# Let's try this again: Three does bred, who's first?



## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Had this post disappear on me the other day, let's hope it works this time!

I have three does that have been running with my buck since June(ish). Last year they kidded between late January and late February, but the buck only had accessed when he escaped - so possible he bred them sooner this year. Tried doing ultrasounds to see how far along they are but he couldn't find anything. I called BS on them all being barren!

First up is Tulip, 6 year old Boer/Toggenburg doe. Seasoned milker, this will be at least her fourth set of kids.

























This is Clover, 2 year old Nubian. Kidded a single buckling in February, just drying her off now.
























Last one is Sweet Pea, Clover's twin. She lost twins back in January and was sick last month, so I'm really hoping her kidding goes smoothly!


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Anyone??


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Based on those pooches, I'm betting Tulip is first and Sweet Pea is last.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Well, that would be the opposite of last year! Bear in mind that Tulip is more stretched out from multiple births. I'll take pics every couple weeks to compare. I'm hoping to try an ultrasound again when they're big enough to kick - if the US can't pick THAT up they need a new machine!


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Felt some movement in Sweet Pea today, wonder if she's going to go first again. They don't look very big (actually they were rounder last month! Go figure) but last year they didn't balloon up until December, then they went fast! Hopefully they won't go until after New Year's though since I'll be out of town for Christmas.

No bumpings from the other two yet. Tulip usually has very active kids so she may be farther out.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

That's what I'm thinking, too. I'm not very good at pooch's, but it looks like Tulip is longer bred than the other two. Time will tell! :laugh:


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

New pics! I figure if I keep taking the same shots every couple weeks it will be easier to track their progress and see when they're getting close. Clover and Sweet Pea are both showing - the last set of pics was in the morning before they'd eaten so they were a bit sunken in. I can tell that Tulip is pregnant in person but since she's on her 4th or 5th set of kids her belly goes down first before it goes out.

Tulip





Sweet Pea





Clover





P.S. Don't go by udders; Sweet Pea and Clover never really dried up even though they're no longer milking, and Tulip's kid might still be trying to nurse although I doubt she has anything in there. No one is starting to fill yet.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Again, I have to say Tulip will be first. In that picture it looks like her kids have dropped and that is almost always a good sign that she is getting ready to kid! How far along is Sweet Pea? 

PS I don't go by udders or ligs as an indication of kidding - ligs are too unreliable and I have too many does whose milk doesn't fully come in until they kid. :wink: 

PSS How far along is Sweet Pea?


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

I can pretty much guarantee that Tulip is nowhere near kidding. She always gets low first and then wide, and is MUCH bigger before kidding. Her ligs are rock hard and udder is dried up. She tends to go past her due date (when I have one) and looks like she's ready to go for weeks before hand - ligs come and go repeatedly and udder starts filling early. Plus I haven't even felt the kids move yet and by the time she's close they're tap dancing in there


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Hey, all I can go by are the pictures and her udder was not very visible. LOL I will now bow out of this thread entirely. ;-) :laugh:


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

These are from last year; this was three weeks before Tulip kidded. She definitely lives by the doe code of honor - she doesn't kid without warning, she waits until I'm convinced she'll stay pregnant forever and then drops them while I'm not looking  I have yet to see her kid out but I'm installing cameras this year!




Here's Clover, three days before kidding. She was a FF so might be different this year. Don't have any of Sweet Pea.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

New pictures. Ignore their bad haircuts lol dull clippers suck.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Pictures again...just cuz. They're definitely getting plump but I think the alfalfa is helping  No one looks close, I'm guessing they're on roughly the same timetable as last year.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Looks like they all have a while, their udders are still small. BUUUT. I vote white tan spots, solid nubian, and they the spotted one last.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Time for some new shots, they're definitely progressing. Sweet Pea had me wondering today - she was more standoffish than usual, was yawning a bit and staring off into space, but she has no discharge, no udder, and her ligaments are still there - although the tailhead itself seems to be rather sunken down in between them. She's the one who lost her kids last year so I'm worried about not being present, but I hung around for hours and she didn't have any signs of being in active labor so I finally came home. Hope she holds out a bit longer, my webcam is on the way!


