~Livinwright Farm's kidding thread~ 2 preggers does... hopefully :)

[Livinwright Farm]

It's good to keep in mind too that her udder hasn't been full/strutted either... The udder pics you've shared have been consistent with a doe bred on a later date. I only mention this because I'm sure you're stressed about her being overdue.

I have gotten mixed responses about Cali's udder... some saying that she may not get strutted at all where she is so young, others saying that she can't be ver far along because of how small it is. It is getting really frustrating/annoying.
Yeah, just a little stressed --->

It really makes matters worse for me & Cali that my mom is so unwilling to spend the money to go and have her checked out. Her "ieh, if she kids.. she kids, if she doesn't... she doesn't" attitude really bothers me! If I had money of my own, I would have brought Cali into a vet LONG ago!

 

[Livinwright Farm]

ETA: If people can please keep in mind that she is onl 9 months old & HEAVILY pregnant... and that I have not come across anyone on here who has experience with VERY young doelings being pregnant & carrying to term.
In actuality, the only person I have come across who does have experience with this, is the vet I talked wth in Maine. So, I am taking his knowledge, experience with it, and advice until she goes past the furthest stretch of possibility.

When we first got into goats, we unwittingly bred our 4 month old doe Helen to a 3 month old buck, Henry. So, yeah, I have hands on experience here. The kid, BTW, had to be cut into pieces IN UTERO to be extracted after FOUR HOURS of trying to pull it, and we nearly lost Helen.

I am sorr this happened with your young doeling... and I wish you had responded to one of my earlier posts when I was asking for help/experience/advice on the subject. The only responses I got were from people saying that if one of their doelings gets accidentally bred they just abort, so they couldn't help me with what to expect/look for. You can imagine how frustrating/annoying that was!

ETA: I have a pet peeve with this ste... or rather some of the members, who when a drect question is asked, choose to respond with something like,"Oh that(or something similar) has been posted on here before"(the never give the link for said thread)... or "can't help you"(then why respond to the question at all?)

 

[helmstead]

It really makes matters worse for me & Cali that my mom is so unwilling to spend the money to go and have her checked out. Her "ieh, if she kids.. she kids, if she doesn't... she doesn't" attitude really bothers me! If I had money of my own, I would have brought Cali into a vet LONG ago!

The picture just got a little clearer for me...

I do hope that, for the sake of the goat, the dates are wrong and there was a midnight meeting. And for your sake, because I can tell you from first hand experience that you don't want to go through what my husband and I did with that young doe's labor.

 

[ksalvagno]

Sometimes people post just to give you support or bump the thread up so other people can help.

Sometimes people don't have the time to search for said thread to post the link.

Sometimes the "knowledgeable" people aren't on and when they do come on, just don't see your thread.

I can understand the frustration but no one should ever use any type of internet forum as their only source for help. The "right" people aren't always on and don't always see all the threads posted. If you could find a local mentor, that would probably help. I use this site but I also have great local vets and a couple of local goat mentors who can help me so I'm not counting on any one source.

I'm on several goat forums and there isn't one that truly answers everyone's questions. Some threads just don't get answered for no real good reason.

I hope your goat gives birth soon and everything is ok.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

Sometimes people post just to give you support or bump the thread up so other people can help.

Sometimes people don't have the time to search for said thread to post the link.

Sometimes the "knowledgeable" people aren't on and when they do come on, just don't see your thread.

I can understand the frustration but no one should ever use any type of internet forum as their only source for help. The "right" people aren't always on and don't always see all the threads posted. If you could find a local mentor, that would probably help. I use this site but I also have great local vets and a couple of local goat mentors who can help me so I'm not counting on any one source.

I'm on several goat forums and there isn't one that truly answers everyone's questions. Some threads just don't get answered for no real good reason.

I hope your goat gives birth soon and everything is ok.

I understand what you are saying, and it would be great if I had those resources... but don't.
There is 1 local "goat farm" and they are always busy, more so ever since their house & barn burnt down. They have more to worry about than they should as it is, without me tossing my goats in the mix.
Good luck finding a livestock vet within an hour of me(hope there is never an emergency with my goats!). I would have to drive an hour andf a half to Pembroke,NH just to find a vet that I heard through WOM(word of mouth) is good with goats. NH is SEVERELY in need of livestock vets(and knwoledgeable domestic pet vets)!! This is really my only resource for help/advice. I wish I had something else, but I don't. The rest of you have it SO easy... some of you with multiple choices of who to take your herd to, or get help from. I know I am not supposed to envy, but MAN!!!

