# She's getting close, I think. Whatcha think?



## greenfamilyfarms (Jan 7, 2010)

I think my Boer doe (goat) is in labor. She has been nuzzling her sides this afternoon and I saw her paw the ground when I went out to give them some hay. She ate, but she was very slow at it. She's normally a vigorous eater and wastes no time gulping it down. There's no mucus showing, but her pooch is pink and swollen (has been for about 2 weeks). I never saw the Buck breed her, but I estimated her due date based on their behavior as Jan. 15. That's next week.... pretty close. It's supposed to snow tonight! Ugh!

Am I just imagining things, or do you think she's in labor?  :barni


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## aggieterpkatie (Jan 7, 2010)

greenfamilyfarms said:
			
		

> I think my Boer doe (goat) is in labor. She has been nuzzling her sides this afternoon and I saw her paw the ground when I went out to give them some hay. She ate, but she was very slow at it. She's normally a vigorous eater and wastes no time gulping it down. There's no mucus showing, but her pooch is pink and swollen (has been for about 2 weeks). I never saw the Buck breed her, but I estimated her due date based on their behavior as Jan. 15. That's next week.... pretty close. It's supposed to snow tonight! Ugh!
> 
> Am I just imagining things, or do you think she's in labor?


Sounds like she may be. Keep a close eye on her!

And I have a friend in Elizabethtown!


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## freemotion (Jan 7, 2010)

Are her ligaments soft?


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## greenfamilyfarms (Jan 8, 2010)

freemotion said:
			
		

> Are her ligaments soft?


They are different each time I check her. Sometimes I can feel them, sometimes they are harder to feel. 

It looks like she was just pulling my leg. It shouldn't be much longer!


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## Roll farms (Jan 8, 2010)

> It shouldn't be much longer!


Said with such optimism....She's listening you know...now it'll be March.

(Just kidding...and hoping she goes soon for you...)


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## greenfamilyfarms (Jan 9, 2010)

Probably! She the most tricky to figure out. I hope I don't miss it.


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## Goat of Many Colors (Jan 9, 2010)

Good Luck... My doe drove me nuts for 9 days before she kidded.  My DH thought he saw some mucus in the back so we moved her into the kidding stall.  After 8 days of pawing the ground and nadda I finally got her locked into the milk stand to check her tail ligaments.  I did not feel any and the whole area felt like jello.  26 hours later she finally kidded.  Never had any ropey gooey mess.  The only signs before she started straining was her baby talking to her sides.  She normally is not verbal at all but sometimes grunts like a pig!


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## greenfamilyfarms (Jan 15, 2010)

Update: Today is her unofficial due date. She has been showing some  clingy yellowish mucus (but not strings). Her sides are also starting to hollow out and the kids have moved. She's not as wide as she was before, but her belly is closer to the ground. So, let's take a guess... how much longer do you think she has to go? 












(As a side note, no, we don't shave their udders since we don't milk them.)


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## cmjust0 (Jan 15, 2010)

My very first impression is...not long.  

But then I do what I always do when I'm trying to estimate things like this and go "Well, but..I dunno...maybe she's just not filled up on hay yet, or ....."


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## Roll farms (Jan 15, 2010)

I'd guess pretty soon (12/48 hrs) on your girl butttttt....
Don't ask me, I've announced twice today w/ authority that Hillary was in labor and....still nuttin'.  Now Hillary is eating dinner like normal.
Apparently, they'll go when they're good and ready and not a minute before...no matter what we want.
Ingrateful heifers, the lot of them.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jan 15, 2010)

She doesn't look very bagged up. :/  Maybe she's waiting until the last minute?


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## greenfamilyfarms (Jan 16, 2010)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> She doesn't look very bagged up. :/  Maybe she's waiting until the last minute?


That's what she done last year. She's one of "those" that don't give many signs and let on she's about to kid.


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## dkluzier (Jan 16, 2010)

Waiting for kids is sooo exciting.  Can't wait for the pics when they arrive. 
Our first of the year are due Jan. 23rd and the mamas udders are much more developed than your girl's already.


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## greenfamilyfarms (Jan 18, 2010)

She's making me a nervous wreak!!! No kids yet. 

_ETA: Because I've lost my ability to spell correctly, also._


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## Bring (Jan 22, 2010)

Goats will nudge their sides and "talk" the baby (s).  It's cute.  My pygmy let me know she was in labor by keeping her tail up in the air.  Her tendons disapeared about 8 hrs before kidding.  We had snow for two days and she stayed in her house a lot.  The day she kidded it was sunny and she wasn't outside her house, which was odd.  I went and checked and there was a tiny little doeling in the house with her.  My goat kidded all by herself and quietly. Her first kid too.  SHe only had the one.


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## dkluzier (Jan 22, 2010)

my Babs kidded yesterday and she took 3 hours to paw the straw and make a nest before she finally laid down and pushed.  Her tail was also held up all morning which was different for her.


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## Roll farms (Jan 22, 2010)

Our girl Hillary is making me NUTS, she's been tail up, leaky twee, pawing, big udder, etc. for DAYS...and still...nothing.  She's ok...she just loves to drag it out.  I had her down as due on the 12th...I think I was a little off, eh?

*bangs head on computer desk*


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## greenfamilyfarms (Jan 23, 2010)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> Our girl Hillary is making me NUTS, she's been tail up, leaky twee, pawing, big udder, etc. for DAYS...and still...nothing.  She's ok...she just loves to drag it out.  I had her down as due on the 12th...I think I was a little off, eh?
> 
> *bangs head on computer desk*


I feel your pain. Her due date was Jan 15th. Obviously, that was off since that's been 8 days ago. I'm hoping that she'll at least give me some doelings... or at least one. Gah. I'm going to go crazy.


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## dkluzier (Jan 23, 2010)

> Roll farms wrote:
> Our girl Hillary is making me NUTS, she's been tail up, leaky twee, pawing, big udder, etc. for DAYS...and still...nothing.  She's ok...she just loves to drag it out.  I had her down as due on the 12th...I think I was a little off, eh?
> 
> *bangs head on computer desk*


Bab's did the same things and her firstborn presented herself one leg back.  The bubble appeared empty for some time before the first leg and nose appeared, so I would guess that the baby had a hard time getting into the birth canal in that position.  Didn't have time to reposition her before Babs had her out past the neck so she delivered with the one leg completely straight back. OUCH!  

The baby had meconium (first poops) big time in the amniotic sac when born and was completely stained with it so I believe Babs was in labor a lot longer than I had thought before delivering. Baby shows no ill-affects and doesn't appear to have breathed any fluid in.


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