# have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure out



## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

Hello all on tgs. I am very new to the site and still new to raising goats.

I have four expecting does and have no clue as to the breeding date as they were all kept together. But we recently traded our breeder buck for a male boar baby which will be our new breeder buck. So all the does now rule the pen but have recently shown signs of pregnancy. I have two that look to me the closest due. I need help to determine when they are close to kidding. I want to make sure everything is okay with the kidding. The temperatures are cold and know that I need to makes sure the baby kid is warm to survive. 

I am getting really excited and am hoping for all healthy successful births. The two does that I think are the closest to kidding have had one previous pregnancy but the other two this would be their first pregnancy. 

I appreciate your assitance.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

i dont think there is any real definitive way to just tell you how far into their pregnancies they are. I can help with when they look close but thats even a guess on my part not a real true answer. Im sorry there isnt a real science to it :/


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Oh thank you so much for getting back with me.

I have some pictures but don't know how to upload them as this is my first ever post on a forum.

I went to look at them this morning and there is one in particular that looks a bit different this morning. I am almost thinking that she has dropped a little but would like some assistance to help determine this. She has also gone from being very skiddish to wanting lots of love. I am getting so excited.

Thanks in advance for all your assistance.


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Hi there! Welcome!

My questions would be:
- What breed are the girls?
- What ages are the girls? 
- How long have you had them? 
- Have you noticed them in heat since you've had them? They would be flicking their tails, holding their tails up, calling/cooing more, probably being extra affectionate w/the new little guy you got. 
- Have they kidded before?

The best way for us to help you determine if they're close or not would be rear pics showing the udder & rear area. We personally shave the rear udder area on our doe's about 2 weeks pre-kidding so that we can clearly see the udder filling & tightening, this is a sign of impending labor. It also helps with keeping things clean during/after kidding too.

I know there are some great clips/video's/info on TGS here about kidding time...I'll try to find one for you...


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Couldn't find the video I was searching for on TGS, but here's a few from Good Ol' YouTube... :wink:


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

I have 2 - two year olds (not sure what breed they are as the person we bought them from told us one thing and we have been told by others something different) that have kidded once before. The one that I think is going to be the first to go had her first kid last April and abandoned it. After several hours of trying to keep her alive and having milked the mother and even drank the first milk from momma never got strong enough even after trying to get the temperature up. That was heartbreaking and then the other one gave birth a week later and we didn't even know it, he was adorable and is my profile pic. Now this is their second pregnancy and I want to make sure that nothing happens like the time before.

The one that looks about ready to go and still not sure if she will be soon or not, has all of a sudden became a lovable goat. She was always one of our skiddish goats.

And I have 2 - one year old boar goats.

How will I know they are getting ready to go into labor? I just think it will be soon for Milkshake. Milkshake was walking with her sides poking out on both sided high the other day but now I am not sure but think she has dropped. Isn't this a sign that it will be soon?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Well...since they haven't delivered yet, they were bred AFTER August 8th...normal pregnancies last anywhere from 145 to 155 days with some going to 160...the latter is rare but happens.

Get a feel for your girl's ligaments, they feel like pencils on either side of the tail in the soft area between the spine and hip points. Stacey has a good reference on her website for doing this.
Also, you will notice udder development, in the First Fresheners, they will likely start udder growth 6-8 weeks before they deliver, the 2nd fresheners may not start to fill until 2-3 weeks before, or wait til the day they drop.
Also, feel for kid movement, hold one hand palm up against the belly just in front of the udder, use the other to gently push inward on the does right side, if you feel movement like flutter or kicks...even a kid moving against your hand then the doe is beyond 3 1/2 months of pregnancy, I normally can't feel kid movement until my girls are into the 4th month.

Labor is usually indicated by a does ligaments disappearing, udder filled and she will go off to a secluded area by herself, will continually paw at the floor to "nest"..lay down and get up repeatedly, and some will even refuse their food, each doe is different with how they present the signs.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Okay I went out a little while ago and was petting a couple of my girls. Whew they are all big. I checked out their ligs. On one I felt the V and the other I did not feel the V. How close do you think it would be for the one I don't find the V in the ligs. Thanks for your help.


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

To post pics....
Take your pic...upload into your computer (remember where it went of course), then when you click "Post" here on TGS...just below the box you type your notes in and just below the "Submit" button, you will see a title that says "Upload Attachment"...just below that it says "Browse" (Browse is what you click to search thru your own computer files to find your pic)... once you find it, click it,... then click the "Add the File" button just below the "Browse" button and it will upload your pic for you. Then click submit and your done! <grin> Hope this helps...

