# What do you think? Pregnant or not?



## Ariel301 (Oct 6, 2010)

I got this little doeling a few months ago, I think in July. She was exposed to all sorts of bucks where I got her from. I didn't think she was pregnant at that time, but now she seems to be getting a little rounder, a lot lazier, and I can definitely see her teats sticking through the hair a lot further. She has not been purposefully exposed to a buck here, but she had a really bad habit of getting loose and flirting along the fence of the buck pen, and I haven't seen her do it in a couple of months now, so she may have been bred through the fence. I'm not too worried about it, she's nice and mature for her size. I don't know how old she is for sure, I think maybe 8-10 months? (If anyone has a good guess from the picture of her whole body, let me know!) Her mom was a Nubian mix, and I think this girl, "Lacey" is half Nigerian because she's so little, maybe 50 pounds or so. What do you think? She doesn't seem to look as fat in photos, normally they say the camera adds ten pounds, but I think for her it takes away! In person she looks like a little round barrel.


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## ChksontheRun (Oct 7, 2010)

I am brand new to goats, so really cant give you any answers, but she looks just like my mini nubian (75% nigerian dwarf) who is now 10 months old.  She too was run with bucks till we got her, and in the 2 mos we have had her, has shown no interest in our buck.  I too am wondering if we have babies on the way.  Our vet said she would probably be ok as the buck she was running with was also her size, and she is fairly mature.  He said to look for mammary enlargement, and it would be about a month after that that she kids if she is preggo.  So far, no mammary enlargement.  I don't see any on your little doe either.    I guess we are both in wait and see mode.........


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## glenolam (Oct 7, 2010)

Her coloring looks as though she might have Oberhasli in her...or possibly Alpine - either way she is very cute!

But only 50# eh?  I have two 1/2 nigerian, 1/4 alpine, 1/4 nubian doelings that are 6 month old and they each weigh 68#.


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## Hollywood Goats (Oct 7, 2010)

I have no experience with pregnant goats, but she doesn't look like my open does, she looks more triangular shaped and poochy.


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## Ariel301 (Oct 7, 2010)

Hollywood Goats said:
			
		

> I have no experience with pregnant goats, but she doesn't look like my open does, she looks more triangular shaped and poochy.


She does to me too. I'm pretty good at pooch-testing on older does, but first fresheners are hard for me to figure out. 

I think she does have Alpine in her, her mom was supposed to be a Nubian but her ears said she was not pure, they were sort of half floppy, half standing out...my best guess was Nubian-Alpine. So that makes Lacey a mini-Nupine I guess. She is on the smaller side, but her mom was pretty small too, maybe 100 pounds. The buck that most likely bred her is a small Alpine buck, so at least it's sort of in the same breed, though I was not wanting to breed that particular buck ever again as he is very, very aggressive and unpredictable. I had a nice solid black, blue-eyed Nigerian lined up for Lacey...oh well I guess. We'll wait and see.


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## TheSheepGirl (Oct 7, 2010)

Most of the time goats will have a bit of a belly. This just means she's being fed well.

It's hard to tell from the picture you posted, but her vulva doesn't look red or swollen at all, so you've got a little while. 

Once you realize that it is swelling watch her behavior. A swollen and dripping vulva can be a sign that your girl is in heat. She will also start to flag her tail, lisft it and wave it back and forth, and be a bit more vocal, sometimes a lot.

If her vulva starts to swell and she is not showing any signs of heat then she may be pregnant. 

Also another trick I've learned is to measure her belly. Take a measuring tape or a peice of string and wrap it around the center of her belly. Don't forget to mark what the length was. Measure again every week or two for a couple of weeks. If she has grown more than an inch or two then chances are she is bred.

As for mammary enlargement or bagging up. I have had goats bag up anywhere from a month to even a day before they kidded. When you see signs of milk production check your doe carefully every day and night for signs she is kidding or getting really close. 

When a doe is getting close she may run off to a secluded part of the pasture away from other goats. She may refuse her food or seem less excited about it.

When she is in labor she will be restless and pace back and forth or paw the ground. Her breathing will be heavy and she may be sweaty. As the labor progresses she will become more and more agitated and restless. You may see a small bubble or some water emerge from the vulva, this is just her water breaking, just like with people. As this bubble grows larger it should break. If you see feet when it breaks or shortly after then this was the amniotic sack that protects the baby. She may either be lying down or standing up at this point.

The front feet of the baby will emerge first and very shortly after the head will emerges with them. As the baby emerges further the doe will lay on her side and strain. As the uterus contracts it will force the baby farther and farther out of the birthing canal. The hind feet and tail will emerge a short time after the head and the baby will have emerged completely. It can take a very long time for the baby to fully emerge once the front feet and head are present. The placenta will emerge a few hours later and should be disposed of properly

Once the baby is there the doe will lick and clean him and may talk softly to him. If you are there and feel the need to help, it is always best to wipe the baby's nose with a soft clean towel to clear away any fluid and to dip the end of the navel in an iodine solution. After this the mother will do the rest. It is important to let the mother do as much of the work as possible and not to interfere unless it is needed.

A birthing kit should include:

clean, dry towels

iodine solution and a dipping cup

a heat lamp in extreme weather conditions, like snow

an emergency feeding tube and large suringe, only in extreme emergencies.

also a bottle and some milk replacer and colostrum, if you are raising a bottle baby or if there is a problem, which there won't be I'm sure.



