# body changes?



## Suburbanfarmer (Oct 9, 2012)

How soon do you notice changes in your doe's body after breeding? I know her udder won't start to fill until just before kidding, but when does the belly start to change?

Both my husband and I have noticed some changes in our does.  If they took my does would only be 3 weeks pregnant. I say they are just putting on winter weight, or we are deluding ourselves and seeing something that isn't there.  They are both small ND though. 

What do you think?
-K


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## Mf628 (Oct 10, 2012)

Personally, I never use "Body changes" to determine if a doe is pregnant. I've had some look like they were pregnant with triplets, and never actually be pregnant. I've also had some that were as slim as plywood (Very picky eaters) and give birth suddenly. Getting within a month you can see the udder beginning to fill. A few weeks before the tail head will also begin to rise. Or if you stare at it long enough you'll eventually convince yourself something is happening  .


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## SheepGirl (Oct 10, 2012)

Up until the 3rd/4th month of pregnancy, there is very little growth going on so any changes in the female will be very slight/non-existant. The last month or two is the most growth and you will see the female's body expand a LOT!


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## Suburbanfarmer (Oct 10, 2012)

I knew it! We are delusional. Not a surprise there.


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## Bedste (Oct 10, 2012)

I remember last time I wondered if she was even pregnant at all most of the time until her UDDER filled and she popped out quads


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## 20kidsonhill (Oct 11, 2012)

Around 8 weeks in when I start noticing some of them, looking fuller in the belly, and passing the pooch test. Occasionlly I can tell by around 6 weeks. It can depend on if they are carrying a single or triplets. Obviously a doe carrying triplets will possiblyl start to get bigger sooner than a doe with a single. I start noticing udder changes at around 3 months pregnant.  

My experience is that you may notice very obvious changes by 8 and 10 weeks of pregnancy, but if you don't that doesn't mean they aren't pregnant. But I don't think I have ever had a doe go past 3 1/2 months pregnant and not beable to tell. 

I did have a young first time doe this year that was very hard to tell if she was pregnant until she was quite far along, and then even harder to do when she was actually going to kid. This doe was only carrying a single. She had the kid out in the field and even though I was keeping a close eye on her I would have never guessed she was getting ready to kid. In fact I was beginning to think that I must have left her in with a buck longer than I had realized and she wasn't due for another 21 days.  On the other hand another doe that was with her and the exact same age, looked obvoiusly pregnant since she was around 8 weeks bred.  Swollen vulva for a long time, round belly for the past couple of months and good sized udder going. This doe showed all the obvious signs of getting ready to kid and she had twins.  

My does are at 9 weeks and 6 weeks pregnant, and almost all the 9 week pregnant does are passing the pooch test, I even noticed one that is getting a little puffy udder, and some are getting bellies, but not all of them. And one of the 5 week pregnant does already has a belly started, which I though was odd to notice. I noticed it from a distance. This is normally a very slender doe and just 3 years old. I am thinking there are possibly 3 in there. But time will tell. 

Good luck with yours. 
Hope that babbling helped.


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## Suburbanfarmer (Oct 11, 2012)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> Around 8 weeks in when I start noticing some of them, looking fuller in the belly, and passing the pooch test. Occasionlly I can tell by around 6 weeks. It can depend on if they are carrying a single or triplets. Obviously a doe carrying triplets will possiblyl start to get bigger sooner than a doe with a single. I start noticing udder changes at around 3 months pregnant.
> 
> My experience is that you may notice very obvious changes by 8 and 10 weeks of pregnancy, but if you don't that doesn't mean they aren't pregnant. But I don't think I have ever had a doe go past 3 1/2 months pregnant and not beable to tell.
> 
> ...


Thanks!

Another question, what is the pooch test? I'm new to goats. We got a pregnant doe last spring, but she kidded the week after we got her, so I wasn't in on the beginning stages. 
-K


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## Bedste (Oct 11, 2012)

YES what is the POOCH test


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## 2goats8kids (Oct 11, 2012)

Bedste said:
			
		

> YES what is the POOCH test


Here's a place to read about it: http://www.happytailzfarm.com/pooch_test_2.htm , and then search this board for examples. It's a way to guess if they're pregnant by looking at their back end


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## 20kidsonhill (Oct 12, 2012)

As the doe becomes further along in her pregnancy the girly parts(vulva) and skin around the girly parts and anus begin to fill in/smooth out.  The wrinkle that is normally between the anus and the vulva will go away first, the vulva will look a longer and get puffier and as she progresses in her pregnancy this entire area will just start to look looser and puffier.  Some does are way more obvious that others. I have had does that I could tell at 4 to 6 weeks and was positive they were pregnant and others that kept me guessing for quite a while.  I have notice my nubian Boer crosses are more obvious than my fullblood Boer does.  There is really no trick to it, other than you have to be familiar with what most none pregnant does would look like.   There are lots of examples on this forum.  People showing the does personal parts to get people to help guess.  I really should try to do a photo series of a couple of ours.


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## DonnaBelle (Oct 12, 2012)

Please don't let the neighbors see you standing around staring at goat butts.

People have been arrested for less....

DonnaBelle


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## marlowmanor (Oct 12, 2012)

DonnaBelle said:
			
		

> Please don't let the neighbors see you standing around staring at goat butts.
> 
> People have been arrested for less....
> 
> DonnaBelle




When I was telling my DH about the pooch test he just rolled his eyes at me!


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## 20kidsonhill (Oct 12, 2012)




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