If ligs are truly gone, you'd have hours left probably....but ligs are a tough one to really get right. Once you really figure them out then it's a piece of cake & seems so crazy simple.

As to last years issues... did the doe's get Bose (Selenium/Vit. E) before kidding? Low Selenuim levels in doe's, and hence kids too after kiddding, can definitely be a huge problem...weak kids, inability to latch on & nurse, struggling to stand, etc. Very good idea to have a little tube of Colostrum (paste or a powder mix maybe) on hand or some kind of vitamin supplement with Selenium & Vit. E in it.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Guess the ligs are still there (will have to do some more research on that, thanks for the info saying it is hard to tell when you are new at goats and now I believe it) as she is still very much pregnant this morning. She looks so miserable. Well her and her sister are huge (oh they are nubian/boar mix apparently). I hope for twins but healthy strong kids will be just fine.

I hope that someone has their kids today so I don't have to get a call when I am at work. Wishful thinking tough. I am getting so excited!!!!

Our little boars are getting more skiddish. That has me worried that I won't be able to help them when it is time for them to kid. They are just not as pregnant as my nubian/boar mommas.

I need to go out and get some new pics and will try and post. Maybe I am off a bunch and they still have time. I just want to be prepared for a successful kidding with all of them.


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## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Signs they are getting close. dropped look, sunk in on the right side, posty legs, rump angle steeper, not eating grain, acting weird or off, blank stare, talking to the sides of their tummy (baby), discharge, vocalization, ligaments gone, sunk in around the tail head, pawing at the ground (nesting) and contractions of the tummy.

Some may have all of these signs, some have only a few, and others may only show one of the above signs. The biggest thing is being very observant, so you can notice these signs or any off behavior. Good Luck :hug:


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

I tried to post a picture of Milkshake. Going to try again.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Milkshake's a pretty girl!! Congrats on posting your first pic!

Finding ligs is hard to describe, even harder for a new "expectant" goat owner.
When they are ready to deliver..there is no mistaking the "ligs gone"...the whole area around the tail is very soft and mushy.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

back view. She did not want to stay still for her pictures.


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## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

From the pic she looks a little posty. Is she normaly straight legged in the rear legs or is this new? Maybe it's just the angle of the pic.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Here are the others. I can't ever get them all looking at the same time.

from left to right: Happy Cow (a goat the children thought looked like a cow because of her spots) and Lucy feeding in the white bucket. Milkshake profiling, Bullet is the big girl in the front and then there is our newest little man that we traded for our last breeder buck.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

looks like yoru doe may have dropped some -- that means she is getting closer but could still be a week out or longer -- just depends on the doe.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

I couldn't find any older photos of Milkshake of her back legs. I am not sure if her legs are always that way or not (posty). Does her legs have something to do with the labor? Just wondering.

I know that there is a very very faint ligaments on Milkshake but Bullet still has very distinctive ligaments as I can really feel them.

Here is a picture of my two oldest mommas that are the closest to delivery.

Milkshake the brown one and Bullet is the white one.

Gosh...I am getting so excited and nervous. Come on healty kids!!!!! We have been so patiently waiting your arrival.


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## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Can she lift her tail up over her back, pic shows it going off to the side where the other doe is up. Sign of ligs gone. The posty leg thing is supposed to be a sign of the baby getting in the birth canal I think. Keep and eye on her. Good luck


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

I think that she can still lift her tail above her back. Well when I went to check on her this morning before leaving for work she was laying down with Bullet. There was nothing out of the ordinary so I proceeded to come to work. I did not want to bother them as they looked as though they were very comfortable as could be for being as pregnant as they are. So this morning I had no clue if she was able to lift it above her back.

Is that a sign of close labor?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

With some does it is, when the ligs are gone, the entire tail head area is mush...not being able to lift the tail means that those muscles are relaxed to the point of being of no use....IDK, when mine are ready to go, ligs are gone and they bring the tail over the back when contracting and pushing.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Okay check them this morning before leaving for work and all are still so very pregnant. Poor Bullet seems to moan quite a bit and chews all the time. Don't know what she is chewing or if it just keeps her mind off of being so miserabley big. I wonder if she is going to have twins as she is just so much more bigger than Milkshake.

Last night I checked them and actually saw one of my boer goats teats has started to fill and are getting shiny. Did I read that boers goats usually fill close to kidding?

OMG...I am so exhausted just thinking about all the kids that are to come and take care of along with working full time. I just can't wait till this is done with all of them so I can get a good night sleep.

