Goat Labor/Kidding Signs

[Starlight4Leah]

Hi everyone, over the weekend we bought two pregnant does, one that is 'supposed' to be due within these next couple of weeks, and one that is supposed to be 1 month bred. A little bit of history on the one that is close; my mom bought them as a surprise from a client of hers at work (she works at a vet clinic) he is an older man, and loves them very much but they aren't used as pets, they get fed and that's about as much socialization they get/got. He had bought the oldest one a week before selling her to us, and she had tried to get to his buck and got caught in the fencing. So here leg is all sliced up and swollen, which we are taking care of that. Now, I have a few questions about her possible labor.
I am thinking that the oldest one (She is the one that is supposed to be due in these next few weeks) is starting to have contractions. She does have the sore leg, so I am not sure if that's why she keeps getting up and laying down, also we live in Texas so it is very hot outside. Over these past couple of days, her tummy has just gotten bigger and bigger. This morning I went out to feed them, and she had been getting up and laying down, pawing at the ground, and breathing deeply. Now I am not sure if the heavy breathing is because of the heat or because she is starting to feel the contractions. I have not seen her pass any kind of discharge, but her lady parts are starting to swell up. She is very skiddish, and is hard to touch, so we don't try because we don't want to stress her out. I can't tell if she is bagging up yet either, and her sides are tiny bit sunken in but not much, so could she/is she in labor? This is our first time doing pregnant does, but we have owned goats for over 6 years. Any thoughts? Thank you.

 

[Latestarter]

Greetings from the front range in Colorado Welcome to BYH. Congrats on your newly acquired bred does.

As several long time contributors would ask... Have you taken her temp? Another couple Q's... Has the about to go doe had a CD&T shot? Stress from being moved, especially this close to kidding could cause a parasite bloom... Have you done a fecal? Have also heard that moving too close to delivery due date could cause stress, causing false labor, premature delivery, etc.

It seems to me that there are many different combinations that could indicate birthing is near, including any or all of your selections... I don't have my goats yet, but it seems the one thing that is virtually fool proof is the tail ligaments... Once those "disappear" you've got about 24 hours or less to go. At that point, I believe hard labor would be indicated by cyclical contractions...

 

[Starlight4Leah]

Greetings from the front range in Colorado Welcome to BYH. Congrats on your newly acquired bred does.

As several long time contributors would ask... Have you taken her temp? Another couple Q's... Has the about to go doe had a CD&T shot? Stress from being moved, especially this close to kidding could cause a parasite bloom... Have you done a fecal? Have also heard that moving too close to delivery due date could cause stress, causing false labor, premature delivery, etc.

It seems to me that there are many different combinations that could indicate birthing is near, including any or all of your selections... I don't have my goats yet, but it seems the one thing that is virtually fool proof is the tail ligaments... Once those "disappear" you've got about 24 hours or less to go. At that point, I believe hard labor would be indicated by cyclical contractions...

We have not gotten the CD&T shot yet, my mom is going to be getting it when she goes into work tomorrow, they were both wormed with veterinary prescribed wormer that is safe for them. I have not taken her temperature, as she is a very skiddish goat, but I will definitely try. Thank you so much for your advice.

 

[OneFineAcre]

A lot of those behaviors, pawing the ground, getting up and getting down, can mean something or not necessarily anything.

The udder filling is a sure sign. If you learn to feel the ligaments in the tail area, is the sure fire sign. Like Latestarter said, usually 24 hours.
Some of my goats "lady parts" really swell up a couple of weeks before, some just before, and I have some that don't really swell at all.
Good luck.

 

[Starlight4Leah]

A lot of those behaviors, pawing the ground, getting up and getting down, can mean something or not necessarily anything.

The udder filling is a sure sign. If you learn to feel the ligaments in the tail area, is the sure fire sign. Like Latestarter said, usually 24 hours.
Some of my goats "lady parts" really swell up a couple of weeks before, some just before, and I have some that don't really swell at all.
Good luck.

Thank you so much for helping me out! I just want to try and see the birth happen, so I have been doing research and everything to time it right.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

A lot of those behaviors, pawing the ground, getting up and getting down, can mean something or not necessarily anything.

The udder filling is a sure sign. If you learn to feel the ligaments in the tail area, is the sure fire sign. Like Latestarter said, usually 24 hours.
Some of my goats "lady parts" really swell up a couple of weeks before, some just before, and I have some that don't really swell at all.
Good luck.

x2

I go by everything listed, but it also helps when you already know your goats well.

Watch your other goats and see how they are acting, if they are all panting chances are they are just hot

Most of my does will do some teeth grinding when they are close to kidding.

Watch and see if the doe is really having contractions or if she is just pulling up cud.

 

[newbiekat]

I was told my first year to watch for "weird" behavior". No one could explain what "weird' meant until I lived it. My first year I had a girl who went under the fence for 3 days straight. Never tested the fence before, and she was the only one that did it. I had to wrangle her back in for 3 days straight. On the 4th day she kidded. That was her weird behavior. Never tested the fence again (even after being bred 3 more times).

That same year I had a goat that looked up at the stars, just staring. Even when I walked up to her she didnt respond to me, I was able to lead her into the barn then an hour later, labor started. The next two years she showed no signs, but waited to kid on a day with someone else (her older sister the next year, her twin sister the year after) even if that meant she was a couple days early (earlier than 150 days), or a few days late (Day 160).

I also had one that was normally "lovey-dovey", who wouldn't let you in the pen without loving on her first, and then the morning she kidded, she wanted nothing to do with me, was hateful, wouldn't let me love on her, then she kidded that evening.

I have one that, the only sign she had, was that she started losing her mucous plug (maybe 3 inches long) at 6:30 am (nothing prior- I checked at 5am), and babies on the ground by 8:30am.

I had one that just acted weird one morning (not even sure how to explain how she was weird), and had NO mucous plug until babies were coming out.

So, I know this probably doesn't help, but those were some of the instances of "weird behavior" that I experienced... I guess what I'm trying to say is, there is no normal "weird" behavior lol

 

[Starlight4Leah]

It's happening everyone!!! Mamma is in labor! We suspect she went into labor sometime last night, because our dogs had started to go crazy all night. She is screaming, pawing, panting, hunching up, and didn't even attempt to eat her grain which is odd, because she is the one eating it all! I will post pictures and videos once it is all over!

 

[samssimonsays]

 

[newbiekat]