How long...?

BiGtImEfArMeRs4 · #1 02/09/05, 05:03 PM

This might sound stupid but...yeah. Okay, well we bought two boer goats with kids on them in July. Now we found out that they were also bred when we got them. We have no clue when they are due, other than sometime this month. About a week or so ago they started getting milk. So my question is, how long after boer does start to get milk is it until they kid? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Lori

mary,tx · #2 02/09/05, 05:43 PM

Goats have about a five month gestation (145-155 days). If they have not been exposed to a buck since July, they would not now be expecting kids, unless I am missing something. Someone will correct me if Boers' gestation is terribly different from Dairy goats.
mary

BiGtImEfArMeRs4 · #3 02/09/05, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mary,tx

Goats have about a five month gestation (145-155 days). If they have not been exposed to a buck since July, they would not now be expecting kids, unless I am missing something. Someone will correct me if Boers' gestation is terribly different from Dairy goats.
mary

Whoops

sorry, just looked up when we got them and it was in September. Gosh I feel like such an idiot! Thanks mary, tx, you made me think and realize I had the month wrong out here. Okay, so now does anyone know how long after a boer goat starts to get some milk it is until the kid? Gosh, I think I have everything right now. Thanks again! Lori

mary,tx · #4 02/09/05, 05:56 PM

lol I can relate, Lori, and glad I didn't offend you. I haven't raised boers, but I know that with other goats, it just depends on the goat! My Molly(a Nubian) is due tomorrow. Her bags are still limp. When she bags up, today's the day! lol
However, some, I've heard, will bag up weeks in advance.
Maybe someone else will be more helpful.
I would figure the last possible due date from the time you brought them home for maybe a better idea of the time frame you are looking at.
mary

dosthouhavemilk · #5 02/09/05, 05:57 PM

It really depends on the doe. I have a doe who starts sacking up about six weeks before her due date. I also have a doe that does not start sacking up until she the day before she kids.
We don't have any Boer crosses due until next year but our does have dam raised their kids up until this year (I am milkinga handful this year).

When their udder and teats are full, the ligaments gone, the kid(s) dropped into position, the mucous plug passed, etc. you might have a clue that it will be very soon.
Do you know when they were exposed to the buck? Were they with the buck all the way up until the day you took them? If so, it could be March before they have any kid(s).

The biggest indicator is a foot sticking out or a couple of kids on the ground when you go to check.

:haha:

BiGtImEfArMeRs4 · #6 02/09/05, 06:16 PM

Okay, because I heard that it is normally a week after the goat has milk (more than what these two have). Mary, tx thank you soo much! Dosthouhavemilk, I don't know how long they were in with a billy for. We actually got them each from a Livestock market with a kid on. So we have no clue how long or when they were exposed in a buck (unfortantly). [QUOTE]The biggest indicator is a foot sticking out or a couple of kids on the ground when you go to check.[QUOTE] Yupp, I guess that is one way we will know when they will have. LOL :haha: Thanks again to both of you! God Bless ya!
Lori

GoatsRus · #7 02/10/05, 03:40 PM

We raise Boer goats and the gestation is the same as the other goats. Again, it depends on the goat, number of deliveries and the age of the goat. Three of our first timers hardly had a bag at all, even after they delivered. Apparently it was enough for their twins, but we couldn't tell by the bag when they were due. Those 3 same goats just gave birth again this year and they all had nice size bags before kidding. One of them gave us no sign whatsoever that she was ready. We had just put out some grain and she was scarffing down her share while the water bubble started to appear - she kept right on eating until she was ready to deliver the boys. I think all you can do is keep checking for the signs that everyone posts and keep your fingers crossed for a nice smooth delivery.

I'm sure you and your goaties will do fine!

cntrymomof4 · #8 02/10/05, 05:06 PM

[QUOTE=BiGtImEfArMeRs4]Okay, because I heard that it is normally a week after the goat has milk (more than what these two have). Mary, tx thank you soo much! Dosthouhavemilk, I don't know how long they were in with a billy for. We actually got them each from a Livestock market with a kid on. So we have no clue how long or when they were exposed in a buck (unfortantly). [QUOTE]The biggest indicator is a foot sticking out or a couple of kids on the ground when you go to check.

Quote:

Yupp, I guess that is one way we will know when they will have. LOL :haha: Thanks again to both of you! God Bless ya!
Lori

We have a couple boer does, ones been bagging up for about 3 weeks now, her bag is now HUGE and she's been really "jiggley" in the back for the last week....still no kids yet! LOL The other I bought from sale barn, she was already exposed and barely has a bag at all(by the way, she was supposed to have been exposed to a buck from Aug till Oct). Ya got to LOVe the waiting game, huh?

Shazza · #9 02/12/05, 06:43 PM

Can you handle them? Get up real close? If so this is what I do....put your hand on her tail bone..put your fingers eitherside of the bone and see if you can push your fingers under her tail bone and touch the other finger...like you are making a circle with the tail bone in the middle. When you can do this it means that all the muscles have relaxed enough for the birth to begin....I usually check a couple times a day and you will be able to tell. Cheers.

BiGtImEfArMeRs4 · #10 02/13/05, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoatsRus

We had just put out some grain and she was scarffing down her share while the water bubble started to appear - she kept right on eating until she was ready to deliver the boys. I think all you can do is keep checking for the signs that everyone posts and keep your fingers crossed for a nice smooth delivery.

I'm sure you and your goaties will do fine!

Wow, I guess some goats are just like that. Yeah, I sure hope that she has without any problems. Thanks! Hope your doe had them fine and without any problems!

Quote:

Originally Posted by cntrymomof4

We have a couple boer does, ones been bagging up for about 3 weeks now, her bag is now HUGE and she's been really "jiggley" in the back for the last week....still no kids yet! LOL The other I bought from sale barn, she was already exposed and barely has a bag at all(by the way, she was supposed to have been exposed to a buck from Aug till Oct). Ya got to LOVe the waiting game, huh?

Yeah, wow amazing how much that sounds like our two boers! LOL Well the one's bag is starting to fill up and I believe this might be here week sometime. Yeah it sucks when you have no clue when they are due! Yeah, sometimes I think they just like to watch us go nuts!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shazza

Can you handle them? Get up real close? If so this is what I do....put your hand on her tail bone..put your fingers eitherside of the bone and see if you can push your fingers under her tail bone and touch the other finger...like you are making a circle with the tail bone in the middle. When you can do this it means that all the muscles have relaxed enough for the birth to begin....I usually check a couple times a day and you will be able to tell. Cheers.

Yeah, they are big babies, come up to you as soon as you walk in. Okay will try that. Pretty sure she is due sometime this week though. She is bagging up pretty well.

Thanks, to everyone that has replied. Hope ya all have a good year with your goats! Thanks again. God Bless Lori