Even though my Billy Joe (fiance) takes care of them most of the time he asks for my assistance when it comes to the kidding. I don't mind. They are part of our family. Just think my old billy breeder cursed me with all being so pregnant at the same time. I had a bad experience with him trapping me in the pen and wished to get rid of him long before we did. I figure he was getting me back for wanting him gone after that. Boy and that was weird and did not know billy breeders were mean (guess that is still the newbie in me). I use to go in and out of the pen all the time and he never bothered me till once this summer. Then he let me know he was in charge and in a very mean way. He was a very good loving goat at one time. Guess we gave him a few more girls and it changed him. Anyhow, now I know what happens to male breeder animals and will be more cautious in the future.

Just got a call from my Billy Joe and still no kids yet. He sent me a tail pic and am posting. Tails still high I guess. Did not get a chance to feel for the ligs this morning. They were all laying down together.

And yet another snow storm is predicted on Friday. I can't wait for spring already!


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Okay I have been very patient and nothing out of the ordinary or different. Couldn't tell what was going on with the ligs when I got home today. Milkshakes and Bullet still seem miserable. I will go back out before I go to bed and check on them.

Our brown boer goats teets are filling. This is one of our skidish goats and I just happen to see her kneel and lay down and noticed how big they have gotten compared to the other day just starting to see them. I don't know much about her as she has been here less than a year and still is skidish. I hope soon I can work on making her a little more tame.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Still nothing out of the ordinary today. Just the brown boer is getting more skiddish.

I hope that they wait till the bitter cold leaves the area to have the kids. Suppose to be in the teens tonight and all weekend. Yuck!!!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

There is no mistaking a doe in labor. You know your girls, watch for any of them to want to be by herself or even refusing her hay or grain.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Thanks for replying Liz. I am a little worried about my brown boer as she is becoming more skiddish everyday. And the fact that her teats are filling and are starting to look full and shiny. I was really worried about Milkshake as she looks as though she dropped last week. But now I am worried about our brown boer as this is her first pregnancy and don't know what to expect from her. Do you have any ideas how to get her less skiddish at this time? Or is that a lost cause. I just don't want to stress her out.

Something to laugh at: Thought I heard something growling the other night on the other side of the pen (have seen foxes in the fields near us). But went out a couple more times to check on them and they were fine. But last night I accidently went into the pen without a flashlight and when I was at the door to the hut to check on the goats the dang goose that thinks she is a goat snuck up behind me and bit the heck out of my butt. She bit me so hard I had an immediate bruise. Talk about goat protection. I wasn't laughing last night but looking back on it I could just laugh my butt off. I think she may have thought I was going to hurt her buddies. At this point I do not fear a fox coming into the pen as I believe the dang goose will take care of it. We have live traps set out and around the pen just in case though. But they are sly and have yet to catch one. Our neighbors say when they ride by they see a fox coming from our yard.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

With any skittish animal it takes time and patience, at this point in her pregnancy, a little bribery goes a long way! Take them treats of cereal, granola, raisins etc and see just how jumpy they are when they realize you have food. It may take some time but I'm betting that your does will want to be near you if they know you are bringing goodies.

LOL...When I was young, my mom had geese,,, Ida and Andy...Andy was the meanest bird ever! No one was allowed to enter the goat barn if Ida was in there and if you tried you ended up wth a nasty bruise from him grabbing skin and twisting! I've felt quite a few "goose bites" in the shorts! Not fun.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

I am thinking that Milkshake is going to kid today hopefully. She has been in and out of the hut. I have not been able to locate the ligs. I watched her stretch a little while ago and it looked like her thing looked like it was open and when it closed it looked a bit stretched and wrinkled. She looked totally different today. When she came out of the hut this morning I thought she may have had the kid as her sides had really gone down and she was so much narrower than yesterday. Just no liquid yet. When should I expect liquid? Could it wait till the time the kid is being born?

I found an old sweat shirt and cut the sleeves out of them. Will wait to cut the leg wholes they they are born.

Bullet looked different today like she is starting to drop like Milkshake started a week or so ago.

Last time these girls gave birth they were a week apart from each other.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

I have some pitures to post.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Some does don't have any discharge until the moment they are ready to start pushing...If she looks different to you, then it's just a matter of time, some does will also look "dropped" a week or 2 before they kid..others it's only days.


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## farmgirl42 (Jan 3, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

It sounds like your girls are going to keep you guessing right up until they kid! They can really be onery that way. LOL Good luck!


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Hope this posts


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure*



meinmdusa said:


> Hope this posts


Are you wanting to post a pic?


