Goat driving me crazy!!!

[pourfolkes]

I was given a Lamancha doe 2 months ago by a couple who are very reputable goat people. They gave her to me because he said that when they started out, no one would help them, so they like to help people out. They have been alot of help. Anyway, he said this doe was pregnant with a due date of May the 11th. Well, that did not happen...lol. I emailed him and he said that all of his goats were overdue as well this year. So here we are at the end of May, no baby. Her ligaments are soft but not gone and she does have milk in her udder. How can I tell if she is really pregnant or not? I would think that if she has milk that would mean she is but I don't know. Some days she looks pregnant and others she just looks fat. Any ideas???

[goatmarm]

If her ligaments are softening and she is bagging up( milk in the udder), then she is nearing her due date. Evidently the doe was bred later than the previous owner figured. This happens if a buck is just allowed to mingle with the ladies at will, or if she was bred again after he actually witnessed the buck catching her. Also, when figuring the due date, it is usually 150 days after being serviced by the buck, give or take two weeks.
Some does will start showing signs weeks before kidding, so look for other signs as well as the days go by. The doe will start to "nest"( dig around in the bedding), appear uncomfortable( getting up/laying down repeatedly), and she will get a goopy discharge, which is the mucus plug being released as she prepares to kid. She will also get a really sunken look around her hip bones, and may go off her feed right before kidding.

[debitaber]

goats are great at making people wait. i have a nubian, her first kidding, was 149 days, the second 175, the third at 155. and i take my does to the bucks, so there is no mistake .i called the vet, a hundred times over her, and he would come and check, and say, before the end of the day. finailly he laughed and said when she gets ready. and he was right. she did fine. then I have one that goes at day 144, every time. go figure. they are as bad as some women .the one that goes really ove, I was so worried about her, i was not sleeping, and out there with her every minute, she would just look at me and eat, and have fun. she was fine.