# Do goats always “look pregnant”



## AFewGoatsForMe (Mar 6, 2018)

We have a Nubian that is supposed to be due next month, April 5th. The man said she had been exposed twice and never came back into heat. She doesn’t look preganant though. She has a little shape but not like the other goats I see on here. This is my first time with a pregnant doe, so I have nothing to compare this with. She eats really well. Always free choice hay and loose mineral, she also gets alfalfa pellet.


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## luvmypets (Mar 6, 2018)

Pictures would be a good idea, we all love pics here. Take a picture from above her, also she might just be hiding the kids. I have a ewe who looked a bit chubby a month from her pregnancy, but by the time the lambs were born she was massive


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## Latestarter (Mar 6, 2018)

Some goats, (generally the large standard sized ones) can hide it well. Is she a first timer? She may be carrying as single and have enough space in her body cavity that the baby isn't bulging out.


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Mar 6, 2018)

This will be her second time kidding, her first time she had twins. I’ll take some pictures tomorrow.


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## Latestarter (Mar 6, 2018)

A pic looking straight down from above will be most telling.


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## Latestarter (Mar 6, 2018)

Here's Dot. This is her 2nd freshening. 1st year was a single doeling and she was barely this size at delivery. I'm anticipating twins this year.


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Mar 31, 2018)

Hello again. We’ve been busy so I haven’t really been on here much. My husband and I decided that the goat that this is originally about is not pregnant. She just isn’t showing any outward signs. I know that isn’t 100% proof of a non pregnancy, but I would think with her being “due” in less than a week she would’ve at least started filling her udder or something. 



BUT. We have another doe that I bought at the beginning of February, the lady assured me that this doe was not pregnant. But I’m thinking differently. Last night my husband commented, “wow her udder is big” it was late so I didn’t take a good look over of the doe but this morning I think she is pregnant and that she is VERY CLOSE to giving birth. I’m not an expert but she is showing all the signs I have been looking for in the other doe. 

Her udder is huge. Her hips are a lot more prominent, I dont think this is a feeding issue, they always have hay available. She had some discharge this morning too. There is also a big gap under her tail now, is that what y’all mean by loose tail ligs???

I’ll post some pics to get y’alls opinion. I’m so nervous because this would be my first pregnant doe and I have no due date! If any of you can give me a rough timeframe based on pics I would appreciate it!


These are pictures from this morning




 





 



This is a picture of her from when I brought her home in February. The darker doe is her daughter from last year. It’s the best side view I could find. There is no udder visible from behind her legs like in the previous picture. Her belly also look “high and tight” compared to now but I don’t know if that just from the picture angle or not.


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## luvmypets (Mar 31, 2018)

I say she is VERY pregnant. Good luck and keep us posted


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Mar 31, 2018)

Any chance you could give a rough time frame of when she might kid? Safe to say in the next week? I would like to put her in the kidding pen if she is close but I dont have a due date.

What are the odds. I buy a pregnant doe that isn’t pregnant, and a non pregnant doe that is pregnant.


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## Latestarter (Mar 31, 2018)

Oh yes... she's pregnant!  So looks like you're gonna have kids, one way or another. I'm not very experienced myself, but it's also hard to estimate a due date without a little more info... Is she a first freshener or has she had kids before? How old is she? I'm guessing there could be a single OR twins in there. If a FF, then it's anyone's guess as they could develop an udder (and have discharge) a month before kidding... or the day after  If she's had kids before, I'd say/guess she's within 2 weeks. 

The pic I shared of my Dot above, she did indeed deliver twin boys on March 24th, one week ago today.


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## babsbag (Mar 31, 2018)

Are you sure you didn't get your goats mixed up. ?


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Mar 31, 2018)

@Latestarter  this will be her second kidding. The darker doe in the last pic is one of her twins from last year

@babsbag 



I moved her into the kidding area just in case.


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Mar 31, 2018)

I felt and saw babies tonight! How exciting! I think she is close. Her tail is really loose.


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## Alaskan (Mar 31, 2018)

If you can get your fingers all of the way around the tail, then she should kid in the next day, or way sooner.

 good luck!


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 1, 2018)

Still no babies. Hopefully she doesn’t wait until tonight, it’s supposed to get really cold.


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## Alaskan (Apr 1, 2018)

AFewGoatsForMe said:


> Still no babies. Hopefully she doesn’t wait until tonight, it’s supposed to get really cold.


Whenever you DON'T want her to kid.... that is when she will go.


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 1, 2018)

@Alaskan

Seems like that’s how it’s gonna go. 6:30 and still no babies.


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 1, 2018)

I know the feeling...I keep screaming “doe code!”


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## Alaskan (Apr 1, 2018)

AFewGoatsForMe said:


> @Alaskan
> 
> Seems like that’s how it’s gonna go. 6:30 and still no babies.


sounds about right.


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 3, 2018)

Can someone explain ligaments a bit more to me? I thought that the tail only dropped like that if the ligaments were completely gone. Today I think I felt what would be the ligaments though. I’ve been trying to find them unsuccessfully for the last month with the other doe. Anyways. I think I felt them on this doe today. Thin and long, kinda like a pencil but rubbery and not all hard. 


So is it possible for her to still have her ligs even if I can get my fingers under her tail with ease?