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Well still no babies this morning. Going to try and post those pictures again. Hope it works this time. Only have a few pictures from yesterday though.

This morning though Milkshake did not have a flabby vulva like yesterday. Today it was back to norm.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

I am not sure how many times I have tried to post pictures and did it before without a problem. Guess since I am nervous about the birthing I am not doing something correct. I will try this again.

Still no kids yet!!!!!! And Milkshakes flabby vulva is back to unflabby again this morning. How did that happen. I am pretty sure that I saw a contraction yesterday and the vulva was opened and it had me so nervous. Now nothing.

My girls are driving me crazy.

Going to post now. Think picture is finally attached.

Someone show me how todo the emotion icons. I need a driven crazy one right now!!!


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## jay13 (Apr 12, 2009)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

the emotion icons are along the left side of the screen when you do a "post reply" you just click the one you want to add to your post  I sympathize with you not knowing when they are going to go. My girl Milly I had in with the buck for 4 weeks so not /sure/ when she is going to go, only thing either of us can do at this point is wait and watch.  Good LUCK! It sounds like she is following the Doe's Code of Honor to the 't' .


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Knowing Milkshake is so close makes it hard to not think about her here at work.

Do you think that she may have had false labor yesterday? :?


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## jay13 (Apr 12, 2009)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

I understand completely! but remember that even humans have practice contractions and false labor quite a while before we are ready for "the big show." I hope she waits until you can be there for her.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Milkshake looks like any doe that is "close" but "not quite there".....to me, I think her udder will fill more when she's ready to go...that's going by what she looks like now. You will know when it's time, there is no mistaking it, if there is anything at all going on with her that makes you second guess yourself or just an odd gut feeling, then you'll know for sure.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Thanks for your replies. :thankU:

Guess I am just soooooo nervous. :shrug:

If she can last till later this week when it isn't so cold it would be better. I have most everything for the kidding kit ready, even a few old sweat shirt sleeves for this really cold weather. We are just a waiting to see our new additions.

I don't have any breed dates as they were all kept together. But I predict that Milkshake is going to go first. I am thinking that Lucy our little brown boer will go second and then Bullet (who is so misserable I don't know but think she has twins, but if has one will still be wonderful) and then last our little black boer, Happy Cow.

Liz - I think if I wasn't so nervous I could have posted those pics yesterday. I think I tried 10 times and nothing. If you could have told me that yesterday I wouldn't have been so nervous yesterday. I am going to try and calm my nerves and not be so anxious, but I don't know if I can help it. We have only been successful with one kid so far (last year) and he was just adorable. I can't wait to see little ones again. This time we hope they all live.

Guess my girls are going to keep me guessing!!!! :?


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## jay13 (Apr 12, 2009)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

the easiest way of posting pics IMHO is to load them onto a photobucket account and then use the IMG tag with the link here  [ IMG] [/ IMG] without the spaces in the brackets.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Still nothing. 



farmgirl42 said:


> It sounds like your girls are going to keep you guessing right up until they kid! They can really be onery that way. LOL Good luck!


Getting ready to head home to check on my girls that are being onery and not kidding for me. Watch something happen in the middle of the snow storm this evening. Suppose to get 3-6" tonight. Yuck. I am so tired of snow already.

Did I mention that I have never witnessed a birth in person? I am guessing that is why I am so nervous and excited. The only birth I witnessed was my own daughter and I didn't get to see that.

Thanks to everyone for being patient with me. I sure hope that I get to experience one of my goats kidding as I missed both last year.

Will try and get a picture if it is not too cold later.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

I sat here and typed a bunch and then did not realize I was not logged in.

Milkshake 1-26-11

Left Teat fuller than Right

Vulva longer and swollen and flabbier than usual.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Can anyone please give a very new goat raiser their professional opinion when I should be looking for signs when I should checking on her more closer to her kidding?


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## newmama30+ (Oct 4, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

keep an eye on her my Angel was like that yesterday and today, no other signs really and I have Trips now...Good LUCK


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## minibarn (Jul 20, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

i'm still learning too but i'd be watching her closely. i have four pygmies due anytime too so i'm doing barn checks every few hours if possible. once the udder looks tight (doesn't swing as freely with walking) with teats pointing sideways toward back legs i expect babies within hours. mamma gets very restless, agitated, maybe noisy and may start limping when she gets posty back legs. those are the signs i've learned to look for. i'm waiting with you! :hi5:


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Again I have typed a bunch and it went by by.

Milk shake has a very faint hint of red discharge (and I mean very faint). See posted pic. Also really faint lig. Like rubber bandS that almost don't have any spring to it.

