keep an eye on her- she may surprise you by bagging up overnight!


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## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

*Update: almost two weeks later*

So I noticed she is starting to get that hollowed out look in front of her hips. Also her teets look more pink today. Still no bag, but I think she is almost there!


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## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

Her vulva today:


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## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

And THEN she starts running around screaming for a minute,causing me to call off work because I think she is in labor. Now she laying down, chewing her cud...no contractions. WHAT THE HECK. Could it be early labor?

Also, every time she pees, she sniffs it afterward. This is something I have never seen her do before....I know I'm freaking out over every little thing (first timer here) lol


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## janecb (Sep 23, 2014)

How is she today?


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## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

Still no kids..I'm starting to think she's not pregnant at all. But then why the constant discharge the past month? Today it seems it's all dried up though...


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

All female mammals have a daily discharge from their vulva, that's normal. Usually it is not very noticable. For your sake, I hope she is pregnant and will pop soon!


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## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

Yes I do realize that, but what I am saying is this: I have only noticed this type of dishcharge (clear strands) for only the past moth. I have never seen it before, and it has been constant lately. She also never went into heat after being supposedly bred 5 months ago. Her vulva has been open and pink for the past month as well. I try to feel the ligaments, but I don't quite understand that yet. I bumped her belly in front of her udders, and it has been solid for the past month as well. No bagging up, but teats have gotten bigger and moved downward recently. 

So many signs are there. I just don't understand why she hasnt kidded. Technically I have til the 21st, which is 5 months from the day I got her. However I was told her due date would be nov. 15th. Obviously WAY past that, BUT she was in with the buck until I got her. Sooo that's why I'm so confused/unsure.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You have to go with the last day the buck was in with her.


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## callieohara7 (Dec 31, 2014)

I'm very new to goats too but my pygmy sounds exactly the same as yours and looks about the size of her .. This was very helpful to me too  pygmies seem to be difficult in telling pregnancy and due date! I hope everything went well for you!


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## Goats4Milk (Jan 2, 2015)

How's it going?


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## Gertiegirl (Nov 26, 2014)

Unfortunately she never kidded. Pretty good learning experience for me though.


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