# Getting close?!?



## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

I have a ff Nigerian doe (I suspect some Pygmy genes, too) that is definitely pregnant. I’m unsure of dates due to exposure to failed wether as well as to the planned buck, but I believe she went into heat late July then also late August, so I was thinking end of January...However:
-she has definitely started bagging up the last week or two. Feels like maybe half an orange?
-today I noticed that when she called out to her herd mates, her vulva swelled and I could see an opaque, whitish-yellow “mass” in the opening
-she is definitely walking funny. My husband asked why she’s walking with “straight back legs”
-tonight, she was far more receptive to affection than usual. I was rubbing her all over (and I think I felt a couple kicks?). When I checked her udder she arched up and held still and let me feel it (instead of jumping away, as she usually does)
-I’ve been checking ligaments daily for weeks to try to “get a feel” for them. There is definitely a smushy-ness that wasn’t there yesterday. There is a hollowness around the base of her tail. I THINK I still feel some ligaments, but much “boggier” than they’ve been.
First time goat mom here, so I’d appreciate guidance on how close you experienced folks would GUESS that I am. I have read the Doe Rules, so I understand its only a guess. Do I start the middle-of-the night checks? Am I getting excited too early? I’m attaching a couple pics, but they were taken at dusk, so tough to see. Her udder is bigger than it looks in the pic.
She did eat normally today, and wandered with the herd as per usual. Thanks!


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## KST Goat Farm (Jul 29, 2019)

If she was bread August 1st the soonest she would kid is about December 20th. Her udder looks small but I have one due in 3 weeks who have about the same size udder. I would not start night checks yet but you can if you want.


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

KST Goat Farm said:


> If she was bread August 1st the soonest she would kid is about December 20th. Her udder looks small but I have one due in 3 weeks who have about the same size udder. I would not start night checks yet but you can if you want.


Thanks. I figured I was jumping the gun, but I'm a nervous newbie! I'll keep a close eye for further changes but hold off on the 2am checks for now.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

(thumbup)


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

How's your doe?


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

GoofyGoat said:


> How's your doe?


She's doing well, thanks! She is starting to form a bigger udder and her belly is getting bigger. I believe that my observation of a heat in late August was likely correct, so I'm "planning" on a delivery in a few weeks...though I check her behavior/ligaments a couple times a day so no surprises! I just jumped the gun, like all good newbies.

Merry Christmas!


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Merry Christmas I'm glad to hear all is well!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good to hear.


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Checking in...how's your girl?


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Any babies yet???


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## Denise Troy (Aug 31, 2019)

So, around when do you start the 2am checks? My does aren’t due until Jan 29 th and Feb 1..IF I did the pregnancy calculator right on the website, and IF they were bred as soon as exposed. A lot of ifs...


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Do they have tight shiny udders? If not, then I wouldn't. Plus if those dates are first exposure, then worry about it closer to the date.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:up:


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

I think she might be in labor. She’s been huffing and puffing today (though we’re nice and warm in the 70s, so I thought perhaps it was just that. I just saw her strain and her backside bulged noticeably, though! I had a calculated date of 1/21, so I hadn’t moved her to the birthing area, and she wants no part of leaving the other girls, so I’m sitting with her in the doe pen. Ligaments are, I believe, gone (I can encircle the base of her tail, easily). No amber liquid yet.

edit: typos


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## Denise Troy (Aug 31, 2019)

Cheering you on!


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## Denise Troy (Aug 31, 2019)

Ohhhhh, wow! That sounds exciting, or never wracking! If she’s too early? But perhaps those dates were off a bit . Please please please keep me posted with things...we have like, been cheering each other on...and I’m cheering even louder now! I’d love to hear the full play by play on the kidding. So you nan pm me. If others might get bored. I’m hoping it goes uneventful and everyone is healthy and good lookers!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

How are things?


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

toth boer goats said:


> How are things?


I think she is teasing me again (though clearly closer). I got her into the birthing pen with one of the other girls in the pen next to her, so they aren't alone. She still looks very swollen in the vulvar area, but no drainage. She is still eating. No talking to her belly. I still don't feel ligaments, and her belly feels huge and taut. Her udder has been coming along nicely the last few weeks, but it does't look "shiny". Perhaps that bulging of her vulva was just a fluke bit of straining? Regardless, I have a baby monitor set up (arrived today from amazon!) so I can keep an eye/ear on her. Clearly, she realized delivering in 70 degree sun was unacceptable...she's waiting til the rain and 50s in a couple days!


