First timer--is she close?

[Marcella]

I am so nervous, I've never done this before! If she was bred the first time she was exposed, she's be due now. She has some random white discharge--not a lot. I can also feel the kid(s) moving very easily. Does she look close to you guys?

 

[animalmom]

OK, I'll be nice first... she looks close, can you feel her ligaments? When my girls get that stretched out look I know they are close. Is she talking to her side, sweet little murmurings to the babies? Is she pawing the ground looking like she is making a nest? Is she hanging around you like a leach? Is she yelling at/for you every two minutes?

Having said that, you do realize we are under no obligation to give you encouragement without the proper data...

For instance:

Good pictures, a plus for you.

No doe name, bad mommy for you.

All will eagerly be forgiven if you promise faithfully to give us many, many, many more pictures. Front, back, top, babies, lots of baby pictures.

So, what is the doe's name?

 

[animalmom]

My name is AnimalMom, and I am a baby picture addict.

 

[bonbean01]

 

[elevan]

animalmom!

She looks close but.... you should really read this: Doe Code

 

[Goat Whisperer]

She may be getting close... Do you know how to check her ligaments? Watch her udder, usually their udder will get very large before kidding. Sometimes it will double in size and look "shiny"

I would looks at this website. We do not do everything like Fias Co farms, but it is a great learning place for newbies Look over the website, not just this page, lots of pics that can really help to prepare you for kidding!

Here is a list of the most common symptoms a doe will have before kidding. Just remember all goats are different and may not show anything at all.

Ligaments are "gone". (See above) Feeling the ligaments and the tail head are my main warnings that kidding may happen within the next 24 hours. Note: Ligaments have been known to "come and go"; you can't feel them at all and then they reappear. I have not had this happen very often, but it can happen.

The doe's tail head is noticeably raised. (See above). You can practically put your fingers all the way around the spine right before the tail. Feeling the the tail head and ligaments are my main warnings that kidding may happen sometime within the next 24 hours.

"Far away" look in the doe's eyes. Eyes wide. The whites of eye may get slightly bloodshot.

Pawing at the ground (making a nest). A doe can start doing this many hours before kidding: they can do this all night long only to kid in the mid morning (ask me how I know). When a doe starts pawing a lot, I keep checking on her knowing she could kid anytime, be it in 1/2 hour or 12 hours.

Laying down, getting up, laying down, getting up, laying down, getting up.... It's really hard to get comfortable when you are really pregnant and going into labor.

Long clear string of "goob" (mucous) hanging from the doe's vagina. If the goop is amber, it is amniotic fluid, and kidding should happen very soon. (Note: The doe can start having small amounts of opaque white discharge a day, a week or even a month before kidding; this is the "plug").

The doe's udder in full and tight. Some people refer to the udder getting "shiny" or "glossy"; this would be because if the udder getting full and tight, and thus the stretched skin becomes shiny. Be aware that though it is most common for a doe to "bag up" before she kids, she could wait until the last minute or even not really start "coming into her milk" until after she kids. Every doe is different.

Note: It's alwasy good to have Mo'Milk Mix on hand just in case the doe kids without milk or without enough milk to feed her kids. This is an herbal formula I formulated to aid in milk production in lactating animals.

The doe starts drifting away from the herd. You don't want her having her kids hidden off in the woods somewhere; you might want to go ahead and put her up in the kidding stall.

The doe becomes more vocal. It a doe is normally quiet and all of a sudden starts making little sounds, it may be a good idea to put her up in the kidding stall.

The doe may start talking to her babies before she delivers them.

The doe may do a lot of stretching and/or yawning. (see photos below) The stretching can be the doe trying to get the babies in the correct birthing positions. Stretching along with tail arching are actually contractions. I've never been able to figure out the yawning.

The doe may become more affectionate toward you. The doe may even start licking you. It is ok to let her do this. Keep in mind this does not always happen.

The doe may become more afraid of you or not want you to touch her. If the doe is "wild" she may get really wild as she gets closer to kidding. Other examples: We had a doe who was always extremely friendly but decided she did not want to be touched a few weeks before kidding. In the middle of labor, as we were assisting her, she changed back to her "old loving self".

If the doe does anything that makes you say, "Gee, she never did that before."

Acting weird. We have a doe who's only sign of labor is acting slightly odder than usual.
(from Fias Co Farms website)

 

[Goat Whisperer]

You should also read this! Very good page!

 

[Marcella]

OK, I'll be nice first... she looks close, can you feel her ligaments? When my girls get that stretched out look I know they are close. Is she talking to her side, sweet little murmurings to the babies? Is she pawing the ground looking like she is making a nest? Is she hanging around you like a leach? Is she yelling at/for you every two minutes?

Having said that, you do realize we are under no obligation to give you encouragement without the proper data...

For instance:

Good pictures, a plus for you.

No doe name, bad mommy for you.

All will eagerly be forgiven if you promise faithfully to give us many, many, many more pictures. Front, back, top, babies, lots of baby pictures.

So, what is the doe's name?

Thanks for all of the great advice/links everyone! Her name is Polkadot, I call her Dot. She is my first goat and my baby so I don't want to miss this kidding because if something went wrong, I'd never forgive myself! I felt her ligament about a week ago but haven't been able to feel them since. I'm a first time so I might just be missing them now--wishful thinking--who knows? Her udder does seem as full and tight as has been described in some of the links so maybe that means I have some time, I was also able to feel the kid(s) moving around this morning so from what I've read that at least another 12 hours.

 

[animalmom]

Marcella, see here is what you need to do now... decide when would be best time for you for the kids to be born and then tell little Dot that you HAVE to be out of town that day but she shouldn't worry about anything. Reverse psychology at work as all does choose the worst time and place to have their kids. They, the does, just love the look of grey hair on us... so if you tell her you will be gone then she will have the kids then. TaDa

PS let me know if this works as I have 5 of my own little darlings coming due during April.

 

[jodief100]

My name is AnimalMom, and I am a baby picture addict.

Hello Animalmom! I am Jodie and I am a baby picture addict.

The only sign I can say is absolutely, 100% accurate in knowing they are about to kid is...... there is a bubble coming out. With a kid in it.