Need Advice: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

[marlowmanor]

My DH wants to go to the beach for Easter. Our goats are due right around that time too and the one I am most worried about is of course the one that is due around the time he wants to be at the beach. I'm trying to get him to go a week earlier or a couple weeks after so we are here for births.

 

[Stormyknitter]

I guess I'm with the herd here. If it's cold where you are, I'd stay home. Cold kids are not happy kids. Check the weather forecast, and follow your intuition. Farming is a whole lot of intuition!

Carolle

 

[Catahoula]

I know this was a hard decision. Your such a soft heart, I think you'll be glad you did.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm not sure about having a soft heart. We just slaughtered a wether for freezer camp and I'm bottle feeding the boer x buckling to be wethered and butchered months from now. I hunt a lot too.

You did it again...you crack me up!!

 

[SkyWarrior]

I know this was a hard decision. Your such a soft heart, I think you'll be glad you did.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm not sure about having a soft heart. We just slaughtered a wether for freezer camp and I'm bottle feeding the boer x buckling to be wethered and butchered months from now. I hunt a lot too.

You did it again...you crack me up!!

 

[flylo]

Watch their rumps. If it looks like the tailbone is rising (hollowing out underneath to create the birth canal), they'll kid w/in 2 - 4 days, usually. You're right on the 10 day mark, if the 25th is your due date. Anything sooner than 10 days and the kid may be too premature to survive without assistance from a person.
Are these mature does who know what to do? Would you be leaving the kids with moms anyhow? What sizes do the does normally have at birth? Is your buck known for having large birthweight kids?

How bad will you feel if you miss the conference and no one kids during that time? If you husband is home and willing to be talked through any 'surprises', I'd say go.

flylo

 

[SkyWarrior]

Watch their rumps. If it looks like the tailbone is rising (hollowing out underneath to create the birth canal), they'll kid w/in 2 - 4 days, usually. You're right on the 10 day mark, if the 25th is your due date. Anything sooner than 10 days and the kid may be too premature to survive without assistance from a person.
Are these mature does who know what to do? Would you be leaving the kids with moms anyhow? What sizes do the does normally have at birth? Is your buck known for having large birthweight kids?

How bad will you feel if you miss the conference and no one kids during that time? If you husband is home and willing to be talked through any 'surprises', I'd say go.

flylo

I cancelled, but I think I might have done the right thing. With the exception of one doe, they're all new mothers. I put Heidi in the stanchion because that's the only way I could feel her ligaments. They're gone. Both hers and her sister's hip bones are protruding and their bellies are low.

Oreo, my buck, is very young. He bred the girls when he was 6 months, I think. He's a rather small LaMancha, but I have no idea on the size of the kids.

The truth is I don't know exactly when Heidi was bred. She never seemed to show any interest in Oreo, but she's definitely pregnant. This is what I get for not having a separate buck pen. Annie didn't show any interest in Oreo either but she's pregnant too. Annie is aggressive toward other does now, but I can feel her ligaments. I saw Belle mate with Oreo where I'm guessing the due date, BUT she's like her sister -- sunken hips and low stomach. I didn't check her ligaments today. The only other one pregnant is the ND and my husband witnessed her mating so I figure probably on the 25th. Both Belle and Heidi look stiff-legged. I'm guessing in the next couple of days. Heck, it might even be now.

The conference would've been fun, but maybe not if I'm constantly worried about the goats.