First goat kidding, and hubby is out of town. What are the odds? 100%

[gingit]

My hubby is leaving town in a few days, and we have (at least) 4 pregnant goats. 2 seem to be almost there, especially one of them.
We brought them into the "maternity ward" and I am checking on them.
Can one of you - the experienced ones tell me if she looks like she'll kid within the next 2 weeks? Her belly was very wide, a few days ago it almost 'sunk" and she can barely walk.
It's the one on the left - facing the camera


And on the right with back to camera


Thanks everyone!

 

[Sunny & the 5 egg layers]

I am not experienced enough to make a guess, but I can say that she has quite the udder forming! That's a good sign!

Good Luck with her. Here's hoping for an easy and uneventful delivery!

 

[Queen Mum]

The best way to tell is if her udder suddenly gets big and much more firm than usual. You can also check the ligaments just on either side of her tail (about 1 - 2 inches on either side of the tail.) You can compare them to the other goat's ligaments. They feel like two long pencils. When she is just about to deliver, those pencil like ligaments will feel like they have disappeared or feel very, very soft. Her back will suddenly look kind of bent at the hips and her tail may stick up in the air at an odd angle.

Click here for some good pictures of what to look for.

 

[20kidsonhill]

Her udder looks like it needs to plump more, but that can change in just a 24 hours, I check udder twice a day and look for changes in plumpness.

As far as, do I think she could kid in the next couple of weeks, Yes, I think that could be a possibility.

In my experience, If all four does have been together prior to breeding and were exposed to the buck at the same time, they often kid with in just a few days of each other and sometimes even on the same day. The one exception to this seems to be young beginner bucks, they sometimes spend too much time with the same doe and miss the other does that are in heat at the same time, so they would catch them 21 days later.



Don't panic and good luck.

 

[Hillsvale]

her what not will also get swollen and pink up more... a bit of goo thrown in there and your set to kid.

We have lambs due (first set came Saturday morning) and my hubby has to go away as well.. at least you don't appear to haul water puckets in the freezing cold. Good luck

 

[gingit]

Thanks all for your advice.
Hillsvale, I am in South Florida. No freezing cold here ever.

Something developed: The 2 goats that were not as big with smaller udders were left out in the yard while these were respectfully transferred to the maternity ward.
Well... My smallest goat, Aliza - a first timer delivered last night in the yard.

We saw her standing a bit in shock - smelling her one little one who was still wet.
The second one was born dead.

Hubby has not left yet. He built a few chambers in the storage room & we moved her with the baby to one of them.
She was a bit confused but ate well last night and then checked him out. I saw him sucking last night and again this morning.


Gadi - was born to Aliza & Tayish Feb 26, 2012

 

[jodief100]

Very cute! Sorry you lost one.

 

[gingit]

Here he is at 2 days old

He eats & looks healthy. He has yellow goo poop. Is it normal at 2 days old?

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Awww how sweet. The yellow poop is normal and will start to transition over the next few days/ weeks. So long as it isn't loose and watery though.

 

[PotterWatch]

Cute baby!