# New to Goats and I think she is in Labor



## ATovet35 (Apr 29, 2010)

I am new to goats and bought a small herd a few months back and was told that they might be pregnant. One had one today and I had no idea she was due. The baby is very tiny and she has nothing to do with it. I have 2 others that is bagged and looks like they are ready anyday. One is showing signs of labor from what I have read. She usually wont let me get close to her and now she will let me pet all over her even while she is lying down. I took some pics today and wanted to see if anyone could tell me what they think about how far along they might be or if she is close. Is there signs that I should look for if she is in trouble.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

welcome :wave:

I take it your doe is a boer or boer mix? have you tried looking for ligaments? description and pictures here viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12484

she doesnt look "posty yet" viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3422

she is certainly due soon just not sure if it will be today tomorrow or next week. Sorry. Watch for her udder getting suddenly tight. And the ligments like i posted and her legs going more straight and she will walk extra funny. Her tail wil also cock to the side or straight up adn then the tip will flop over.

How is the little one mom rejected? did you get colostrum in it? this is super important. Are you bottle feeding or holding mom for the kid to nurse?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with Stacey ...she doesn't look quite ready.. but yes it will be soon... :wink:


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## Cinder (Mar 3, 2008)

First - I don't have experience in birthing goats as many here do but I can tell you what I just experienced with one of my does - maybe it will be helpful for you. I finally was actually able to see one of my goats go into labor and be there when the kids were delivered for the first time last Saturday. In the past ALL my goats have gone through the whole process either over night or the one day I was in town! ARgh!!

She was actually 'posty' for almost two weeks before she kidded. She bagged up over a week before she delivered. I know some goats don't bag up until they actually do deliver so you can't judge exact times just by their bagging.

Anyway... last Saturday my girl kept bawling for me and literally wouldn't leave my side (she was glued to my legs) from late morning till she kidded late that night. Not all goats want a person with them but this can be a sign that delivery is close - meaning hours not days away. My girl started showing a gooey discharge from her vagina late morning. I never saw that at all in my goats who kidded last year. Her tummy began moving in much 'harder' movements (contractions) about supper time. It wasn't 'normal' movement so I knew it was contractions. I moved her into our laundry room so I could keep a close eye on her as it was a snowstorm outside and I didn't want to sit in the cold barn and didn't want her kids to be born in the cold barn (I know... goats have done it for centuries but this is MY girl!  -- of course, all my other kids were born in the barn, some in cold weather and most did just fine).

Her contractions got much harder the two hours before she finally kidded. I was just starting to get nervous about the length of time when we saw the little nose peaking out. In her case it seemed to take longer than it should for her to get out that first little boy and when she did I realized why.. he had one front foot backwards so she had to work harder to push him out. She did it though and he's a fiesty little dude. Once his nose presented she got him out within two minutes. Twenty minutes later she pushed out a second little boy and he just flew out since he was in the right position with both front feet forward next to his head.

My girl is a first time freshener and she didn't know to get up and clean off her babies so I was really glad I was there as I used a towel to get their heads cleaned off so they could breathe. I then put them in front of her and she went to town and licked them furiously for an hour each. She's been a perfect momma for these first three days.

Are you bottle feeding the baby born today? As Stacey asked... did you get colostrum into it? That is critically important for the health and survival of a kid.


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## Cinder (Mar 3, 2008)

Oh I wanted to add an excellent website is http://fiascofarm.com/. You should sit down and read through the kidding section right quick. Good luck and hope everything goes really well.


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## ATovet35 (Apr 29, 2010)

Thank you alll so much. Yes I got colostrum into her and I am bottle feeding her. She seems to be doing great. She is very tiny only weighing 1lb 1 oz. I have all Animals and the goats are my favorite. I am very new at this and I am glad this site is here. I was told that they might be pregnant but it had been so long I figured maybe he was wrong til there was 2 goats that bagged up and got HUGE. I have one other I would like to post a pic of and see what you think. This one tummy was HUGE and now it seems to be hangin instead of side to side.


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## ATovet35 (Apr 29, 2010)

Here is the baby


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## OhCee (Feb 26, 2010)

Oh my!!!! How adorable! Congrats


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

"Brownie" probably has done what we call dropped. This means her babies are moving into position. It can happen hours before kidding or a month before. Most of the time you see it near kidding though.


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## farmgirl42 (Jan 3, 2010)

Welcome; we're glad to have you here. And congratulations on your *adorable* TINY baby!

Sounds like you have at least two more to kid in the next couple of weeks. Best of luck! (And don't hesitate to ask questions; the experts and non-experts on here are great to help us all through the tough times.)


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## ATovet35 (Apr 29, 2010)

I am so glad for this site. I am so new to this and have read everything and every site that you all have given me... Thank you so much. My son got a Pigmy goat back in February for 4H. Like I said b4 I am very new to this. I know that they are naturally Thick thru the stomach, But she has in the last few weeks really got a belly on her and bagged some. Not bad but noticeable. I was told that she wasnt pregnant that was the only reason I allowed him to get her as she is only 6 months old. Is there a way besides calling the vet out to see if she is Prego. It concerns me cause I dont want to lose her do to ignorance as this is my sons pet. 

Thanks
Angela


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

the "pooch test" isnt 100% accurate but it will give you an idea

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=11526


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

I did not get the captions up but I did get the birthing pictures up for you on our site. Thank you I needed the flame to move me. Look in the tool bar under see a birth at GRR. I will be able to run by real fast but she was very up and down moving around. Then started pushing. You can see in the side pic the way the back goes up and differs from normal. Then the goo can, followed by more pushing. At this point Uhura shot out. James T came after but could not get in for pics so as mom was doing her thing I took a few pics of Uhura after being cleaned. She would have done more but that James T was not wanting to wait any longer. Hope it helps. The pics are pretty good. Hope you can see everything good. Let me know...


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