Prego or problem??

[MrHank]

We've got 3 of our ladies bred and expecting around the 1st part of March. We have 1 that will be a 2nd freshner the other 2 are FF. Flower is the Black and Grey she is the 2nd Freshner and we are just concerned with her size considering that she still has 2 months to go. The other 2 are big, but nowhere near her. Flower only had 1 her first time around. They get free choice hay in winter and 10 goats share 4 cups of grain every evening mixed with rolled oats, cracked corn and beet pulp with Sweetlix minerals mixed in.

Let me know what you guys think. This is our first year with the goats and we are learning. I'm attaching some pics. Hopefully.

[HazyDay]

Did you pen/pasture breed or hand breed?? To me the first one looks like she is bagging up. I wouldn't worry about it. All my does that are due in early March are starting to look like that. So just keep an eye on the udders. FF sometimes bag up 1 to 2 months indvance!

[MrHank]

We pasture bred. They were in with buck for about a month and we've got it calculated around 3/2/08 to start looking for babies. She just seemed to have gotten huge really fast. She is the herd queen and is quite piggy, but she doesn't get that much more than the rest. LOL The first one does have a bit of a bag on her but she's our 2nd timer. The white with black head is also beginning to make a bag.

[Lizzieag]

Any chance a buck got to her early? Through the fence breedings can and do happen! I also have a buck that will jump the fences to get to the girls, breed them and then jump back into his pen. If I wasn't doing dishes and watching out the kitchen window, I would have never know.

Just like women, goats can carry "differently." Some just "pop" out sooner or she could have multiple babies, while the others have just one. Ultrasound is so wonderful for this!

[MrHank]

No chance that she could have been bred early, we did'nt get are buck until early Sept, gave him a round of worming and then put them in the field together. They were in seperate fields where they could not even see each other, plus both fields are woven wire fence, with one strand of electric running on the inside of the fences and chainlink on the gates so there are no way out for the goats and no way in for predators.

[goatsareus]

I'm thinking you do not have a problem. I have a goat that is due March 1 or 8 (!) and she is actually bigger than Flower. My goat is 6 years old but is known to have single or twins, so I'm hoping she has several this time!

Good luck!

[goatkid]

That doe is not too unusually big. I have several does all due mid March. Some are bigger than others. It has to do with how many kids they are carrying and how they are carrying them. If she's the second freshener, she could be more stretched than the other does and is also likely to be carrying more kids.

[MrHank]

Thanks for everyone's input. This is just out first time around and I guess we are paranoid. She just seemed to have puffed up like a balloon so quickly. I just can't imagine what she's going to look like come end of Feb first of March.

Thanks again. It helps to come her and get some reassurance.

[chris30523]

I have 12 does due the first couple of week in march. I should post a pic of a couple of them it would put your mind at ease. I have one that is having trouble hauling her belly around already

[MrHank]

Chris30523 it's funny that you say that. When hubby came up from the barn last night he said that Flower was moving slower than usual and appeared to be having trouble getting around. She's quite a site. She rules the roost around here and the others bow down to her. I hope they don't decide to take advantage of her "delicate condition". LOL

I would love to see pics of your goat. I love to get on here and see what everyone else has going on.

Kim

[KikoFaerie]

This is our Idgie - the very EARLIEST she could have been bred was on Oct. 24, since that's the first day there was a buck within 50 miles of her! That makes her not due until March 22nd. We call her our Goat Float, the Queen Mary of The Pasture, The Canyon-Sized Caprine, the Land Locked Loch Ness Monster. She is on pasture with some grass hay available at night when they are brought up to the barn area. They get 3-4 cups of grain, shared among 10 of them. (This is about to be upped as kidding time draws nearer, but they have been getting this small amount to easily get them up to the barn area at night.) So, this is not overeating or "I just filled up" belly. This is ALL kid. Idgie is 4 years old and her last kidding was quads, all raised completely by her and all did great. Anyway, I just wanted to let you see that I agree with those above, you have nothing to worry about.

[MrHank]

Good grief is all I can say. LOL She is one big mama. You have definitely put my mind at ease with those pics. LOL

Thanks,

Kim

[chris30523]

Here are a few of mine in the new pasture.They were too busy eating for me to get a good pic. We moved about 12 over today.


The bottom left goat, Lill ,has started "singing" to her belly already.

[MrHank]

Thanks for the pics. I've heard about them singing or talking to their babies. Ours talk to us all the time so I'm not sure what I'd be listening for. LOL Very nice looking herd you have there. Thanks again for the pics.

[goatsareus]

it will be a different voice when they talk to their babies, a soft, I call it a "mothering" voice and they will have their head and neck turned toward their belly.