# Opening?



## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

So we have been patiently waiting on Ivy to give birth for two weeks. She’s had mucous for two weeks, and today she seems to have opened up a lot more. I’ll add a pic. Has anyone had this happen and them go into labor soon? She’s one that always has them when I least expect it. I wait, watch, wait, watch, then give up- then she has them when I least expect it. We’ve had trouble this year with one of our other does, so I’m nervous now to not be there.


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## brigieboo (Apr 8, 2021)

how is she doing now?
hard to say, cuz one of my does had an opening like that a couple weeks ago but still hasnt had kids.. it went away shortly tho. 
how does her udder feel? is it tight and shiny? ligaments still there?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

She is certainly getting close but can't say when it will happen.


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

brigieboo said:


> how is she doing now?
> hard to say, cuz one of my does had an opening like that a couple weeks ago but still hasnt had kids.. it went away shortly tho.
> how does her udder feel? is it tight and shiny? ligaments still there?


Darn! I was hoping it was a sure sign it was close. Her udder isn't tight and I'm pretty sure I can still feel the ligaments - but not positive about that. She is my one though whose udder won't fill up until after birth.


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## Lil Boogie (Mar 24, 2021)

Could she be having a prolaps?


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## Lil Boogie (Mar 24, 2021)

@HoosierShadow does this look like a prolaps to you? Idk, I know that you had just dealt with one.


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## Goatastic43 (Jun 11, 2021)

One of our does does this for about a week before she gives birth, so she’s getting down in the final stages!


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

Lil Boogie said:


> Could she be having a prolaps?


oh dear! I hadn't even thought of that! I sure hope not! How do I find out if it is? She's still eating and everything


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

Goatastic43 said:


> One of our does does this for about a week before she gives birth, so she’s getting down in the final stages!


Yay! I hope so!!


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

You should learn how to check the ligaments of the tail... a sure fire way of knowing.. they lose those ligaments and in the next 12.hours your meeting kids lol. Theres a few good videos on youtube.. i have never missed a kidding once i learned how.


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

Heres a video from blue cactus dairy goats.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Nothing is out. I'm not seeing a prolapse.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Either am I.


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

Hounddog23 said:


> Heres a video from blue cactus dairy goats.


Thank you! After watching the video I did feel them, but just faintly and she is squishy around her tail. When she way laying down I saw this and freaked out because someone mentioned prolapse. When she stood up it wasn’t poking out anymore. Is that normal?


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

She just looks to me like kids are putting alot of pressure on her vulva. .. i wouldnt panic just yet. If you say shes squishy and loose then sounds like soon.. they should be hard as pencils literally unless its time.. you watch her and when she starts oozing an amber liquid.. they are coming like in the next hour lol is she on minerals? Ill be honest the first pic is a little blurry.. hard to tell the texture of tissue. I know alot of people give tums to thier kidding mommas for a calcium boost. If she is trying to prolapse a tiny bit calcium would help her out. Again.. dont panic yet.. there alot of pressure goin on back there right now. Id watch her afterwards closely if your worried about prolapse. Hows her udder right now? Is it full?


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

I should also mention too.. sometimes they are still there but squishy this usually happens the day before full kidding comes. Once they are gone they are all the way gone like you can dig n not find them you can almost touch your fingers together under her tail. Id be watchin her close


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Also in the first pic, she is very down on her pasterns...... have you supplemented her with any selenium?


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

Hounddog23 said:


> She just looks to me like kids are putting alot of pressure on her vulva. .. i wouldnt panic just yet. If you say shes squishy and loose then sounds like soon.. they should be hard as pencils literally unless its time.. you watch her and when she starts oozing an amber liquid.. they are coming like in the next hour lol is she on minerals? Ill be honest the first pic is a little blurry.. hard to tell the texture of tissue. I know alot of people give tums to thier kidding mommas for a calcium boost. If she is trying to prolapse a tiny bit calcium would help her out. Again.. dont panic yet.. there alot of pressure goin on back there right now. Id watch her afterwards closely if your worried about prolapse. Hows her udder right now? Is it full?


Thank you! They definitely are loose. Thank you so much for all the info! Her udder isn’t tight, but hers never does until after birth.


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

Hope it helps how bout that selenium? Has she had any supplemented?


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

goatblessings said:


> Also in the first pic, she is very down on her pasterns...... have you supplemented her with any selenium?


I haven’t. What are patterns?


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

Pasterns is that lower part of thier legs.. do you see how it kinda slants?.. those should be straigher.


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## Goatastic43 (Jun 11, 2021)

Their pasterns are like their ankles. If they are weak (kind bend down, more standing in their heel) it can be caused by selenium deficiency or genetics.


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

Hounddog23 said:


> Hope it helps how bout that selenium? Has she had any supplemented?


No- where would I find that? Okay, thank you for the pictures. I had no idea. I’ve learned so much from you guys on here. They do have two mineral blocks and baking soda, but not selenium


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

Goats need a good loose mineral at all times free choice. They will intake what they need from it.. copper amd selenium mainly seem to be the most needed unless you live in the mountains yourself lol.. selenium alone is extremely important for daily function.. reproduction.. growing its very important. Of those kids come and are too low on selenium you can end up with white muscle disease.. they wont be able to stand. Go get you some BoSe its an injection of a few different minerals she needs it asap. I myself here.. keep out a loose mineral called Sweetlix meat maker.. and still give a monthly dose of selenium paste and copper bolus around every 5 months.


