How to know if doe is fat or showing?

Having never had a pregnant goat before - how do I tell if my 3 pregnant goats are showing or if those 3 are just fatter than my 1 dry doe who is looking svelte. I have 2 10 month old doelings who have different body shapes - one is heavier looking than the other and it is all hair when you push down on the coat. So I just have no idea if we are good or fat - for the pregnant ones.

When temps were really really cold - below zero daytime - I started a little grain for a couple days but we are feeding none now that temps have been in the balmy 20's at night and 30 daytime. But they get lots of pretty nutritious hay and a little chaffhaye, plus their minerals and kelp. Also leaves of deciduous trees as well as pine needles. So they are constantly eating even if there is no grain. A little bit of BOSS to get them into the barn at night. OH - and left over organic pumpkins they "discover" where I put them out in the browse area.

They are all running, playing, standing on their rocks and stumps, etc. Oblivious to the snow and the cold.

They are 2.5 months away from kidding.

If you need pictures - let me know. My friend says her goat is showing - she is same timing as mine. And my friend has kidded several times before. But I'm sort of weight "Nazi" in general and don't like fat pregnant animals -- however two of my girls are "heavy boned" and have always run easily to looking like they are gaining weight if you look at them and the third has always been a leaner goat (the queen). So how much is their individual uniqueness in shape, are we fat or are we starting to show. Or all three?

Judy

I also have two 11 month old doelings who are pregnant. One is 3 months along and the other is almost 2 months. The 3 month along doeling is without a doubt pregnant as she is building an udder this week! She also has looked "fatter" than usual for the past couple of weeks but they are also wooly bears from this cold winter. They say you can't really tell by looking at them as they could have only one kid in there and it can just never "show". On the other hand as they get wider with multiples, it's kind of obvious. I've been really nervous about overfeeding my girls as well, but since they are technically kids themselves, I think they need a little more than just a dry pregnant doe would. I feed mine a little bit of grain and alfalfa morning and night (like a handful) because they are still growing themselves! Good luck with yours!

Replies

Deborah Niemann-Boehle February 5, 2014 at 9:45am

Ditto on everything that's already been said. If you have a copy of my book, there are pictures on page 148 of a doe that has lost her girlish figure when she is not pregnant and then at five month pregnant. It's the shape of the belly rather than the width. That should not be an issue with the 10-month does, but you didn't mention the ages of the others.

Posting pictures almost always helps, but there are no guarantees.
Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres February 4, 2014 at 12:56am

I don't usually "call" it until my does start to bag up, because I can look them up and down and obsess over them to the point I will convince myself they are pregnant. lol The udder is my favorite "tell"
Julia @Woody Glen Farm February 3, 2014 at 8:56pm

I also have two 11 month old doelings who are pregnant. One is 3 months along and the other is almost 2 months. The 3 month along doeling is without a doubt pregnant as she is building an udder this week! She also has looked "fatter" than usual for the past couple of weeks but they are also wooly bears from this cold winter. They say you can't really tell by looking at them as they could have only one kid in there and it can just never "show". On the other hand as they get wider with multiples, it's kind of obvious. I've been really nervous about overfeeding my girls as well, but since they are technically kids themselves, I think they need a little more than just a dry pregnant doe would. I feed mine a little bit of grain and alfalfa morning and night (like a handful) because they are still growing themselves! Good luck with yours!

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