The list I have included is small, because in a normal birthing situation this should be all that is needed. Other lists may be as many as thirty items long.

I hope that this helped you out a bit. Sorry it was so long, but it always helps to know a bit about birthing before it actually happens. 

Good luck your girls. I hope you get some real cuties.


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## cmjust0 (Oct 7, 2010)

Can we make a goat butt thread or something?  Then if someone needs to post a GIGANTIC PICTURE of a goatass, it can just go in that thread and I'll know to avoid it.

I can just see it one day......

Coworker:  "Hey, can you double check th...uh...what are you looking at, dude?"
Me:  "NOTHING."  {clickclickclickclickclick}


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## warthog (Oct 7, 2010)




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## SDGsoap&dairy (Oct 7, 2010)




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## Ariel301 (Oct 7, 2010)

SheepGirl--thanks for posting the information. It's not my first kidding season, though.  

I'd guess she's right about 2 months along, if she's pregnant. She is most definitely getting rounder than before, her sides stick out pretty far when viewed from the front, even when she hasn't eaten in a while.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Oct 7, 2010)

Here's another one for you folks!  Think she's bred?


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## TheSheepGirl (Oct 8, 2010)

Looks kinda oozy, like she's in heat. Is she flagging?


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## TheSheepGirl (Oct 8, 2010)

> Then if someone needs to post a GIGANTIC PICTURE of a goatass, it can just go in that thread and I'll know to avoid it.


A Gigantic Picture of a little goatass


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## Hollywood Goats (Oct 8, 2010)

TheSheepGirl said:
			
		

> > Then if someone needs to post a GIGANTIC PICTURE of a goatass, it can just go in that thread and I'll know to avoid it.
> 
> 
> A Gigantic Picture of a little goatass
> ...


 very funny and cute.


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## cmjust0 (Oct 8, 2010)

I am SO sorry...but really, this had to be done.  I don't feel like I had a choice.


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## TheSheepGirl (Oct 8, 2010)

gigglelgiggle

Finally someone as bored and immature as me.

I'd mabe kiss the photo, but not the goat LOL


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Oct 8, 2010)

Not sure what to say about that...

And sheepgirl, not oozy- she just peed.  That donkey's head is enormous!  What size donkey is he; small standard?


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## TheSheepGirl (Oct 8, 2010)

Just trying to be helpful, thought you were an innocent bistander getting caught up in the crazy.

Don't know, found the picture on the interweb when the idea for a goatass hit me.


Man, I bet she's hating you right now for posting her picture an her, mabey it's a picture of her better half.


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## cmjust0 (Oct 8, 2010)

TheSheepGirl said:
			
		

> Man, I bet she's hating you right now for posting her picture an her, mabey it's a picture of her better half.


SNAP.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Oct 8, 2010)

You tell me...!


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## TheSheepGirl (Oct 8, 2010)

That is a pretty cute face, but I think the other end would give you less lip and more milk. LOL

She's sticking her tounge out at us. Mabey she's caught on to the conversation.


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## Lil_Miss_Farmer_Chick (Oct 9, 2010)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> Can we make a goat butt thread or something?  Then if someone needs to post a GIGANTIC PICTURE of a goatass, it can just go in that thread and I'll know to avoid it.
> 
> I can just see it one day......
> 
> ...


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## Ariel301 (Oct 9, 2010)

TheSheepGirl said:
			
		

> That is a pretty cute face, but I think the other end would give you less lip and more milk. LOL
> 
> She's sticking her tounge out at us. Mabey she's caught on to the conversation.


Less lip maybe, but more kick! She's going to be a challenge on the milkstand, I just started working with her on the stand, and found she inherited her mom's favorite behavior...kicking out hard with both hind feet like an angry mule when I touch her anywhere near the udder! And for a goat up to her shoulders in a bucket of feed, she's got good aim too.


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## rebelINny (Oct 11, 2010)

You need to get a hobble for the kicking! Cured my goat that kicked constantly and her doe kid when she started milking this year. They are awesome. You can get one for about 15 dollars from www.hoeggergoatsupply.com. I don't even have to use it on either of the two kickers now cause he cured them from it


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## Ariel301 (Oct 12, 2010)

rebelINny said:
			
		

> You need to get a hobble for the kicking! Cured my goat that kicked constantly and her doe kid when she started milking this year. They are awesome. You can get one for about 15 dollars from www.hoeggergoatsupply.com. I don't even have to use it on either of the two kickers now cause he cured them from it


I've got one.  It doesn't work all that great on a goat that kicks upward and out with both feet though, especially one that is perfectly willing to fall over or throw herself off the stand in the process.  She'll come around with some work though.


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## helmstead (Oct 13, 2010)

I suddenly feel VERY SORRY for my Shug!  CM!  She would head butt you for SURE if she saw that doctored photo!

I had already felt a wee sorry for her having the pooch photos posted, being a modest girl like she is...but that - that was just over the top!



Nicki, for all that, you should have black boxed her eyes so no one could have ID'd her...

Got a good few giggles off this thread!  Thanks y'all!


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Oct 13, 2010)

Don't worry Kate, I blocked this site with the parental filter so that she won't see it when she checks her email.   Yeah, Shug doesn't take any you-know-what off anyone so it's really for CM's protection that I set the filter.


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## cmjust0 (Oct 13, 2010)




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