# how can



## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

How can you tell when your goat is having contractions or different ways you can tell

Goats


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Hello. Here are a few indicators...Arching and stretching back, grinding teeth, biting at belly, digging, getting up and down, yawning, streaming mucus, talking softly, licking....
Good luck.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Contrations can be she is laying down with her back feet digging into the ground stretched out and her head upward, she may groan.

Smelling an area where she dripped a discharge onto the ground, then flips her lip, up like a buck.

She may stand in one spot for hours (pre-labor) and push her head into a wall, with stretching and yawning.
Amber clear tube like discharge
breaking water( a big puddle of watery goo) on the ground. Not just a wet spot.
More friendlier than usual or opposite. 
Off by herself.
Some go off feed.
Really sunken in, hip bone and tailhead area.
Tail really is in a weird position
Kids are off of her sides(she dropped) if you look at her from behind, and the baby bumps seem to disappeared, they are heading to the birth canal.
Udder is really tight and shiny 
restless
Ligs will be gone on both sides of her tail head


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

When the goat has a good hard contraction while you are watching, you'll know. The signs BCG mentioned become very pronounced in hard labor (especially back arching!!)
Pam explained very well how the doe looks if she is lying down and having a contraction. If she's standing up, she'll steady and stiffen her back legs, crouch a bit, and then arch her back; her tail goes up, the pooch area sinks in. If she's chewing her cud she will probably stop. She'll stand like this for a minute and then go back to normal.


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## VincekFarm (Jun 27, 2011)

I think they got all of them.. or most common atleast.

This is a good example of what a doe looks like when she has a contraction. Most commonly my does arch their backs and tails like you'll notice in the picture. She also has her head against the wall.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All good advice.


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

well That help alot we still new to this but she is in labor I hope

Goats


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

Ok she looks like she is ready but how can you tell when she is in labor

Goats


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Look for all the above listed behaviors. She may also go off feed and wander off by herself when she starts into labor.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

True labor is when she is pushing and serious about it, just prior, you see an amber clear tube like discharge or bubble. 

It should be within a 30 minute time frame, when you see a kid on the ground, after true labor begins. 
If she continues to struggle, with no progress, we must intervene and help. I won't wait 30 minutes personally, I go in, if it has been a little more than 15 minutes or I see a kid isn't presenting in the proper position.

When you see the bubble, look within it, you should see 2 hooves and a head in between them. It is almost like a diver position, but one leg setback slightly. 
If you don't see that, you may need to wash up and go in to reposition the kid. A kid can be born breach with no problems(back legs first). 
But if a leg, head is not showing, she needs help ASAP. If you see just the head, you must go in.


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

last time we breed her she didnt have any disscarge and she had her kids but this year she has been acting very different

Goats


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

As long as she isn't in any duress.


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

k well it looks like she wants to deliver but she is not she is having alot of contractions

Goats


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

well still nothing she has lost some fluid she is having a lot a contractions and almost all of them I hope she has them soon

Goats


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Sounds close now, when she begins to push, she is in true labor and we should see pretty babies. :thumbup:

Happy Kidding


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

well last night her area was dialated but she has not had them we know she is on the verge of kidding

Goats


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Is her udder really tight and have a shiny appearance to it at the bottom?
Does she still have baby bumps up on her sides or has it dropped when you look at her from behind?


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

It seems to me like it has been too long.
How far apart are her contractions? How long has she been in serious labor? Does she seem to be getting tired? She should only be in hard labor about 30 minutes before those kids pop out. If not, something may be wrong.
Anytime you think something is wrong, it is better to help than wait. Wash hands, lube up (you can use gentle soap in a pinch), and _very gently_ reach your fingers in to see if the kid is in the right position.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

How are things?


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

well she looks like she will have them today or monday hard to tell

Goats


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:hug:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Nothing?


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

yep your right nothing she is just having mild contrations she might have them sometime this week or next week she is not ready there was knowone coming so she is not ready yet

Goats


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

What do you mean threet was no one coming? If you are referring to the kids, I would be checking for badly positioned kids. If she is in fact having contractions that is.

Just had a call last night from a friend I sold some bred does to. Doe number one went into labor early morning. They waited for a water sack or a kid all day, with no result. The doe was tired, but only strained a little here and there. She never fully pushed as if in hard labor and her water never broke. 

She called me at 9 pm. I advised they go in and check. First baby was true beech and blocking birth canal. She had triplets. Unfortunately, the stress of labor all day was too much and all 3 died.


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

well my dad is going to have a goat and kids loss becaues he think she is fine but me and my mom say something is wrong and when she lays down her butt is like a big bubble and we cheacked and he sayed he couldn't feel any one but he when in just a little sayed she woulden't have anything soon there is diffently something wrong becaues she was not like this last year

Goats


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Well hopefully he's right. Is your Dad experienced with livestock? If so, I'm sure he knows what he's doing. Just trust in him and pray. I'll keep you in my prayers for healthy happy kids.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

As long as the prolapse goes back in when she stands up she will be fine. 

They can act very uncomfortable for weeks before delivering. But actual labor is hard to miss.


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

um stacey that goat died from last

Goats


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I'm sorry to hear your goat died. But I'm not sure I understand your post.


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

well it turns out that her cervexs is not ready so she is acting like she is having something but she is not yet

Goats


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

So is she still alive? Sorry, I'm getting confused by the posts.


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

I'm thinking that we're talking about 2 different goats. One died and the other is pregnant?????


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

correct stace just thougthit was the one from last year now we r talking about a different goat

Goats


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I was talking about the one you are posting about. I read you whole post and I was responding to what's happening, you said there was a bubble when she layed down. I took that to mean as it usually does that the doe was/ is having a mild prolapse and like I said if it goes back in when she stands back up then it's ok and nothing to worry about. 
I don't see where two goats were mentioned.


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

no it is not a prolaps since her belly is so big when she lays down it looks like prolaps but it is not

Goats


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Well that's good.


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

It seams to me it has been to long we have checked her plenty of times and we can get a finger through her cervix

Goats


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Have toy bounced her belly and felt for little feet kicking? If you can feel babies moving I'd say all is well and you just need to be patient.  When is her latest possible due date?


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

yea there moving pretty hard and 21 of jan but from what i was told she was to have them on the 1of jan

Goats


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Then I think you have an incorrect breeding date.


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

well not truly correct she missed a cycle so she is having them laterin the month than expeted

Goats


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Good news. Gld you can rest easier now


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## LaMee (Jul 21, 2012)

ok since i have not been on for a while the goat we are talking had her kids they were big for twins but some thing when wrong so the kids died we been having a bad year we lost 6babys and only one survied


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Did you take any of the kids/placentas that didn't make it in for a necropsy and testing?


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