[fruittartcaprines]

Nubian doe, 2nd freshenening has a huge udder, I can't feel ligs, and her pooch is smooth and almost a little puffed out. Thought she was going to go last night but didn't...I would attach a picbut sitting in her stall right now. She seems uncomfortable but no streaming or plug yet. She's definitely zoned out and chewing her cud angrily and then she will pause and she is arching her back some but not a ton. Any guesses as to how long? I don't want to leave her as we had a ff whose baby came unexpectedly and either was stillborn or too cold...it's 18 degrees!! Any guesses as to how long me and the arctic bag need to hold out?

 

[liz]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

She's in labor...and could take up to 8 hours from the time you noticed contractions til the time she actually is ready to deliver. Take a break, go warm yourself up and check her every hour and a half to see if she's making progress. Not all does will have discharge at this point.

 

[milk and honey]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

How exciting... good luck and keep us posted! I'll pray for a good delivery

 

[AlaskaBoers]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

take pics! it's handy to refer back to.

good luck!

 

[jduwall]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

Waiting is so hard....Can't wait to see the pics....YEAH~~!! go mommy...praying for a smooth delivery ray: ray:

 

[milkmaid]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

praying for a smooth delivery ray: ray:

Me too! OOOOHHHHH NUBIAN! FLOPPY EARS!

 

[fruittartcaprines]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

Hope I'm really seeing contractions here but she is stopping chewing her cud and holding her breath and closing her eyes every 30 seconds now. She laid down next to me in the stall so I must not be bothering her...

 

[lissablack]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

If it was me and I was warm enough I would be checking her at least every 30 minutes until it is much later. Depending on how late it is where you are. The first kids I ever had were born in temps like you have, we were so tired we were checking only every hour, and we got there just as they had been born and they were fine. I didn't know what I was doing, and we got so cold, once they were dry and had eaten I shut them in their little shed to keep them as warm as possible, and we went to sleep. I would not have been surprised if they had been dead in the morning. But they were fine. I haven't had kids in January since then. I'm a little worried, this year I have kids coming in February, but it usually isn't that cold here then.

Jan

 

[cdtrum]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

How exciting!!!! Good thoughts coming your way for smooth delivery and hope momma gets down to business soon so your not out there all night! Can't wait to see the cuties!

 

[mommaB]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

Whooo hooo More kiddos!!! YAY!!! :stars: Wishing you a safe and happy delivery! Can't wait to see pics!

 

[toth boer goats]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

Alright babies....real soon.. :hi5: :clap:

 

[firelight27]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

Kids yet? Once the ligs are completely and totally unable to be felt I've always had kids within 48 hours, but usually within 12-24. Once you see contractions, which you are, you should have kids within 8. Once they lose their ligs, I check on them every few hours if I can. Once I see contractions, or my doe is pawing a lot, going to the bathroom a lot or "pausing" where she stops chewing and stares (another sign of a contraction) I check on them every half hour to fourty five minutes. One time this meant I was pretty much up two nights straight, but it was worth it, because I was there for the birth and she had a very stuck kid.

 

[myfainters]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

Any kids yet? I'll be up tonight delivering kids too...so know you aren't alone in the late night torture. LOL :cheers: :snow:

 

[Hush Hills Fainters]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

Good luck!!!! Can't wait to see pics....if it helps I can't sleep so Im up with ya'all

 

[fruittartcaprines]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

Nothing yet, keep checking on her and she has been sound asleep...the others may have been Braxton hicks? Do goats get those? It's warming up, 23 right now...going to give her some tums on the next check- can't imagine she is calcium deficient but I suppose it could happen. She is not in any distress...

 

[AlaskaBoers]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

I had a doe who did that to me, 4 times! crazy!! FF boer yearling. It drove me nuts but I knew her exact breeding date/

 

[fruittartcaprines]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

Just went for another check...still nothing but she has been sleeping extra-soundly. Now the doe that I was sure was going to go after her is losing her ligs and has some crusties on her tail...from goo perhaps? These ladies are making me nutso! After both of them I have two more...one who is for sure bred but hasn't developed an udder yet (ff) and one who is potentially so but is pretty wild so hard to check. Gave both of the 2nd fresheners some tums, which they both ate with gusto...wish I could go back to sleep but now I'm really awake *sigh*

 

[fruittartcaprines]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

As of this last check I am now thoroughly confused, Rende, the Nubian looks like she has a ways to go (still no ligaments) and now Pineapple has lost hers and was laying down in her stall sort of moaning. No contractions yet but Piney looks miserable. So we are all backwards here. The first doe to kid this week was not supposed to go for another few days and the ones who are due seem to be not due-ing. *sigh* Of course we are also getting January weather in December so maybe that's got us all out of whack. Can't wait until my husband gets up so I can shower...getting pretty rank after two nights of night checks and hanging out in the barn all day.

 

[cdtrum]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

"Can't wait until my husband gets up so I can shower...getting pretty rank after two nights of night checks and hanging out in the barn all day."

:laugh: Don't worry....you are amongst friends here! Hubby always tells me I smell like my boys (wethers).......I have become quite fond of the "barn" smell, thank you very much

 

[fruittartcaprines]

Re: Sitting in the barn...but should I be?

Hehe, I was so bad that even I couldn't stand me.

Well just read an article as to how I might have been able to save the kid that died and I'm super bummed. I don't know how I didn't remember the water thing (last year was my first kidding and I read *everything*) but I did forget and we might have been able to save her. I'm pretty bummed at my own stupidity and full of what ifs- I had sent my son down to feed and went and rode my horse...if I had gone down would I have seen the signs that she was going to kid? Would I have been able to assist and get the kid to safety right Away? Now I'm totally paranoid about these next does. *sigh* what's done is done and I can't change that, but I feel like a bad goat mommy and now I'm sure I'm hovering a bit in my panic. She was a beautiful spotted doling by my nigi buck and out of my ff Nubian doe. Ugh. I know this is the way it goes but I think I would have rather been able to say "and I did everything I could". Not that I didn't, but it was just a chain of poor decisions and misremembering.