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 3, 2018)

Yes it is possible for the ligs to still be present even if you can get your hand around their tail. Give me a sec and I’ll try to find you a pic...


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 3, 2018)

I stole this pic from google . I’ll try to get a pic on one of mine tonight. 



 
Anyway, this is the form that I use to check mine. I learned easiest by finding the ligs on a doe that I knew wasn’t bred. Then I started checking my bred does 1-2 times a day and was able to track changes as they progressed. 

You are right that you are feeling for a pencil-size in a doe that isn’t bred or is a long way from kidding. Each doe progresses differently from there. 

I have a doe now that has ligs that come and go and she could deliver any day.


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 7, 2018)

Still no babies. If I am feeling what are her ligaments they are still very much there. Rubbery and a bit mushy but still there. 


What age are Nubian does able to be bred? We bought this doe as a mom/daughter pair. I’m wondering, since mom is pregnant what are the odds that daughter is pregnant too?? She was last years spring baby, so she just turned one. Is that too young for her to possibly be bred?


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## Alaskan (Apr 7, 2018)

no... not too young


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 14, 2018)

Cinnamon’s ligaments are pretty much non existent. So excited to see what babies we get from her. Got the heat lamp set up since we are due for freezing temps tonight.


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 14, 2018)




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## Latestarter (Apr 14, 2018)

all goes well!


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 14, 2018)

Cinnamon had twins!


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## luvmypets (Apr 14, 2018)

AFewGoatsForMe said:


> Cinnamon had twins!


Yay! Congrats, so happy for you! Pics when you get the chance


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 14, 2018)

Waiting for pics like ! Lol


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 14, 2018)

1 buck, 1 doe. Cinnamon is a rockstar. She delivered both within a matter of minutes. By the time I realized she was pushing and got my supply basket with towels and whatnot she already had the first one out and the second one was on its way. The doeling is the one with the white on top of its head.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Apr 14, 2018)

Congrats!!


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## goats&moregoats (Apr 14, 2018)

Congrats!


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## Latestarter (Apr 14, 2018)

LOVE that last pic of Cinnamon! She seems to be screaming at you for some reason. Did notice something rather scary there... that lamp is WAY too low and a severe fire danger/threat where you've got it. Not to mention momma goat could easily get burned if she touches it. May be why she's screaming? You either need to build a cage or put fencing around it to prevent contact, or move it in to the top of a warming barrel where the kids can't jump up and smack it and mom can't get burned on it and it can't accidentally start a fire. The way you have it is dangerous on a number of levels.


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 14, 2018)

@Latestarter she was actually in the middle of a yawn. I did away with the standalone light already and made a warming barrel for the babies, I got the idea from h&r kidding thread. Thank you for the concern.


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## Latestarter (Apr 14, 2018)

<whew!> excellent!


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 14, 2018)

This doeling is so cute, her white ears and black stockings.


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 15, 2018)

How long should I keep a heat lamp available to the babies?


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 15, 2018)

Should I be concerned about Cinnamon having chunky poops?


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## Latestarter (Apr 15, 2018)

IMHO, you shouldn't need the heat lamp after about a week. Since the weather is getting warmer as well, that will help too. My kids all pile up and keep each other warm. I'd say not needed if night temps are 50 or higher at a young age and 40 or higher after the first 2-3 weeks.


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 15, 2018)

It’s supposed to blow snow here tonight. Our kids are 8 days old. We turned them back on. (Our kids are also between 2-3.5 pounds so they need to save their energy for growing instead of staying warm.) 

I’m a softie so Sparkle and CeCe will probably get their heat lamp turned back on too. They can then lay closer if cold or further if warm.


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## Alaskan (Apr 15, 2018)

I am so scared of fire. ... I provide a box and a heating blanket


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 16, 2018)

Thanks for all the help. Babies are doing well so far. They were very active today and are eating very well.


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 16, 2018)

You’ve got some POW (picture of the week) material there!


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## AFewGoatsForMe (Apr 24, 2018)

Sad day today, Blossom, Cinnamons doe from last year had a doeling. Her heart was beating when she was born, but the baby was extremely small, weak, and underdeveloped. Her eyes weren’t open and she wasnt moving at all. We don’t know if she was just born early or if she is just underdeveloped from Blossom being so young. What a sad day. 
Blossom really struggled while giving birth and was very sad when we took her baby away.


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 24, 2018)

Oh so sorry!!! Losses are never easy!


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## Latestarter (Apr 24, 2018)

That's so sad. I'm sorry.


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## goatboy1973 (Oct 21, 2018)

QUOTE="AFewGoatsForMe, post: 542600, member: 17257"]We have a Nubian that is supposed to be due next month, April 5th. The man said she had been exposed twice and never came back into heat. She doesn’t look preganant though. She has a little shape but not like the other goats I see on here. This is my first time with a pregnant doe, so I have nothing to compare this with. She eats really well. Always free choice hay and loose mineral, she also gets alfalfa pellet.[/QUOTE]

These 3 girls always look pregnant. 1st pic is a daughter 2nd pic is mama, and 3D pic is momma and her 2 adult twin does. They are 100% Spanish does (Morefield bloodline known for heavy cashmere production. These 3 always look pregnant.


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