Doe was due sooner than I thought... Pics on pg 2,3

[dejavoodoo114]

Okay, I made a mistake thinking that I had rented a buck during Oct. I just figured out last night that it was during Sept and I returned him in Oct. The reason I realized my mistake was because I was researching the signs to tell me when to watch her more carefully. After looking at her udder (which has been filling for the last 6 weeks) and seeing how quickly it has filled I was concerned. Then I spent hours figuring out what ligs were... So I checked her ligaments and compared them to one of our none pregnant does. It took me some time to find hers because they are so soft and they kept moving out of the way... On top of this I had already noticed white discharge.

At this point, during the super bowl, I began to doubt myself. It took me a while but I finally realized she would be due during Feb not March... Now, I never saw the actual breeding but the buck was here for the month of Sept. This sent me into panic mode and straight to the large co-op an hour away so that I could get everything I would need today. When I got back she had dark redish-brown discharge that was a dried string on her about an inch long. I am having a hard time telling if her udders are "glossy" because I wont shave her and this is her first time so I would assume she is stretching everything out now anyway. During the weekend her udder developed that shelf(?) on the back. She is a Nubian yearling.

This is my first time with a pregnant doe and kidding. Ira has always been stranger than the other two we have. Honestly, her personality had her heading to the dinner table if she didn't get pregnant (my sister dubbed her 'Dead Betty'). Because of this, we didn't watch her as much as we watched the other two. The only change I have noticed is that she is coming up to have her cheeks scratched with the others. And she is even fatter than she used to be which is saying something.

I read about amber discharge but everything made it sound soft not dried. Also, from what I read this meant the kids were coming very soon. I first noticed it around 2 pm when I got back and I just checked on her (11 pm). I am worried about her because she just doesn't seem like a good mom... I do hope instincts kick in and she doesn't hurt them or leave them.

What I would like to know is how often I should check on her and what the red-brown stuff was if not amniotic fluid. If you think it was amniotic then how long? Should I leave her in the stall tomorrow?

 

[TigerLily Trail Ranch]

If theres amber goo even not 100% consistently Id guess 24 hours, but then again theres the doe code. Keep checking her ligs, & if you have some type of baby monitor or barn alarm leave it on with the volume up. Sorry I cant be more help :/.

 

[dejavoodoo114]

Should I keep her in the stall tomorrow then? And should I check on her throughout the night? If so how often would you recommend?

 

[dejavoodoo114]

I don't have electricity in the barn and I am not sure if they make a baby monitor that would transmit that far that I can afford right now. I check up on her using the quad.

 

[20kidsonhill]

Yes, for sure start checking on her every 2 or 3 hours, and if you are gone and it is cold out, put her in the barn and try and close the barn up, so it is warmer.
What are your temps?

It sounds like she is close. Sometimes you will get lucky and see an amber glow on her vulva, the amber goo is a sure sign they will be kidding in a day or even that day. Milky discharge or a bit of dirty discharge is normal for several weeks before kidding.
The teats strutting out towards the knees or forward instead of just hanging downwards.
the belly looking lower and the hip bones showing more from loosing the ligaments.
They sometimes will have an obvious change in how they walk and how their back legs stand. They kind of will start walking like they have a watermelon crammed between their legs, this is from the belly dropping and kids getting into position.
A small drop in appetite
returning to the same corner or privit location way more than normal.

Of course they don't always show all these signs, and first timers can betrickier, because they get confused and aren't used to what they are feeling.

 

[dejavoodoo114]

I just checked her again and there was about two inches of amber goo with straw stuck to it. So for sure we will have kids in 24 hrs? Her belly definently dropped. I went and forgot to check her ligs I was laughing at how much she wanted a massage. I have pics from Monday and the dry goo. I wanted to remove the stuff on her a moment ago so that I could tell when there was more but she wouldn't let me touch her behind. She eventually got it off herself.

It is 45 out and partly cloudy. However, we have 32 acres that used to be a cattle farm with cattle fencing. Our does go where ever they want and they never leave our property. Most of there time is spent between the barn and the house cleaning up our fence lines. I am worried though if she has them out side and she goes somewhere to have them that I wont be there. They will be bottle babies and I want to make it as easy on her as possible by taking them immediately. That is what I was told to do, is that correct? I could put them in the back yard. They enjoy it there but it is muddy and there is plenty of dog poo... Would she find one of the cleaner corners? Of course, I could keep a Very close eye on her there and I would not miss anything.

What do you think?

How do I post pics without posting them online first? The only thing I have for that is facebook and I think my friends might be confused by 'goat porn'....

The stall was cleaned down to bare earth (I even used a broom to get all the goat pellets) and sprinkled with DE and covered with straw etc...

Oh man, I am starting to get nervous. I don't know which would be the right thing to do... I am going to check on her again...

 

[Mamaboid]

The only absolute answer when dealing with goats is there are no absolutes. Having said that, If she were here, I would have her inside. Mine come in a few days before birth, and stay inside depending on the weather. Our temps here are hovering in the single digits, so my babies have not been out yet and they are going on two weeks old. Next weekend looks like their 'release' date according to the weather reports. If she has amber goo, I wouldn't leave her side if at all possible, but here again, I am very hands on. Your temps are not too bad, just make sure the babies are dry and out of the wind. Some of the worst 'personalities' make the best moms. You and she will both do fine. Good luck.

 

[dejavoodoo114]

I have a 5 year old at home so I can't not leave her... Actually, its more like I am leaving her to check on him...

I have some pics. The first is Ira in between Snowflake and Big Mamma two weeks ago.

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This one was taken yesterday. From what I have read this is the kid(s) dropping.

Two behind pics taken yesterday as well. The dried up goo is most visible in second. Today's goo was longer and wider since it wasn't dried.

I tried getting pics today but she wont stand still if I am not petting her so no luck.


(Edited for images) Thanks for the help!

 

[Mamaboid]

Sorry, I tried to see pics but your links are not working for me. You can upload pics here by using the uploads button on the top of your screen, choose the pic from where ever you have them stored, and hit submit. Make sure you change your pic size to fit posting on a web site.

 

[20kidsonhill]

45 for a low would be not too bad, but the babies still can get cold, if they don't get up and nursing with in an hour or so. A dry place to kid and out of the wind will be important, or getting the kids dried off and nursing. On 32 acres it is for sure possible for her to kid and for you to possibly not find them or get to her soon enough to help the gets get going and not die from the cold. They don't always need help, but then again they may and the colder it is the less time they have before using up all their sugar/energy supply trying to stay warm and then going down from being too cold.

Light Karo corn syrup, is an excellant source of sugar energy, if a kid gets too cold.