Hi all,
I could really use some help. I purchased a pregnant doe and a doeling from a 4-her who went to college. She had put this doe with a buck before she realized that she couldn't take them to college, and took her out. When I agreed to purchase her, back in with the buck she went, so possible due date? Who knows, she could have been covered anytime from Sept 1st to Oct 15th! That leaves a long window. No one ever saw the buck mount her, but LORD SHE IS PREGNANT! she is huge and you could watch the babies having a wrestling match inside her. She has not had much people handling, so she freaks out easily. She has just started coming up to me. She seems to like me to be where she can see me, but how close is completely her idea! So to symptoms:
1) for the last three days she has been pawing at the ground
2) she gets up and down, rolls on her side and because she is so huge, she rolls right back!
3) She has been butting the ground
4) her udder and teats are full but not distended
5) her vulva is very poofy
6) she has obviously dropped
6) The best I can tell, her tail ligaments are gone, but I can't really examine her without freaking her out
7) She came up to me and licked me and wanted me to touch her! (she still jumps if I move without her permission though
8) She stretches a lot
9) gets that lost look and stares
10) She doesn't talk, but when she lays down, she if panting and grunting. When she stands you can tell she is breathing heavy and hear her blowing air through her nose.
11) she keeps looking at her stomach
12) she is biting her stomach and trying to bite her vulva!
I am attaching some pictures. Today there was just a small amount of mucous, about the size of a pencil around and 1 1/2" long. I know that is not a lot, but.. I thought worth mentioning.
So, is she in labor?
How long do we have to go possibly?
Since she is so skittish, should I leave her alone and just watch what I can through the cameras?
At what point to I go help her?
any other questions that I don't know enough to ask!
I have more picture or could take some more if you need them
Thank you, Thank you!
Replies
Not a big deal on hijacking the thread. It's totally understandable. And please do NOT hesitate to post questions in the future! I'm just always hoping people will post in such a way that it makes it easy to find things in the future. No doubt, someone will face a similar situation at some point, and there's a lot of good info that was shared. We are all always learning from each other.
I'm so glad that your little guy is doing better. The first 24 hours are the most challenging because they have to start consuming milk and regulating their body temperature and all of these things that they never had to do before. Now that he's past all that, it should be smooth sailing.
Phebe said:
I'm sorry I hijacked this thread. I'm done posting now.
Kathie I'm so glad you have beautiful babies! I've been following your story since the beginning.
image.jpg
If you're worried and you have calcium drench available, that wouldn't hurt her. Calcium is important for good uterine contractions. I had a goat last week that had a couple inches of placenta still hanging out after 18 hours, so I gave her a calcium drench, and the rest of it passed on its own. Other than that, there isn't anything you could do as an untrained person. Her uterus is probably mostly closed anyway. If she goes off feed and becomes lethargic, check her temperature. If it's 104 or higher, call the vet.
However, you haven't described anything that has me worried. I just know that you worry a lot. :) I did too the first few years. And now I just keep repeating to myself, "if the goat is happy, I'm happy."
Goats have after pains just like humans. I had one that acted like she was in labor a couple days after giving birth -- and she did it in the middle of a goat care class! She laid down, stretched her legs in front of her, and groaned. I'd never seen anything that extreme before, but I figured she was showing the class how a goat acts when in labor. :) It only lasted for about ten ten minutes.
You'll see drainage for about two weeks. Goats are more affectionate when in labor and after giving birth. The hormones make them quite loving. Old timers talk about letting them lick your hands when there's birth goo on them so that she'll bond with you. This is when I really pay a ton of attention to goats that are not very friendly. It's a great window of opportunity. I get them on the milk stand twice a day and at least pretend to milk so that they get used to the experience.
Explain what exactly is happening. Are you just seeing something happening on her belly? How often is it happening? Is she screaming? Walking around? Eating and drinking?
Kathie Branam said:
Congratulations! Ten hours? You must be frozen!
What cuties!! CONGRATULATIONS!!
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
of 11 Next