pygmy goats

lilly foote · #1 02/25/07, 05:49 PM

hi im new here and to homesteading can any body tell me if there are signs
when a nanny goat is going into labor? my pygmy looks like she swallowed an elephant i keep thinking any day but no new babies yet

lilly foote

**mygoat** · #2 02/25/07, 05:58 PM

Well, there are several signs. A doe normally will start making an udder about a month before she kids. It will get fairly large. Then, the night before she kids, a does' udder will generally swell dramatically. You will know the day she is due to kid because most does act 'different'. Also, check ligaments. There are ligaments that go from the spine to the pin bones. When a doe gets ready to kid, she will 'loose' those ligaments... They soften to allow passage through the birth canal. The does' stomach will look 'dropped' as her kids are positioned to exit, causing shifts. There may be stringy goop coming from her. One of my does gets a teeny bit of white discharge early in the day she kids. If I were you, I'd check her ligaments every day, 2x a day or more (morning and night at least) and if they are gone, plus she's showing other signs, STAY WITH HER. or Find someone to stay with her. This is very important.

Here are a couple pics of where to find ligaments. There is also a pic of a doe carrying her kids 'low'. The black and white doe was just a picture subject, bu t the other two pictures were taken the day those two kidded. Good luck.

Welcome to the forum.

HazyDay · #3 02/25/07, 06:02 PM

Ok, ALL DOES ARE DIFFERENT! SHE MAY SHOW ALL OR 1 OF THESE SIGNS!
1. Ligiments are gone where the tail meets the body. (good for some does but Mine lost her 2 weeks before!)
2.She has a huge udder! (this isn't the thing for a first timer they bag up 2 months. Like I said every doe is different!)
3. Has smile coming from her butt.
4.She doesn't want to eat or drink any-thing (Not a good thing my doe was in labor and pushing out a kid when stand and eatting like nother was happening! her look was so nice like ''WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?''
5.Making a nest.
6.Seems to shy away from you or from other does (Some do this but if you are close to her or her mother they will stay together)
7.(By this time you know whats going on!) SHES YELLING LIKE CRAP AND PUSHING!!!!

Hope your huge doe kids very good! and has does for you!

HazyDay · #4 02/25/07, 06:04 PM

Oh just a note with finding from my herd and many others does seem to kid at the same time every year (e.x Kidds at 8:00 am and the next year kids at 8:00am)

lilly foote · #5 02/25/07, 06:55 PM

thanks everyone,
i always can tell with my cows, but didnt have a clue with goats this pygmy was abandoned at the local auction and the auctioneer is a neighbor so he asked if we wanted it of couse couldnt say no it was only about a week old so now shes about 2yrs. i dont think she really knows shes a goat though the grand kids have snuck her in a time or two they even had her in their room watching t.v. with them. WE HAD TO HAVE A SERIOUS TALK ABOUT WHY we cant have the goat in the house. So now Ms. Pygmy has a dog house and the grandaughters walk her on a leash. only in okla. could you see a 5 and7 year old girls walking their pet goat down the dirt road

**mygoat** · #6 02/25/07, 07:08 PM

Erm, actually, I'm 17 and still walk my goats down the roads. Have been doing that for years.

One of them even pulls a cart.

Oh, and for the record, the doe would be MUCH happier if she had a friend. If she has one, keep a doeling of hers so she has a companion. Goats are herd animals and function better in a herd.