# Pregnant?



## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

I bought my goat in July and the seller said she was bred. If so it could be any time between now and mid december. She's 3 yrs old and has had previous pregnancies. No idea when she's due but no later than December. She hasn't had a huge belly, rather on the small side. Three weeks ago she became friendly and actually licked my arm. she had been very aloof before then. Two weeks ago her belly seemed to have dropped. She looked really skinny on her right side and her backbone looked prominent. This week she's eating like crazy and both sides are pooching out. She's had some small amounts of clear discharge. A week ago she had more than usual. Now she has very little discharge. I've never felt any babies and her udders are unchanged (no milk). Could she possibly not be pregnant? Or is this normal?


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

And the pooch pic


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

This is from 3 weeks ago. The pic with discharge is from a week ago.


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Anyone have a clue if she's preggers?


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

The discharge looks like she's getting ready to kid. So does the belly seeming to drop and the backbone becoming more prominent. I had a first time doeling that never did get a noticeable udder (and she was nubian!) But, I'm also notorious for being horrible at judging kidding times. I waited 3 months one time (a doe that ran with the buck year round). LOL Definitely keep an eye on her. If the discharge gets nasty looking or starts smelling bad get her to the vet.


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

No bad smells and the discharge has stopped at the moment. It comes and goes. But it hasn't been that thick since that one day. And I've never seen her have that kind of discharge before. And I would've noticed since I've been staring at her hooha for the past 3 months! LOL!


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

And thank you for replying. I was starting to wonder if anyone was going to. I feel like I've been waiting forever to see a sign. And I got tired of wondering and thought I'd try this forum.


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## Sydmurph (Jun 4, 2013)

So would the discharge alone be enough to suspect pregnancy? I've always wondered about that. Because I'll be asking the same question in a few months too!! Haha!
I'm not experienced enough to tell by tailbone/ligament/etc. I am handling her udder daily to get her used to that; so that might be my way of being sure. but if she turns out to be a late bagger then I need a back up sign.


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Someone told me the discharge was a sign of heat. But I've looked at her pooch every day at least twice a day for 3 months and this is the first I've seen the discharge. So I don't really know. This is my first goat.


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## erica4481 (Mar 26, 2013)

IMO If she's alteast 3 mos preggers you should be able to feel a baby on her right side. Alteast with mine I can feel them starting around that time but sometimes it takes a few feels through out the day to find them depending on their position.


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

I've felt something only one time but I wasn't able to tell if it was baby or stomach. And I've not felt anything since. But I don't feel for it until she's eating grain because she doesn't like me touching the bottom of her belly.


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## Pats_Perfect_Boer_Goats (Oct 24, 2013)

The discharge can be a sign of heat, but it looks like she is pregnant to me.

She doesn't seem to be as large as she should be, but then again I raise boer goats.  It could also mean she isn't as far along into her pregnancy yet (like Erica stated).

I have had a doe that discharged the same as yours 2 weeks before kidding. Then again I have had one who's first discharge was when she was kidding! It all depends on the doe.

How much grain is she getting?

Patrick


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

She's getting about half a cup a day.


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

How can y'all tell if a goat is pregnant? Is it pooch, discharge, belly sizable, udder development? Or all these put together. All I know for sure is she looks and acts different than she has since I got her.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

She doesn't look pregnant to me. Her pooch points up. When my does are in heat, they look like they are pregnant. Looking at the picture from 2 weeks ago, I would say not pregnant. It's possible, though. I don;t always get these right! You could send a blood test into BioTracking. It's $6.50 + shipping.


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

No way am I drawing blood! It creeps me out just thinking of it. I'd do it wrong and she'd bleed to death. Yikes!


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## erica4481 (Mar 26, 2013)

All of my goats carry their babies up high close to their back until they are getting ready to kid. That's when their belly drops and the does sides begin to hollow out giving that sunk in look. Everything you mentioned are all signs to look for to know if your goat is pregnant. But not all does are the same


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Erica, what kind of goats do you have?


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Pygmylover said:


> No way am I drawing blood! It creeps me out just thinking of it. I'd do it wrong and she'd bleed to death. Yikes!


You could have the vet do it.


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## erica4481 (Mar 26, 2013)

Pygmylover said:


> Erica, what kind of goats do you have?