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Yep, doe code! She'll wait till Thursday or Friday when the cold front and rain comes. Lol.
Sounds promising though. Babies soon.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:up::nod:


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

They do have false labor, like Braxton hicks in people. I thinks it's the uterus's way of practicing for the real thing. Make sure she gets exercise, that helps get the kids in position. Do you have things she can climb on? My does spend a lot of time with the front feet up on a kidding box (3'x3' wooden flat top dog house for kids to hide in).


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

Goats Rock said:


> They do have false labor, like Braxton hicks in people. I thinks it's the uterus's way of practicing for the real thing. Make sure she gets exercise, that helps get the kids in position. Do you have things she can climb on? My does spend a lot of time with the front feet up on a kidding box (3'x3' wooden flat top dog house for kids to hide in).


Thanks - I've been keeping her more cooped up to rest (and to keep my dogs away from her). I'm sitting out with the girls now to get some monitored exercise. She's still eating, but I found her sitting, huffing and puffing with a tight tummy. Her backside looks swollen too.


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## Denise Troy (Aug 31, 2019)

Coolbreeze89 said:


> View attachment 168877
> 
> Thanks - I've been keeping her more cooped up to rest (and to keep my dogs away from her). I'm sitting out with the girls now to get some monitored exercise. She's still eating, but I found her sitting, huffing and puffing with a tight tummy. Her backside looks swollen too.
> View attachment 168875


Why would her bum area be so swollen?


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

Denise Troy said:


> Why would her bum area be so swollen?


I'm assuming this area swells as the tissue loosens to allow the kid to pass. When she strains, it bulges even further.

Still no signs of labor tonight.


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## CountyLineAcres (Jan 22, 2014)

She looks extremely swollen. I’ve personally never seen that before, but I’ve also never owned this breed. You said she’s straining? In what way? Does she look like she’s contracting? With that swelling, the discharge, and the straining, I’d say something will be happening very soon.


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

I do have Nigerians and I would be concerned there's a weakening in the muscular walls and not enough support delivery. The twist area shouldn't be bulging like that. Do you have a good relationship with your vet that you can email or text pictures to? 
Here's a picture of one of my does 15 minutes before she delivered triplets for comparison


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

CountyLineAcres said:


> She looks extremely swollen. I've personally never seen that before, but I've also never owned this breed. You said she's straining? In what way? Does she look like she's contracting? With that swelling, the discharge, and the straining, I'd say something will be happening very soon.


I have seen a couple episodes over several days in which I thought she was pushing (and this area bulged a bit), but otherwise she is not contracting and she is acting fine (though waddling like a pregnant woman). She's had that bit of discharge nearly constantly for a few weeks. Doesn't smell, always about that small amount. Cleans off easily, but will return. Eating normally, roams with her herd normally (though they're all taking longer rests as everyone gets big with estimated due dates 1/21-1/28ish.


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## healthyishappy (Mar 6, 2019)

GoofyGoat said:


> I do have Nigerians and I would be concerned there's a weakening in the muscular walls and not enough support delivery. The twist area shouldn't be bulging like that. Do you have a good relationship with your vet that you can email or text pictures to?
> Here's a picture of one of my does 15 minutes before she delivered triplets for comparison


One of my goats rear is bulged too. But it just got bigger as she got pregnant. Is that not normal? I thought that was how the pooch test worked!


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## mariella (Feb 23, 2017)

I would say she looks like she's about to prolapse, Can you get a vet to look at her?


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

GoofyGoat said:


> I do have Nigerians and I would be concerned there's a weakening in the muscular walls and not enough support delivery. The twist area shouldn't be bulging like that. Do you have a good relationship with your vet that you can email or text pictures to?
> Here's a picture of one of my does 15 minutes before she delivered triplets for comparison


I checked her again his morning - not bulging now. Bulge is most noticeable if she is crying out, coughing (rare), or the couple times I thought she was contracting (either Braxton-Hicks, or I was wrong!).

I called the vet. They said I'd have to bring her in if I want an eval. I'll keep watching her closely for now. Thanks for the insight and reference photo, though. So much to learn!


