Well, the "is she or isn't she" with Daphne was decided last night when she kidded completely unexpectedly. I noticed she had really bagged up in the morning but she was happy and content, eating well and no signs of discharge or distress. She was the same at evening feeding. When I went back out at about 8:30 I saw her standing off by herself so I shined the flashlight on her. Sure enough, there was a kid beside her and she had something hanging out. I rushed in to get my kidding kit and a better light. Back out at the pen and I saw that beside that kid was one that didn't make it. A doeling, of course. It was a good size and perfectly formed so I'm guessing she had them so quickly she couldn't get them both cleaned off in time. I checked her over and bounced her and determined that she probably didn't have any more in there. This is what she did last time according to her previous owners. Unlike the prolonged labor and pushing of many goats, apparently the kids just about fall out of Daphne!
All is well now, though, and I got the buckling I wanted out of her. The buck she was bred to was outstanding. So no doelings this season, but there's always next year. The important thing is that I have two happy, healthy mother-baby pairs and will soon have plenty of milk. A good outcome overall.
Here are a couple of pics. We've named him Ezra.
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Congratulations! We have a line of does that kid like that. They make it look way too easy. :-)
In the future, if you see a lot of stuff hanging out, that generally means the doe is done, and the placenta is starting to release. Between kids, there is either nothing hanging out or it's only an inch or two of an umbilical cord from the last kid.
Hooray! Congratulations to all.