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Clover has a tangerine in her mouth lol. Looks like she's smiling for the camera


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

They look like they have a ways to go. Good luck!


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

They're not too big yet, but they show more in person than in the pictures - and the Nubians didn't show very much at all last year. The pooches are getting puffy on those two, Tulip's is just droopy.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Clover had a fair amount of discharge today...not sure if she lost her plug or is just messing with my head. Darn goats!


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Darn goats indeed


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Moooore pictures. They're definitely getting bigger, especially Tulip, and Clover's pooch is a bit puffy. Little bit of udder development but not actually filling yet. I did finally feel babies moving in all three! Compared to my last set of pic I don't see much changes in their hind ends but bellies have definitely dropped on all three.

I just found out it's supposed to get really cold this week - in the teens, which is rare around here - then snow/ice on the weekend :/ Anyone wanna bet on whether one of them decides to kid during that?


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Exciting!! :leap: I hope they wait til it warms up a bit though!


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Me too! I did record Clover and Sweet Pea getting bred October 13 and 14th, but since they kidded January and February last year it seems likely that they would be been covered sooner and the buck was just being thorough


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

Udders wise, though, they look about like my doe who is due Feb 22-Mar 2 (five day heat on her part).


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## IrishRoots (Jan 7, 2013)

They are so cute! Can't wait to see those babies!


Irish Roots Acres 
Nigerian Dwarf Goats


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Moooore pictures. At this point I'm guessing the twins did take on their October breeding after all. Who knows on Tulip; based on how big she's gotten the last two years she probably has at least a month left.

Taking bets on number and gender of kids! Here are my guesses:
Tulip: :kidblue::kidblue: (because I want girls from her!)
Clover: :kidred::kidblue:
Sweet Pea: :kidred:


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Good luck!


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

So for those of you who saw the other thread, Sweet Pea miscarried :/ Still waiting on the other two. Clover is looking MUCH closer - her ligs are pretty lose, I can just feel them at the top, and udder is filling fast. Not quite tight but about as big as Sweet Pea's, who is being milked. (Looks bigger IRL than the pictures.) I don't think she'll hold out for mid March. (First pic yesterday, second today.)

Tulip isn't showing much change physically, but she is acting like she's close. Way pushier towards the other goats but way friendlier towards me, and super itchy. She's rubbing on everything and the other day she hunched up, lifted a leg, and stuck out her lip. I thought she was having a really weird contraction until I realized she had an itch she couldn't reach, LOL! (No lice I checked thoroughly. She always gets like this.)

I also have some good news - I'm moving, and the new place has room for goats! I'm taking the two preggos over on Friday. I know they say you aren't supposed to move them in the last couple weeks because of the antibodies, but I've decided I'd rather take a chance on that than on missing a birth. I can see the sheds from the kitchen window where I'm going. So after months of wishing they would hurry up and have babies, now I'm hoping they hold them in! Lol.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Congrats on the new home. I wouldn't hesitate to move them. Good luck.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Redid haircuts today:


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

We have goo! Just went out for a bedtime check and Clover has 3" of thick white discharge. No contractions yet, starting 2 hr checks. Last year it took her three days; if I lose three nights of sleep she better have a whole herd of doelings in there!


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

That should be the mucous plug which means she is beginning to dilate.. It could still be days or hours :/. Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Yep, that's what I assume.


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## Selah123 (Mar 24, 2013)

Yay - cant wait for pics  

Sorry about the one that miscarried...


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Nothing. Bet she's waiting for me to go to school on Tuesday.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Awww, none yet?


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Nuh-uh. She had more goo at 3 am and noonish but nothing else.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Darn! Well she can't hold on forever...or can she? :scratch:


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Shhhh!


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

More goo. There goes my hair.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

:lol:


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

I give up. I've decided that Clover is NOT pregnant. She's had goo for days, but no change in udder and her ligs are back. She just has very boney, very athletic guts. Yep, not expecting any babies from her...


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Still nothing. Today is Clover's official due date...her ligs are about gone but no change in udder, and no discharge at the moment. Just shoot me :GAAH:


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