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Coolbreeze89 said:


> I checked her again his morning - not bulging now. Bulge is most noticeable if she is crying out, coughing (rare), or the couple times I thought she was contracting (either Braxton-Hicks, or I was wrong!).
> 
> I called the vet. They said I'd have to bring her in if I want an eval. I'll keep watching her closely for now. Thanks for the insight and reference photo, though. So much to learn!


If you're anywhere near DFW there's a bunch of good vets here that'll help if you send them a picture and at least say yes, it would be good to bring her in or no, don't stress her and keep an eye out for this, that or the other...
I hope that your vet is willing to do something like that since it seems she's so close to her due date.


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

GoofyGoat said:


> If you're anywhere near DFW there's a bunch of good vets here that'll help if you send them a picture and at least say yes, it would be good to bring her in or no, don't stress her and keep an eye out for this, that or the other...
> I hope that your vet is willing to do something like that since it seems she's so close to her due date.


Thank you - I'm about 150 miles from DFW, unfortunately. I'll press harder if I notice it more prominently.

Curious: in reading about prolapse on other threads, I saw one person reference calcium deficiency as a possible contributing cause. Any thoughts on supplementing with calcium?

They have free choice alfalfa hay at all times, so I wouldn't think calcium is low...but we do have a lot of iron in the water.


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

I always give calcium with vitamin d gummies for a month before kidding but feeding alfalfa hay and pellets should help unless your area and doe is lacking in good minerals. Some does need more than others.


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

GoofyGoat said:


> I always give calcium with vitamin d gummies for a month before kidding but feeding alfalfa hay and pellets should help unless your area and doe is lacking in good minerals. Some does need more than others.


 I'll pick up some today, as were going in to town. They have minerals, but don't seem to take much (windstorm granules plus deer salt lick plus cobalt block). Love their alfalfa. I'm assuming I want to avoid artificial sweeteners? Anything else to watch out for, ingredient-wise?


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Coolbreeze89 said:


> I'll pick up some today, as were going in to town. They have minerals, but don't seem to take much (windstorm granules plus deer salt lick plus cobalt block). Love their alfalfa. I'm assuming I want to avoid artificial sweeteners? Anything else to watch out for, ingredient-wise?


I use the vitafusion brand I get them at Sams Club I also have gotten them at GNC but they're more expensive. Just make sure there's no saccharine or aspertane (sp?) in them.. cane sugar or fructose is ok. I also throw a vitamin e gel cap into their daily grain too just because it helps the other vitamins work. I'm not sure if it helps 100% but Its never hurt them. I'm dry lotting my girls right now so I'm a bit over cautious too.


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

GoofyGoat said:


> I use the vitafusion brand I get them at Sams Club I also have gotten them at GNC but they're more expensive. Just make sure there's no saccharine or aspertane (sp?) in them.. cane sugar or fructose is ok


Thank you very much for all your help!


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Not to worry! Kidding is a stressful time for me too!
Just having different ideas to toss around with someone helps me feel like I'm doing everything I can to make sure my does have the best possible outcome.
We all love our goats otherwise we wouldn't be on TGS!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:up::nod:


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

She gave the typical goat response to new food...but I crushed the tab and got it in her (and some replamin plus). I’ll keep after her with the calcium (I’m offering it to the other does, too...hoping they’ll learn quickly so I don’t have to crush/drench for everyone). My store didn’t have gummies without artificial sweeteners, so minty tums was the winner!


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

Just to be sure I understand: 1000mg calcium every day for my pregnant does in the last ... how many weeks of pregnancy?


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## Robinsonfarm (Jul 17, 2015)

The recommendations for calcium are good, Ive used Tums and they normally eat it up really easily that way and its super cheap if you get the generic ones.


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## Coolbreeze89 (Mar 5, 2017)

Robinsonfarm said:


> The recommendations for calcium are good, Ive used Tums and they normally eat it up really easily that way and its super cheap if you get the generic ones.


My girls are not taking them - having to drench them. Sigh! I keep trying, though. Hoping they'll suddenly realize how tasty they are!

fyi: the walmart generic had artificial sweetener in it (Sucralose, I think) where as the name brand had just sucrose. I wasn't sure if that sweetener was ok, so I went with name brand to be sure. Couldn't believe the price difference! $7 vs $2. Ridiculous.


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