# Anxious first timers....questions!



## lemuckleys (Feb 1, 2013)

Hi everyone - glad to be here!! We're first timers - both my husband and I, and our goats - and I've got kidding questions, pretty please!

We have two Dwarf Nigerians - Billy and Nanny (we never claimed to be creative, lol! And our kids had final say on the names). They came to us in the very end of September. The farm we bought them from told us that they begin breeding their goats in October, and we should expect Nan to go into heat soon, and that she could be bred then. So we watched, and waited....and she never appeared to go into heat. Billy tried a time or two but she wouldn't stand, so we kept waiting....and waiting. Then in the end of December she began to show and udder.  Right around Christmas I was petting her while she was eating, and I sort of took a feel of and around her udder, and to my surprise I felt movement - certainly it couldn't be babies, because we never saw a heat.

So that was about 5-6 weeks ago, and there's no mistaking that movement - we can see her belly move when they kick! She's not huge but definitely larger. This will be her FF....we're wondering if she could have been bred when we got her. Since we didn't see a heat we have no idea when she's due. For the last two weeks I've been seeing signs I've read about and keep thinking 'It's going to be soon'....and she goes another day. 

For the last two weeks she's had on-and-off white discharge - not much when it happens, and it's like a thick glob -- I would assume she's passing the mucus plug or the equivalent in goats? Her udder is huge today - but not strutted yet - teats are swelling and sort of pointing out instead of straight down. Ligs have been coming and going for three days, and when I can feel them they're very soft. Our Billy has tried to mount her several times in the last few days - shifting hormones, changing scent? She's also let my husband and son pet her in the last two days, usually I'm the only one she'll let touch her. Yesterday she was pawing, and for the last three days I've seen her doing a lot of up and down, and she's not one to lay down often. She's got a steep slope to her backside now that wasn't there a week ago...I've read to look for 'posty' back legs, but she's myotonic and always stiff in the back legs.

This morning we checked her around 5, and she was laying down when we went in, and her vulva was so puffy and pushed out that I thought she was pushing, but she stood and it went back in - still puffy but not outside of what would be normal, and just that touch of white discharge today - nothing even close to stringing.

The suspense is killing me!! :lol: I'm driving myself nuts, checking her every few hours all day....I'm driving my husband insane with obsessing over every little sign. I've got everything ready to go....just waiting for her to decide it's time.

Any thoughts? Could this go on for another week, or two, or more? Does it sound like she's close-close, like keep checking her all day and night?


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## JenVise (Dec 7, 2012)

Welcome!!! Sorry you are going through this. I would like to be able to give you the answers you are looking for, but sadly I can't. I would like to say it will get easier with every kidding...but again I can't. When you think you know exactly how it will play out, they throw a surprise in on you and you start scratching your head again! It does sound like she is getting super close though...do you have pictures? When you're looking for answers on when, where, and what....refer to the doe code below. Someone here shared this with me, when I was in your exact same position!! HAPPY KIDDING!!

1. No kid shall be born until total chaos has been reached by all 
involved. Your owner's house must be a wreck, their family hungry, 
and desperate for clean clothes, and their social life nonexistent.

2. "Midwives" must reach the babbling fool status before you kid out. 
Bloodshot eyes, tangled hair and the inability to form a sentence 
means the time is getting close.

3. For every bell, beeper, camera, or whistle they attach to you, 
kidding must be delayed by at least one day for each item. If they 
use an audio monitor, one good yell per hour will keep things interesting.

4. If you hear the words, "She's no where near ready. She'll be fine 
while we're away for the weekend." Wait until they load the car, and 
then begin pushing!

5. Owner stress must be at an all time high! If you are in the care 
of someone else, ten to fifteen phone calls a day is a sign you're 
getting close.

6. When you hear the words, "I can't take it anymore!" wait at least 
three more days.

7. You must keep this waiting game interesting. False alarms are 
mandatory! Little teasers such as looking at your stomach, pushing 
your food around, and then walking away from it, and nesting are 
always good for a rise.

8. The honor of all goats is now in your hands. Use this time to 
avenge all of your barn mates. Think about your friend who had to 
wear that silly costume in front of those people. Hang onto that baby 
for another day. Oh, they made him do tricks too! Three more days 
seems fair. Late feedings, the dreaded diet, bad haircuts, those 
awful wormings can also be avenged at this time.

9. If you have fulfilled all of the above and are still not sure when 
to have the kids, listen to the weather forecast on the radio that 
has been so generously provided by those who wait. Severe Storm 
warning is what you're waiting for. In the heart of the storm jump 
into action! You have a good chance of those who wait missing the 
whole thing while searching for a flashlight that works!

10.Make the most of your interrupted nights. Beg for food each time 
someone comes into the barn to check you. Your barn mates will love 
you as the extra goodies fall their way too.Remember this code of 
honor was designed to remind man of how truly special goats are. Do 
your best to reward those who wait with a beautiful doeling to carry 
on the Doe Code of Honor for the next generation of those who wait.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

First of all welcome lemuckleys SO excited for you.

 Couple things, I have had does bred and never seen a heat but if really do not know what to look for that is also hard to know. Some does are very quiet and others let everyone one around know they are in heat.

 I am assuming that Billy IS A Buck? If he is still with her you need to remove him NOW. He can kill those babies as he is trying to mount her and he can just get mean and butt her because she is not paying attention to her.

 How old are these guys? I would really consider either getting a wether to put with him and get them away from the girls or get him fixed.

 It sound like you will be having babies VERY soon, maybe today even. If you can post a picture of her side profile and a back end it will help us.

 Hope you have your kidding stuff ready, it won't be long that is for sure but PLEASE get him out of there with her.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree and Welcome to TGS


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## lemuckleys (Feb 1, 2013)

Will do - thank you! They have free run of a fenced acre behind our house right now. We've got their 'barn' set up with a front and back door, and when the time was right we intended to put him on one side with access to the back, and her on the other side with access to the front (house side) - sounds like that time is now. 

Kidding stuff is ready, in a box by the back door. She's hanging out under my kitchen window right now, and every 15 minutes or so I pop my head out the window and converse with her...she's chilling, all sprawled out in the sun. Will go snap a few pics if she'll let me - she's not a fan of letting me peek at the business end.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

Welcome to TGS! and I also agree; particularly with getting the boy out of the pen. At least a divider where they can see each other but not the same pen, if you can't get him a buddy and she throws a fit when you take him away.


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## lemuckleys (Feb 1, 2013)

Here are some photos...I think I have some from a week ago, if it would be helpful to compare.

From above:









From the side:









The rear view:


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I think you might have a little more time to :hair:. It looks like she has a bit more til fill that udder. 

What a sweet looking girl you have there.


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## Grannygoose (Sep 26, 2012)

Welcome to TGS! Good luck with the kidding!


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## Axykatt (Feb 1, 2013)

I totally feel your pain right now! My doe is a FF and since she wouldn't stand for my buck I am not sure of her due date either. She has actually been leaking milk for the last 3 weeks so I know her udder is IN, and she's pink, puffy, and open looking, but NO BABIES! I called a vet and he told me the only way to tell when a Pygmy is going to kid w/out a due date is seeing a little goat coming out of her. :GAAH:

Good Luck!

@Jenvise OMG That is amazing! I keep telling ppl Peggy Sue is holding in her babies because she gets to spend all day on the couch instead of being put out, and sleeps in the master bathroom with the heater instead of her bed in the utility room.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

She does look to have a bit more time.

She is very cute too.


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