I have pygmies ,Nigerians, and some pygmy X Nigerians


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Scotty, our vet would charge $35 just to look at her. $15 more would get me an ultrasound.

Erica, I think the Nigerian dwarf goats are adorable. I didn't know u could breed them with Pygmys.


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Erica, do you still live in Georgia? If so, what do you do about winter newborns? Are they okay in a doghouse with mom or do they need something warmer? We're in Alabama is why I was asking - similar climates.


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## erica4481 (Mar 26, 2013)

Pygmylover said:


> Erica, do you still live in Georgia? If so, what do you do about winter newborns? Are they okay in a doghouse with mom or do they need something warmer? We're in Alabama is why I was asking - similar climates.


I'm gonna order some more of these little coats for mine this year since most of mine will start being born in January . They are really cheap, warm and super cute  http://www.custompetandtack.homestead.com/


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Oh my goodness that is tooooo cute!


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## erica4481 (Mar 26, 2013)

Yes I still live in ga. Last year we really didnt even have winter temps. So it wasn't that bad but its already getting very cold some nights here. I have used heat lamps before but I worried my self sick about possible fires. So I'm gonna just use the little coats


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

We had chicks in the bathroom this past winter and we only used the heat lamp while we were home and awake. I ended up turning on an electric radiator when we werent home and at night. I hated using them at all.


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## luvbabygoats (Apr 27, 2013)

Pygmylover said:


> She's getting about half a cup a day.


Hmmm...that's not very much grain. She does look a little thin, but I'm not sure about upping the ration this late in the pregnancy..


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

How much grain should she have? I didn't want to give her too much in case she isn't pregnant. Should I just add a tiny bit more slowly over the next couple weeks?


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

We don't put coats on our babies that are born in January. Full size or miniature goats. We DO have heat lamps on them. Last year we had a 50 gal drum with a hole cut in the side (plastic one) and a light fixture put into one end. A regular light bulb in that and the babies were snug and warm! Hoping to set up a couple more of those. I'm not a big believer in coats under "normal" conditions. If they are sick and need the extra...then maybe. They need to get hardy fast in order to survive and coddling them isn't doing them any favors. Sounds mean doesn't it? Have a birthing kit ready...dry towels and a nasal syringe. Help mama dry the baby off so that it doesn't get too chilled. You'll be amazed how hardy those little bitty things really are.

All goats look different before kidding. She looks like mine did with their first kids. She's probably only going to have 1. I've also had some that looked like they were going to have a huge litter only to pop a single out...and some that barely looked pg that had triplets.


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## luvbabygoats (Apr 27, 2013)

Pygmylover said:


> How much grain should she have? I didn't want to give her too much in case she isn't pregnant. Should I just add a tiny bit more slowly over the next couple weeks?


Well I give my 80lb doe about 2 cups of grain each day, but she isn't pregnant. I mean how much does this doe weigh?


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

KCC, we have pretty mild winters here. It may get down to 20 for a couple of nights in the dead of winter. But it's normally in the mid thirties and above. After having said that, it'll probably be the coldest winter in the history of the south! Lets hope not!


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Luv baby goats, she's a little above my knee. Shes a pygmy. The previous owner told me to give her a quarter cup! Wow no wonder she's thin!


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Oh, and I've no idea how much she weighs. She's not been weighed since I've had her.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Pygmylover said:


> KCC, we have pretty mild winters here. It may get down to 20 for a couple of nights in the dead of winter. But it's normally in the mid thirties and above. After having said that, it'll probably be the coldest winter in the history of the south! Lets hope not!


lucky you! We get below 0 fairly often and with wind chill factored in, it can get a tad bit nippy around here. It's impossible to make my barn draft proof too so heat lamps are a baby goats best friend. Last year, they had to compete with the kittens too tho....was kinda funny to walk out and find 3 or 4 baby goats curled up with 3 or 4 kittens under the heat lamp!


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

KCC, I wouldn't have any animals I had to go outside and feed if it got that cold here! How do you keep the drinking water from freezing?


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## robin4 (Oct 12, 2013)

Pygmylover said:


> Someone told me the discharge was a sign of heat. But I've looked at her pooch every day at least twice a day for 3 months and this is the first I've seen the discharge. So I don't really know. This is my first goat.


 First of all, I know nothing about goats, except, I just love'em!!!

I hope she is pregnant!!!! The babies are so sweet!!! Good Luck!!


