# Are my goats pregnant?



## Squires (Sep 14, 2010)

I was wondering if someone could look at these "pooch images" and tell me if they think these two goats are pregnant, and how far along they may be. They may have been exposed to a buck -- either 155-160 days ago, or less than 140 days ago. These were not planned pregnancies, although they are very welcome. I just hate not knowing the due date! 

The FIRST image shown is a doe who just looks fat and pretty symmetrical from side to side. They have been eating free-choice top quality commercial dairy cow hay for a few weeks.

The SECOND one started sticking out a lot on the RIGHT SIDE -- perhaps a week ago. MAY have released a whitish mucous plug 2-3 weeks ago (I hear that it can happen as much as a month before kidding). She is also doing a lot of lip-licking and neck-stretching - -not sure if that means anything. 

Any predictions as to due dates?


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## GingersMaMa (Aug 4, 2011)

I hope they are :greengrin:


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

can you take photos that show the udder also.


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## Squires (Sep 14, 2010)

Do you think it would help, or just confuse you? I just stopped milking them when I realized they might be pregnant.


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## lovin'_my_life (Sep 20, 2011)

A photo of the udders would really help.  And I like belly-shots...I think it's just because I am human and we take belly-shots of ourselves when pregnant


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

how long has it been since you milked them? if it has been a few weeks or more it will help. if you just stopped then it may not.


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## Squires (Sep 14, 2010)

I stopped one a week ago and the other four days ago. I was only milking them once every 48 hours anyway, but they still have nice productive looking little udders. Still have milk in teats.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

post the photos anyways and label them as to when you stopped milking.
From the shots I saw I would not say they are close to kidding like day 140-150 like you said they could be.


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## Squires (Sep 14, 2010)

OK -- I stopped milking "the Bulge" six days before this photo was taken, when I realized that she was pregnant, and she had an altercation with a dog (she likes to chase dogs when she is pregnant -- some dogs chase back). She is also being treated for a puncture wound on her left haunch. Note the alarming bulge on the RIGHT SIDE which seems to migrate. Vet thinks it might mean the kids are dropping in order to be born, OR the injury shook them up and she nearly miscarried, but then stopped. Does this look normal to you? 

BTW, none of our vets are "goat people" but a couple of them are really good cow vets. That's why I am asking questions here -- figured there are real goat people with some experience here!  

First question should probably be -- is she pregnant? Second is - - how pregnant?


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## Burns Branch Boers (Apr 11, 2011)

well I believe that particular bulge is on the right side and that side is the rumen. If she were pregnant the left side would be bulgy--is it? My doe has sides like this one (see the post Penny is pregnant--if you look at the post the doe I am talking about is not Penny it is Sundance-and the 2nd set of photos are of her)


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

That is the goats right side and that is where the kid would be carried. The rumen is on the goats left side. 

Not sure how far along she would be. Is her belly like that all the time? For how long now? I am also a bit confused on the date she was bred. If she was bred 155-160 days ago she needs to kid soon or she may have miscarried and need assistance. Have you seen any signs of pregnancy behavior wise? Has her milk production changed at all?


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## Burns Branch Boers (Apr 11, 2011)

ahhhhh-that confuses me so much! LOL so rumen is on the left! ACK I thought it was righty-rumen :laugh: I wont' ever get this right I swear!


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

I agree with Logan. If she is that far along she needs some help. Can you bump her and fell movement? That right just does not look normal to me.


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## Squires (Sep 14, 2010)

Breeding date estimates: During a fire at the very end of April, all the goats went into one pen because they had to get to a safe place FAST. She was in with a buck there for about 10 days, That would be the 150-160 day estimate.

The second possible date is from the time the new bucklings arrived. Possibly a sneak-attack or through a fence when I wasn't watching. I think she was bred earlier rather than later, because twice when I suspected she was in heat and put her in with a buck, she ignored him. I figured it was summer and I can't tell if they are in heat or not. 

She had something on her vagina and tail on 9/17 -- looked like white mucous. A mucous plug? I hear that they can lose those as much as a month in advance of giving birth.

Yes, she does bulge like that sometimes -- such as the week before giving birth last winter (she came to me pregnant last year). I noticed it when she started chasing the dog. I think it has gotten bigger and migrated a bit (moves) in the past week. My second vet consult said that kids could start kicking at around 130 days -- I thought I felt something kicking - but that could also be muscle spasms as she is a bit sore. A week ago I thought I felt shapes moving in the bulge -- felt kid-like and fluttery heartbeats. Now I wonder. A couple days ago I thought I felt something kick back when I pressed on her under-side, but I'm not sure. She is also sore and flinches when touched around the flank sometimes. Her left haunch was really badly swollen, but is coming down with drainage, banamine and Pen-G (OK, the milk will not be fit for consumption for a long while, but at least she is feeling better).

Also the second vet told me that if the kids died in utero, she would get really ill and have a fever. So far she does not have a temperature (102.1-102.5 F) and I am monitoring that closely. She is licking her lips and yawning, but I don't see the characteristic back movements -- I am afraid that she may be too sore at this point. She does look around at her "bulge" now and then. I wish more vets had goat experience! 

She wants to be alone now -- I think of that as a sign of getting ready to kid. The bulge on her side moves around a bit. It feels like it is just fluid, not kids. Then again I thought I felt a kid lower in her abdomen. Can anyone verify from her pooch that she is pregnant, and make a guess? How about the other goat? 

Thanks


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## meluvgoats (Apr 19, 2012)

Im terrible at pooch tests but I think they are bred.
I agree with Logan, if they were bred 150+ days ago I would be worried. Normally when a does close to theyre more affectionate


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## bboyd1 (Mar 22, 2014)

I believe the rumen is on the goats left side, so her right side (HER right ide, not yours facing her) should be baby, or just a very large rumen pushing other things out. lol. I have a doe who always looks pregnant, and we never know if a breeding took until 5 months later when she goes into labor.  You can have blood work done pretty cheaply, or an ultrasound for about $20 + the cost of vet visit. I just wait and see, treat my girls as if they are preggers the whole time. Seems to work fine as long as the breeding dates are known, or I am home all the time (like now)


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

They are bred. I cannot tell you exactly how far along they are, but neither is dilated much so less than 3 1/2 to 4 months along.


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