# Paying a price



## GrubbyGoat (Dec 18, 2013)

I made the mistake this year of leaving our young buck with the does to pasture breed...with out a marking harness. Chuck just wasn't showing interest in does (he preferred the company of our wether ) and I made the executive decision to let him stay with the ladies until he started acting like a buck. Now let me explain a bit, we have always leased bucks and pasture bred in the past, so I had a window to work with and I usually used a harness and crayon. I did not this time and I'm paying the price. I have no idea when my girls are due, and I'm hurrying up to wait. I am expecting 3 does (2 - 2F and one FF) to kid and have been tending them for the last month. There is zero doubt the 2F ladies are bred, it's just a matter of reading the signs (of which I'm not so good at apparently). So my question for the experienced breeders, how long after the kids drop and the hollow from the rib to hip becomes apparent shoud I expect the kids to arrive? The 2F girls have dropped and are having a little discharge, but the ligaments are still solid, not much bagging up yet, what time frame, in your opinion, are we looking at? 

I can honestly say, this is not going to happen again, either Chuck wears a harness to pasture breed or we start having date nights. Lol ^_~


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Really depends on how each doe carries. My two FFs last year carried very high, only my older doe really drops. Mine were pasture bred last year and this year and it's annoying as heck! Date nights next year for sure.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

We have done the same thing and it's annoying as all get out. Never again will I do this....we ARE investing in a harness....


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

All my girls udders bagged up tight and had a shiny appearance right before kidding.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I agree dropping of the stomach is not a good way to go off of. The good thing at least there are not a ton of does to keep your eye on. Its going to be annoying and a pain but keep checking those ligs.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

ksalvagno said:


> All my girls udders bagged up tight and had a shiny appearance right before kidding.


I'm with Karen. Watch that udder.


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## Cadence (Jul 20, 2013)

I do hand-breed, but I hear that if you combine powdered paint and crisco and put it on the buck's brisket- you can have a make-do marking element. It has to refreshed but the oil keeps the paint from drying out too quickly and it could make do if you don't have a harness.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Tenacross said:


> I'm with Karen. Watch that udder.


That & amber goo.
Don't do the following; "Oh look at that cute little FF udder," 
Go to bed & an hour later the better half wakes you up cause she has kidded.:doh:


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## GrubbyGoat (Dec 18, 2013)

My husband has been cracking me up, he has been racing me to the barn to do the kid checks when he's home. He's telling me he's convinced that the girls are just fat and we're not going to have kids...lol! He is cracking me up. 

Thankfully it's only three does this year, I sold all my grade does this last spring (meaning all the does I knew their signs and quirks) but I think this must be my lesson in patience and observation. This is the price I pay for not putting the harness on Chuck like I had intended. Lesson learned!!! ^_^


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

lol I think we all pay the price now and then  
We have 2 does that if I hadn't looked for evidence on them, I wouldn't have had any idea when they might be bred to kid. 
First 2 goats we bought a few years ago were bought bred and the only thing we knew was...they'd probably kid in June or July...talk about being anxious!

I do know with our girls they start developing a bag about 6-8 weeks before kidding. Our experienced does definitely start about 8 weeks out. Now these are boer & %'s. 
Our first timers usually start about 6 weeks.
You can't really go by discharge IMO, they can lose their plug weeks before kidding.

Definitely check tail ligaments and watch for that strutted udder. Those are really good signs for us, and the only real consistent ones with our little herd.


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## GrubbyGoat (Dec 18, 2013)

Well...I'm STILL waiting...but udders are pretty close to "full up" as my husband would say and a bit of swelling of the vulva...I'm hoping we're with in the week for the 2F's, the FF it's anyone's guess. I'm not so patiently waiting, I'm so excited to see Chuck's first kid crop I can hardly stand myself. I'm sure my hubster is sick of hearing about goats and soap...LOL


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Awww new buck for you too....now I know I'm not alone being so dang eager lol. Hopefully they hurry up and give you your kids!!!!!


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## GrubbyGoat (Dec 18, 2013)

Yup! Chuck will be two in April. I am absolutely besotted with him. I tease my hubster that I love that silly goat almost as much as him.






this is March Ranch RS Windwalker (Chuck).


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Where are you in Eastern WA?


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## GrubbyGoat (Dec 18, 2013)

We're in Deer Park.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Yes, keep on checking the tail ligaments. That's the cardinal sign I go by. My does always kid within about 24 hours of their ligaments disappearing.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Ya...I'm in the same boat with one of my does... I thought she was infertile after a really tough kidding and not settling for over a year. Now she's preggo but she was with the buck for a long time..??
She hates to have her ligs checked too...


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## GrubbyGoat (Dec 18, 2013)

A little more swelling and tighter udders...I'm going to say we're with in a week. ^_^ I hope!! I can hardly stand this waiting. My husband is laughing at me, but still races me to the barn in the mornings for the first peek. My Sophie doe I think will be first. Her first FF she had triplets (2 years ago) so I'm hopeful, Jenny had a super single with no problems and is HUGE this time so fingers crossed for twins or we're in trouble. Lol


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Just never sleep. :shock:


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## GrubbyGoat (Dec 18, 2013)

Woo hoo! And they are arriving!!! So far a buckling and doeling, with another doe in labor!


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Looks like Chuck really makes his mark! Congrats!


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## GrubbyGoat (Dec 18, 2013)

and triplets for Sophie. ^_^ one more doe to go, but I think she's a couple weeks out yet...or when ever lol


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## GrubbyGoat (Dec 18, 2013)

I'm happy with the results so far! 4 doeling a and a buckling. All some shade of brown and or with out frosted ears. I love that Chuck ^_^


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## GrubbyGoat (Dec 18, 2013)

And one with out frosted ears...lol I'm so excited I can hardly type. ^_^ I would've missed the births if my little dog hadn't demanded we go outside and he ran right to the barn.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Very cute!


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Awwww, they are all so cute! I would be tickled to get triplets too  

Sounds like the doggy deserves a treat


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## GrubbyGoat (Dec 18, 2013)

Yes he does!! 

It's looking like I'll be bottle feeding 5 kids. Sophie isn't producing much and has zero interest now that they're dry and jenny wasn't a very good mom last year (she cleans them and sleeps with them but won't let them nurse, her single last time was "stolen" by another doe) I'll keep trying, but it may be easier to just bottle feed them all and then move them to a lambar. The positive, I wouldn't have to worry about weaning that way. Lol though I like to let them be dam raised, prefer it actually, but it is what it is. I'm just happy to have 5 nice babies. ^_^ keeping my fingers crossed they get maternal and Sophie produces more than a cup for three kids.


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## goatgirl16 (Nov 21, 2012)

So cute!


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