Is my goat pregnant?

[matty_60618]

Hello all. I have a goat that I think might be pregnant. Here are some pics any advice would be helpful as she has been getting bigger and bigger. But I’m not sure if she’s just gaining weight. There was some milky discharge I noticed yesterday. Also, it seems that she is developing udders. They are getting longer. I acquired this goat in august and it was around bucks at that time. Any info would be amazing as I am a noob at this. Thank you!

 

[Daxigait]

Hello all. I have a goat that I think might be pregnant. Here are some pics any advice would be helpful as she has been getting bigger and bigger. But I’m not sure if she’s just gaining weight. There was some milky discharge I noticed yesterday. Also, it seems that she is developing udders. They are getting longer. I acquired this goat in august and it was around bucks at that time. Any info would be amazing as I am a noob at this. Thank you!

I'm not sure I can help you from the pictures definitely keep an eye on her actual udder and if she's developing milk. I started reading August 26th then my first kids will be due January 23rd so I have one that will kid on the 20th. at this point it's probably too late to do a blood test and he probably don't want to haul her anywhere cuz that's stress to do an ultrasound so you're just going to have to wait and see. I would suggest trying to figure out if you can identify her ligaments. to do this you need to figure out her hip bones and pins. if you put your thumb and first finger on each side of her spine pushing just a little bit sort of down to the sides of it then take those fingers in that position and slowly move down towards the tail. about halfway in between or a little bit more towards the top there should be a ligament that will feel like it goes both directions out from her spine. as her hips get ready for kidding you'll be able to feel that ligament in the last couple of weeks it will get thinner and thinner and when you can't feel it anymore she will likely kid within 24 hours. now there are the occasional goats that you can't use this they don't do it but 99% of mine do. her other will also continue to fill with milk as she gets closer if she's normal and then right at the end it will get really full and shiny usually they're always exceptions but this is the major rule. I would also suggest trimming some of that excess hair shaving it down a little lower and cropping some of it under the tail because it will get goopy and nasty. don't take all the hair off just make it short in a couple of inches on a tail, the back of the legs and back of the udder.

 

[Daxigait]

there are some basic things you should have on hand and I hope that you updated her cd&t vaccine and have given her some extra minerals. At the very least I would have some iodine ready to treat navels and some liquid/orsl cmpk that you can get from a tractor supply. I give that to every goat 50cc for 3 days with a drencher it will help prevent milk fever, plus a dose of oxytocin. I would also have some propylene glycol, sterile gloves, lube, and a shot of lute.
for the kidding depending on your weather because they will freeze if they're wet under 32 and likely die I would suggest you have paper towels or towels for cleaning the kid off and a hair dryer. I could go on and on but there are whole threads on preparing for kidding. if you have one of those nasal snot tubes for little kids they're great too.

 

[matty_60618]

I'm not sure I can help you from the pictures definitely keep an eye on her actual udder and if she's developing milk. I started reading August 26th then my first kids will be due January 23rd so I have one that will kid on the 20th. at this point it's probably too late to do a blood test and he probably don't want to haul her anywhere cuz that's stress to do an ultrasound so you're just going to have to wait and see. I would suggest trying to figure out if you can identify her ligaments. to do this you need to figure out her hip bones and pins. if you put your thumb and first finger on each side of her spine pushing just a little bit sort of down to the sides of it then take those fingers in that position and slowly move down towards the tail. about halfway in between or a little bit more towards the top there should be a ligament that will feel like it goes both directions out from her spine. as her hips get ready for kidding you'll be able to feel that ligament in the last couple of weeks it will get thinner and thinner and when you can't feel it anymore she will likely kid within 24 hours. now there are the occasional goats that you can't use this they don't do it but 99% of mine do. her other will also continue to fill with milk as she gets closer if she's normal and then right at the end it will get really full and shiny usually they're always exceptions but this is the major rule. I would also suggest trimming some of that excess hair shaving it down a little lower and cropping some of it under the tail because it will get goopy and nasty. don't take all the hair off just make it short in a couple of inches on a tail, the back of the legs and back of the udder.

Thank you for the info! You have been very helpful.

 

[Daxigait]

Thank you for the info! You have been very helpful.

feel free to message me if you have any questions I'm glad to help if I can. I was out checking out my heated barrels I made with a plastic barrel and a hard wired fixture for a heat bulb and getting everything ready for kidding yesterday around my place.
If you have really cold temperatures a heated barrel with a 125w heat bulb is great. Plastic barrel with removable lid. 9" or 12" square hole depending on the goats size. put a box for a fixture on the inside. Drill a hole for the cord (outdoor extension cord cut off end pit through and hardwire it in). strap it in a corner or to a post. May have to put in the first time. They will come out to eat, but learn quickly to go to heat.

 

[matty_60618]

feel free to message me if you have any questions I'm glad to help if I can. I was out checking out my heated barrels I made with a plastic barrel and a hard wired fixture for a heat bulb and getting everything ready for kidding yesterday around my place.
If you have really cold temperatures a heated barrel with a 125w heat bulb is great. Plastic barrel with removable lid. 9" or 12" square hole depending on the goats size. put a box for a fixture on the inside. Drill a hole for the cord (outdoor extension cord cut off end pit through and hardwire it in). strap it in a corner or to a post. May have to put in the first time. They will come out to eat, but learn quickly to go to heat.

That looks great. Where you you find a barrel like that? I have one but it’s too small.

 

[Daxigait]

That looks great. Where you you find a barrel like that? I have one but it’s too small.

and sometimes your local places that recycle or people sell them on Craigslist you just kind of have to watch they're just a 50 gallon drum of course we've got a place that makes juice around here so they are available in this area. a lot of them anymore don't have the removable lid but the removable lid makes it nice cuz you can put all the electrical stuff on it and then just take that in the house to prevent things chewing on it during the times when you're not using it in the barrel can just stay wherever.

 

[matty_60618]

and sometimes your local places that recycle or people sell them on Craigslist you just kind of have to watch they're just a 50 gallon drum of course we've got a place that makes juice around here so they are available in this area. a lot of them anymore don't have the removable lid but the removable lid makes it nice cuz you can put all the electrical stuff on it and then just take that in the house to prevent things chewing on it during the times when you're not using it in the barrel can just stay wherever.

How about this:
55 gal garbage can. Hooked up the way you stated. I want to put a thermometer in there and see what the temp gets to.

 

[Daxigait]

and sometimes your local places that recycle or people sell them on Craigslist you just kind of have to watch they're just a 50 gallon drum of course we've got a place that makes juice around here so they are available in this area. a lot of them anymore don't have the removable lid but the removable lid makes it nice cuz you can put all the electrical stuff on it and then just take that in the house to prevent things chewing on it during the times when you're not using it in the barrel can just stay wherever

How about this:
55 gal garbage can. Hooked up the way you stated. I want to put a thermometer in there and see what the temp gets to.

if it's stable enough. it might work. if it's secured well too. my only worry is if it's strong enough