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

If you cant go through a vet and buy injectable BoSe... you can atleast go get her some Selenium and Vitamin E paste at Tractor supply...on amazon.. or maybe at your local feed store.


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## Goatastic43 (Jun 11, 2021)

Mineral blocks do not provide enough minerals. Getting a quality loose mineral and leaving it free choice is very important. Baking soda used to be recommended to leave out, but now it isn’t.


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## Goatastic43 (Jun 11, 2021)

There is lots of stuff all over TGS about minerals. Here is a good article to learn the basics: Goat Minerals 101


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

Agreed 👍


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## Emrcornerranch (Jun 13, 2020)

One of my goats looked like this too. Vulva looked like a sideways eye opening. I read that they can look like that standing up but look like they are prolapsing laying down. I watched but never saw my girl lay down to check. I started offering her two tums every day, and now she looks normal in the backend. I back up the tums thing for calcium! She prefers orange tums. Lemon tums are ok. Pina colada is great too. You can break up the tums and have them eat it with grain and sneak it in that way.


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

Thank you so much everyone for the great advice!!


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

Good luck with your doe


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## Calistar (Jan 16, 2017)

Like everyone else said, the opening is just from being so full of kids. Some of my does do that 3-4 weeks before they have their kids, so it's really not any indicator. I don't like the ligament method either. I'd read about it and I was obsessive about checking ligaments on my first doe (who I purchased bred and with a month-long window for a due date.) I checked those ligaments multiple times each day. One evening, I checked her ligaments, said "nope, she's definitely not kidding today!" and 5 minutes later her first of 5 kids was on the ground. So I never bothered with that method again! The most sure indicator for me has been change in behavior. My does will almost always get really chatty 8-12 hours before they give birth. Often they'll wander away from the herd as well, although mine are in a dry lot so there's only so far they can go. Currently I'm waiting on a doe who was due yesterday, but she hasn't started getting noisy yet so I know she won't have them before I have to go back to work tomorrow morning!


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

Calistar said:


> Like everyone else said, the opening is just from being so full of kids. Some of my does do that 3-4 weeks before they have their kids, so it's really not any indicator. I don't like the ligament method either. I'd read about it and I was obsessive about checking ligaments on my first doe (who I purchased bred and with a month-long window for a due date.) I checked those ligaments multiple times each day. One evening, I checked her ligaments, said "nope, she's definitely not kidding today!" and 5 minutes later her first of 5 kids was on the ground. So I never bothered with that method again! The most sure indicator for me has been change in behavior. My does will almost always get really chatty 8-12 hours before they give birth. Often they'll wander away from the herd as well, although mine are in a dry lot so there's only so far they can go. Currently I'm waiting on a doe who was due yesterday, but she hasn't started getting noisy yet so I know she won't have them before I have to go back to work tomorrow morning!


Oh, wow! 5 kids! That's awesome! I heard Nigerian Dwarfs can have up to 5. The most we've had is triplets. Ivy is gigantic though, so maybe she will surprise us. Thank you for your response! I'll be keeping a close eye. She's killing me haha.


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## Calistar (Jan 16, 2017)

Bmclaren said:


> Oh, wow! 5 kids! That's awesome! I heard Nigerian Dwarfs can have up to 5. The most we've had is triplets. Ivy is gigantic though, so maybe she will surprise us. Thank you for your response! I'll be keeping a close eye. She's killing me haha.


I've had quints a few times; Nigerians are very prolific! The biggest litter I've had was six, but one kid was stillborn, so five is my record for live kids.


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

My Nigerian Dwarf doe had five a week ago.


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

Hounddog23 said:


> My Nigerian Dwarf doe had five a week ago.


That’s awesome!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Wow. 😮


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

Today Ivy has a really thick ball of mucous that is yellowish white stuck right in her vulva. It’s been there for a couple hours now. Hopefully that is a sign it’s close!


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## Stay at home goat mom (11 mo ago)

How is she?


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## Bmclaren (11 mo ago)

She FINALLY gave birth to two little bucklings on Monday. Everything went smoothly (thank goodness) and everyone is healthy!


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

Congratulations! They are adorable


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## Feira426 (Dec 11, 2019)

So cute!! How is mama doing? Is her back end looking okay now that she’s kidded?


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## brigieboo (Apr 8, 2021)

Aww yay! Congrats!!


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## Lil Boogie (Mar 24, 2021)

Congrats!


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Aww! Congrats! They are adorable!


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## Emrcornerranch (Jun 13, 2020)

So cute. I tell you, I'm getting baby goat fever over here real bad! Ah! Hope my girls are not teasing me. I have two Nigerians due starting around next weekend if they don't wait until their second breeding date. One I am sure is kidding later this month. Glad everything went well for your doe and her kids.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

@Emrcornerranch Do you have a waiting thread for you’re girls?


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## Emrcornerranch (Jun 13, 2020)

KY Goat Girl said:


> @Emrcornerranch Do you have a waiting thread for you’re girls?


Not yet! I think I will start a thread for each girl on Monday.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

I can’t wait!


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## Goatastic43 (Jun 11, 2021)

Aw congratulations! Glad all is well!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

So cute.


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## Hounddog23 (Jan 13, 2021)

Theyre beautiful! Congratulations


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