How to tell when it's time

lilredhen · #1 03/19/09, 05:47 PM

My book says if you can feel the babies moving, then the doe won't kid in the next 12 hours. Has anyone found this to be true?

Do any of you find you have more kiddings on the full moon? One of my friends swears by this. My 1st doe did kid on the full moon last week (course it WAS her due date.)

Also I've heard some breeds tend to have a shorter gestation than others. One of mine is Nubian/Saanen so I wonder if she could go earlier than the full Nubians.

Obviously the waiting is getting to me - I'm over analyzing!

Minelson · #2 03/19/09, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilredhen

My book says if you can feel the babies moving, then the doe won't kid in the next 12 hours. Has anyone found this to be true?

Nope...I felt mine moving a long time before they were born..like days/weeks.

Obviously the waiting is getting to me - I'm over analyzing!

They usually have them when you are completely bald from pulling your hair out waiting and wondering...or when you are dis-owned from your family and friends from driving them crazy.

lilredhen · #3 03/19/09, 06:55 PM

What I mean is when you can no longer feel them moving, that means birth is imminent.

They usually have them when you are completely bald from pulling your hair out waiting and wondering...or when you are dis-owned from your family and friends from driving them crazy.

Well I still have some hair left so the wait will continue...

Minelson · #4 03/19/09, 10:06 PM

Oh I see what you mean...as long as you can feel them moving you have at least 12 hours if not more to wait...hmmmm...Since I wouldn't be able to feel them every time then it's hard to remember when it stopped. And whenever I was not able to feel them I would freak out and think they were dead, so I kinda stopped doing it. The biggest clue for me was when she started pawing at the ground and pressing her head against the wall and she wanted to be left alone..she gave birth a few hours after that. I had a few wisps of hair left

bloogrssgrl · #5 03/20/09, 03:01 AM

The easiest way for me to tell that it is time is when there is a nose and little legs coming out. Other than that, my does have consistently been inconsistent with prebirth signs. No ligaments? Could be a few days yet. Lying down, panting and grunting? Just kidding - NOT! String of goo? Mmmmmmaybe, maybe not.

I've giving up trying to look for signs in my does. Perhaps watching the sky for signs would prove more industrious.

stanb999 · #6 03/20/09, 05:24 AM

The only way we can tell is "they act different".

But of course generally the strangeness is noted after the birth took place.

pookshollow · #7 03/20/09, 06:53 AM

I've had four does kid so far this year. Two were over a week early and I wasn't expecting it, although I had my suspicions on one of them. One was three days past her due date and one I didn't have a due date for her. Of those two, I checked them both the morning they kidded and thought "Nah, nothing happening today" and they had babies by lunchtime.

So I haven't seen any born yet this year!

Madfarmer · #8 03/20/09, 07:07 AM

You have to take the book out to the barn and read it to them. It won't help, but it'll give you something to do while you're waiting!

Madfarmer

lilredhen · #9 03/20/09, 05:18 PM

Thanks for your replies.

Pooks I had the same experience where the doe appeared normal then 2 hours later here's the babies.

My 9yo son doesn't want to "miss the show" as we have the last 3 times. I'll just have to check more often (and have luck on my side.)

At least you've all given me a few laughs while I'm waiting!

DairyGoatSlave · #10 03/20/09, 05:38 PM

i couldnt feel yas babys this morning... ill let u know if its true

and iv lost all my hair its very possible

cjb · #11 03/20/09, 07:11 PM

Ours are all over the place too but usually consistent with what they themselves did previously. One of them paws and groans like the drama queen that she is. One of them paws and isolates herself. One of them has only delivered once but she acted like nothing was up then snuck them in (out) when we left her alone for a couple of hours.

You can count on them to trick you but do look for all the signs and keep posting here so we can make fun of how nuts they're driving you.

I bred very late so you will all be laughing at me this summer and I'll probably be alone in it!