Anywho, that is why I am frustrated with those previously mentioned posts... when I or someone else needs help with something, can't find what the need through web searches, and all they get is "sorry, can't help you"... yeah, it has a tendancy to stress & annoy. :/

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

Its normal for you to be nervous. I know your stressed. Just try to put it in prospective. It will work out. She will kid. And believe me...goats have a way of making fools of us. She just may have bred in Jan no matter how good your vision is. The bredding takes seconds, they dont need a room or flowers or champagne!! So when there is any doubt on date what I do is follow their signs. She will give you plenty. She is not tiny tiny and many many goat owners made the mistake of breeding to early to. So dont worry yourself into a frenzie!! Ok. Early breeding is very common and some farmers will go by wieght and not age at all. I think she will do fine. If she was bred by a 225lbs buck..well I would concern myself about size. But I think she will surpise you and do great. There are always horror stories...but put them out of your head. Its just giving you something else to worry about. Relax girl!! It will be okay!!!

Everyone is not required to post or respond on questions asked even when they know the answer. Some people are not always around a Karen stated. I think your just frustrated thats all.

I ignore the udder. Cuz I have some that dont fill till the day before..or 30 days before. I look at the stance...the pin bone shape changes and the pay attention to the Ligs! When the ligs are loose and dropped that means the relaxin hormone is flowing and shes going soon! 12-24 is the rule. But I find mine generally run about 6 hours after the ligs go. But all goats are differant.

Say the Serenity Prayer a couple times. And just let nature take its course!! Be well and dont worry so much...give Cali more credit..she will do great. Feed her properly and give her a good home and a healthy enviroment to have this baby...and that's all we can do kid..you know who controls the rest!!!!

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

There are many vets that are knowledgeable about goats in NH. Closest to me is 1/2 hour away...I had to call last Sunday in an emergency and it took him almost 45 mins to get here. But we live out in the woods...thats just the way it is...even if I had a heart attack It would take a bit to get to me...thats called taking the good with the bad. And honestly...unless your getting an ultrasound done...there is nothing a vet will tell you that you dont already know.

Believe me there are very good vets large/small animal vets in NH. Also we have UNH Extension. They are great!! I will PM some resource info to you!! But the bottom line is they cost money...and we dont always have that. I would save any financial resources you have for the day she delivers in case of er. And FB me if you run into delivery issues..I would be glad to help you during the delivery. But believe me..she will do great...she will shock you I just know it...and all this worrying was to just ware out a stone!!! Think Positive!!!

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

The rest of you have it SO easy...

WHOA Nelly! Sorry, but where livestock is concerned "SO easy" just doesn't even enter into the picture. The "rest of us" have been up to our elbows trying to rearrange kids, cellphones covered in goo while friends try to talk us through it, lost kids, learned the hard way, STILL learning new things, yadda yadda yadda. Just the same as everyone else. There's just very little that's easy about raising goats, whether you have 10 resources or just handy dandy google. I can't even imagine how it was for the pre-internet Newbs. My heart goes out to them for sure.

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

The rest of you have it SO easy...

The "rest of us" have been up to our elbows trying to rearrange kids, cellphones covered in goo while friends try to talk us through it, lost kids, learned the hard way, STILL learning new things, yadda yadda yadda. Just the same as everyone else. There's just very little that's easy about raising goats, whether you have 10 resources or just handy dandy google. I can't even imagine how it was for the pre-internet Newbs. My heart goes out to them for sure.

I agree 100%!!!

My barn has been in a uproar for a week with my new guys...and after all these years I had a first last week with intestines of a kid presenting 1st...so she is absolutley right. Owning goats it NEVER easy..and if someone told you that it was..well they lied... Its the love of the animal that keeps us going back for more!! And no matter how much expirence you have..they will always through you a curve ball you never expected. Thats one expirenced statement I can stand by!!!

Hang in there kid...you will get through this!!!

 

[Livinwright Farm]

My comment of "the rest of you have it SO easy", was not about taking care of your animals(as I have read the "Oh crud!" posts), but rather about the amount of resources you all have.

Up in the White Mountains, knowledgeable vets(small/domestic animal & livestock) are disappearing at an alarming rate, and they have been since '07. I would either have to drive to East Puckerdoo Maine or down to the southern half of the state to find a vet still willing to work with goats and then pray that they are knowledgeable.
Farms up here are dying off because of the lack of vets to fill out prescriptions, run tests(like CAE & CL), etc.
NONE of the small animal vets are willing to help even the knowledgeable goat owner get the prescriptions they need. I might go to the Sandwich Fair this year just to try to find an experienced, moderately local, goat owner. :/

I am glad that you would be there for me if/when I need help, Becky! I sure hope I won't need it!
I feel like such a maroon after posting for...what?... 3 months now?.. that Cali is due any day. I hate that I don't have an exact date of breeding... more than that, that she was accidentally bred. I have second guessed off and on, "is she or isn't she?" everytime I think she might not be, there is more proof that she is... but then... there is all this waiting. And I am sure there are people who have read this thread and thought, "Wow, these people are idiots"

I am trying to be as relaxed as I can be... but it is difficult, espescially seeing all of the major health issues & death posts these past few months.
I know that you know who is in control... I just have a difficult time letting the reigns go, where we have already lost over half of our chicks(mysterious deaths, trampling by goats, and death by rooster) & almost lost a hen. We lost our only white crested black polish chick today... either Marly or I accidentally stepped on it.