Bullet I think has lost her plug and seems to be a week to two weeks behind Milkshake from her symptoms. Will attach pic.

I have no clue about Lucy (one of our skiddish boer goats) as she wont' let me touch her at all. Will attach pic.

Happy Cow is not as pregnant as the first three I have written about.

Milkshake and Bullet have been acting like they have been limping for a coulple of weeks. Bullet moans constantly. I don't remember these two this big the first time they kidded (which we missed last time). Maybe more than one in there this time? But one would be fine as long as they are healthy and alive. ray:

Can someone please assist me with figuring out how close they are to kidding?

EVERYONES ADVISE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED FOR THIS NEWBIE TO GOATS. :help:


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## jay13 (Apr 12, 2009)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Not an expert, but my experience and what I have read here is as follows : 
as far as signs that the doe is about to kid, there are very few that are dependable.
Most dependable seems to be to check her ligaments near the tail head (sticky post in kidding koral)
when/if her udder gets so full it becomes "shiny" 
and when she gets a "posty" look to her back legs (again sticky in kidding koral)

Hope that helps and Good Luck


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

:kidblue: 
One beautiful baby boy!!!!
:stars:

Checked on her at 5:30 am and nothing but her teats looked really full.

Then checked again around 7 am before leaving for work and he was already born and the afterbirth was still present.

Milkshake is going well at taking care of him. He is finding her teat very well.

Added another heat lamp to the hut to help keep him warm. Also put sweatshirt sleeve on him. He is so adorable.

 :leap: :stars: :wahoo: :dance:


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## jay13 (Apr 12, 2009)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure*

Congrats! they are such a cute pair! Glad everything went easy and well for you 
ETA: you might want to cut out part of the sweat shirt sleeve under his belly since he is a boy so that it doesn't get soaked every time he pees.


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## minibarn (Jul 20, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

wow! congrats! so happy for you all went well! :leap:


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Oh my. I though of that yesterday but forgot today. I will do as soon as I get home. I have another sleeve to replace it with if it did get wet. Thanks. I was soo nervous and forgot about cutting the tummy part too.

I finally got to work but will be leaving early to go make sure someone is there for them just in case something happens. My Billy Joe is watching over them right now, but he has to leave early to pick his girls up at school and then take them to church. Thank goodness work is okay with me leaving early too.

He had not stood up before I left and the little white stuff was still on his hooves. I thought I read that they come off shortly after birth? Will they come off on their own?

I think Milkshake is tickled. She helped lick him clean and is bonding well.


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## jodief100 (Jan 15, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

If the mamma's were limping before kidding it could be a sign of toxemia. Make sure they are getting plenty of good feed in addition to the hay and lots of calcium. I recomend alfalfa pellets mixed with a goat specfic grain, 1 lb per day per goat. A dose of CMPK is also recomended.

Watch closly for any signs of limping, once it hits full force it is difficult to stop. Prevention is the best way to go.

Congratulations, he is cute!


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## farmgirl42 (Jan 3, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Congratulations on your handsome little boy!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Congratulations!!!!! Now that you noticed that change with Milkshake's udder and teats, you'll know when the others are close! Hope you get to see the next ones arrive!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Awww Congrats!! He's adorable!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Really cute!! Congrats!!


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Thanks all!

When will he stand on his own?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

He should have been standing or trying to stand within an hour of birth....has he eaten? He will need to stand to find the teat.


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Oh my he has not stood yet. I have been making sure he eats good every 4 hours. Been trying to make him exercise by trying to get him to raise himself on his back legs.

Is something wrong with the new kid?


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Sorry these pictures took so long to post.

2/4/11 around 5 am Bullet gave birth to twins.

So sad to say that one boy was unresponsive. I think he had too much mucas in his lungs and she apparently had them in a cold spot. I guess I missed all the signs of a close labor. I totally missed the birth again.

One has survived and is a very strong little boy :kidblue: 
He was up and walking around in not time from being born.

Will post pictures.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Aww...congrats... so cute... :thumb:

Sorry about... the loss of the other baby...  :hug:


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## meinmdusa (Jan 12, 2011)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Here is another picture of the little boy. :leap:


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## minibarn (Jul 20, 2010)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

congrats! he is so sweet! sorry you lost one. some does are just harder to tell labor signs. enjoy the little one!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: have 4 expecting does don't know due date - help figure *

Congratulations on a healthy :kidblue: He looks very strong and sooooo cute with those droopy ears  
Sorry his brother didn't make it :hug:


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