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

We use floating tank heaters. I can tell you nightmares about breaking ice all winter long....did you know that you have to break the ENTIRE tank and throw out ALL the ice??? LOL If not, you end up with one huge popsicle....that will not melt until spring and then you get to bucket water. yep...learned that one the hard way. Sure do love those tank heaters!!! In the barn, we have the electric buckets set up. The horses and outside animals get tank heaters. Ups the electric bill, but sure does make life easier.


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Robin, thanks! I hope she is too!
KCC, we don't have electricity to the goat area yet. This is just a temporary area until we can get our other fence up. I bought the goats with no place to house them. I do stupid stuff like that and then scramble to get housing built! They were just too cute not to bring home with me! I did the same thing with our chickens.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Pygmylover said:


> Robin, thanks! I hope she is too!
> KCC, we don't have electricity to the goat area yet. This is just a temporary area until we can get our other fence up. I bought the goats with no place to house them. I do stupid stuff like that and then scramble to get housing built! They were just too cute not to bring home with me! I did the same thing with our chickens.


Ha! I do that too!!! We have electricity in the barn as it's been here for a long time. We run a lot of drop cords in the winter and spring for everywhere else. You should see the electric line to my chicken house


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Yep, that sounds like me. I plan on running a gazillion feet of cord from our house to the goats if it gets too cold.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Remember to not feed grain in the last month or two of pregnancy. The kids can end up too large to deliver. I would get her tested


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Thanks for the info! I had no idea about stopping the grain! Do you start feeding it again after the birth? I know that's probably a dumb question but apparently I've been very poorly informed on the subject of grain.


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## luvbabygoats (Apr 27, 2013)

Yes! The doe will need it after she kids, especially for milk production.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Yup! Once she gives birth, slowly (slow is the key) work her back up on her grain ration. During pregnancy, alfalfa hay or an alfalfa/grass hay mix is all they need


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

You don't actually have to stop giving grain the month before a doe is due. You just don't want to increase it by too much because the kids will get too big. I have never stopped giving grain the last month and I've never had a problem with kids getting too big. I actually give more grain until the last month and then reduce the amount they were given but never stop giving it completely.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

chelsboers said:


> You don't actually have to stop giving grain the month before a doe is due. You just don't want to increase it by too much because the kids will get too big. I have never stopped giving grain the last month and I've never had a problem with kids getting too big. I actually give more grain until the last month and then reduce the amount they were given but never stop giving it completely.


We've had problems with grain in the last month of pregnancy.... It is just safer to not do it IMO. Unless your hay is really bad, there is no reason to feed grain while the doe is pregnant. Unless she needs weight, of course. But I would still stop grain.


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

It depends on how much you are giving them to begin with. If you give them a lot and the doe is already in good condition or a little on the chubby side then you are right. Her doe is on the skinny side and it doesn't sound like she is giving her more than she needs. So in her case it would be best to continue giving her grain and hay.


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Okay. So I'll just keep giving her half a cup?


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## luvbabygoats (Apr 27, 2013)

Yep! After she kids you can slowly up it to more than that.


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

Pygmylover said:


> Okay. So I'll just keep giving her half a cup?


I have Boers and I give them each 1 lb so I'm not sure what the normal amount for an adult pygmy or nigerian dwarf would be. It also depends on the % of the grain. Mine get 16% and free choice loose minerals with free choice grass/prairie hay. The kids are usually around 8lbs when born, which is pretty normal for a Boer. Maybe even a little small.

This is just me but if she were mine I would give her 1 cup a day as well as hay. When she started showing signs of getting an udder (usually 6 weeks from delivery) I would give 1/2 a cup.

Too me she doesn't look close to delivery. If she is I would guess she'd be due in December. I have a doe due end of December and she is just now starting to get a little udder. Not huge but noticeably fuller.

If you have a buck the discharge could be from him breeding her


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

Thank you everyone for all your help! Chels, we don't have a buck. The previous owner said she was bred either in May or July. He was a really fast talker so I'm really not sure which date. But I bought her in mid July so it would have to be a December birth at the latest.


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## Pygmylover (Oct 20, 2013)

I've often gone on these threads that have pregnancy questions and I hardly ever am able to find out the end result of the OP's goat. So I'm gonna let all those newbies know that my goat was NOT pregnant. But I have two more that might be so we'll see.....


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