What signs should you look for when you think your doe is about to give birth? Some breeders know exactly when to expect kids because of a strict breeding regimen and then they mark off the days on the calendar. Here at my little farm, I let my does breed when they show signs of heat and I let nature take its course. Once I notice that she no longer shows interest in the buck, I just remove him and then mark the calendar for an “approximate” date.
Here are the most common signs of birthing. However, I’ve had a couple of goats show absolutely no signs at 7pm yet at 7am they came to eat accompanied by a little one!
These signs are in no particular order:
- The doe digs a nest, paces, paws at the ground or bedding
- There is white vaginal discharge, loss of the mucus plug, followed by a streaming of clear, runny mucus
- Has loose tail ligaments; tail lifts up
- Appears restless, rises and lies down frequently
- Eyes are luminous and possibly stargazes
- Smells the ground and may exhibit the Flehmen reaction (curling of upper lip)
- Looks behind her, licks or bites her sides
- Hollows out: from the side, hollow areas above the back leg under the back
- Elevates her front end by standing on something with her front feet only
- Bottom of her belly starts getting lower to the ground
- Squats and urinates frequently
- Udder begins to fill, teat have a waxy, shiny look or are strutted (pointed slightly out to side rather than downward) – this sign is usually right before birthing – expect kid in 24 hours
- Vulva becomes flabby & puffy
- Bleats or “baby talks” to the unborn kid
- Grinds teeth
- Breathes faster, pants, yawns
- Goes off by herself to a “private’ place (that could be out in the rain or cold)
- Acts out of character: becomes more affectionate or more standoffish
- Acts uncomfortable and pushes and rolls as the babies get into birthing position
- Vocalizes or grunts when contractions occur
- May refuse to eat the morning of delivery (very rare here!
Remember, all goats are individuals and may or may not show any of the above signs. By knowing your animals, you’ll know when something’s up.
Being present at birthing is a beautiful gift – it’s unlikely that your doe will need help but if she does, just do what comes naturally! Most times all she needs is to hear your comforting voice, especially on first timers.
I love holding wet babies and having them smell me from the moment they’re cleaned off. Then suprisingly, watch them jump around only hours after entering this world! What a joy!
Winter kids have it very hard. I’ve experienced it first hand this year. I’ve lost a few to chills (moms kidded outside in the rain when they had access to a warm dry barn – go figure), and at this time in January most of my kids have the sniffles, runny noses and lots of coughing. It’s very hard to see these little babies not healthy as they should. Because of this, I will not allow any of my does to breed between May and October (hence avoiding kidding between October & March). I’ve had to learn the hard way but certainly not as hard as my little goats!
April 28th, 2010
I’ve added this link to a video of a normal birth – no problems or issues. Brownie is mildly vocal, some can be much louder and others will not make a sound. You’ll see me grab the little hooves & pull. Only do this if you feel the kid is stuck but before you do pull, insert your fingers to feel for the little muzzle. If you don’t feel the nose, do not pull – it could be that the kid is not presenting itself correctly. However, this is no cause to be alarmed.. not yet. Most times the contractions will realign the kid and all will go well. Sometimes, like the case with Gracie, this didn’t happen & she needed an emergency C-Section.
Hi. Quick question for you. This morning I went out to my barn and the new nanny I got seems to have a cold. Both nostrils had a little snot coming out. I wiped her nose and didn’t see anymore in her nose. Does this sound like just a cold? Is there anything I could do for her or just let it run it’s course?
Thanks…
It’s probably just a cold or symptoms of travel fever. Often farm animals when transported develop cold symptoms & are just in bad shape for a few days. This is one of the reasons isolating new coming animals. If it is a cold virus, chances are all of your goats will get it & that sucks. I’ve done that a few times & I have learned the hard way. No matter how good they look when you bring them home, give them at least 10 days alone. During that time, worm them, vaccinate them (if you do that), trim their hooves and just let them get to know you. Then if they develop something, you don’t have to treat your entire herd.
If it’s a cold, let it run it’s course. Don’t be quick to jump to penicillin shots or other meds. If she’s eating and appears otherwise normal, just let it be. The others may get it, that’s not going to kill them. Just carry a tissue & wipe runny noses & be sure to clean your hands between goats. I carry a small bottle of Germx stuff in my pockets for quick washes. If your goats stop eating, then it will be time to take a different course of action. Hope this helps!
Hi, I’m a first time goat breeder. I have ewes that Ive bred out, but never a goat. My goat is a first timer and she started leaking a white discharge from her vulva, but she shows no other signs, other than her loose ligaments around her tail-head. Her udder is hard and rounded, but is not shiny. She is a Nubian Boer cross. Shes very mellow and doesn’t seem to distressed or getting up and down frequently. Should I be concerned about her not seeming to be going into labor? Thanks
Amber, I’ve seen that with my goats too sometimes. I think it’s just normal vaginal fluids. However, if she starts to rub herself more than normal, she may have a fungal infection & that would itch. When goats are just about to give birth, they’ll expel a clear, sometimes threaded with blood, vaginal fluid. Don’t worry about your girl, she’ll do fine!
Ok. One more thing. I want to thank you for getting back to me and answering my questions. You have an awesome site and you’ve been very helpful!
Thanks,
Keith
No problem Keith.. happy to help!
So if she’s not pregnant now, there’s a good chance it might have happened? She was in with 30 to 40 other goats and there was alot of mating going on.
If I do milk her could you drink her milk? Or would you wait a while because it’s questionable on where she actually came from.
If there was free breeding, she is definitely pregnant – you’ll just have to watch for signs of imminent birthing. Yes, you can drink her milk & it doesn’t matter who bred her for the quality of the milk. I don’t know much about milking but I do know that the milk must be immediately chilled (a friend of mine keeps the stainless steel milk jug in a large bowl of ice so the milk chills right away). Be sure to keep male goats away as their smell will be in the milk. If you milk her, I don’t know if she will produce colostrum just before birthing… the kids need that. Here’s an excellent site to learn how to but you’ll need to do a bit more research.
Oh….and another thing. When I got my pygmy female, she was in a barn with about 50 other goats. They were mating like crazy in there. If a pygmy just kidded, how soon after can she get pregnant again? Is it possible that with all the mating that she could be pregnant right after she gave birth?
Hey, I just got a pygmy female from a goat buyer, seller. He had no info on her but she is big (not large) but has a belly and she is lactating. He thinks she might have given birth recently but had no idea. Is there any way for me to know if she has already given birth? And if I’m supposed to milk her? It would be awesome if she’s still pregnant but I have a feeling she recently gave birth.
KSO, you don’t have to milk her if you don’t want to but keep an eye on her bag… if she develops mastitis (hard knots), she’ll need to have hot towels and her udders massaged. Her kid may or may not have weaned gradually. Pregnancies are carried on the right side & under the belly – the rumen (which often makes goats appear pregnant), is on the left side. If she wasn’t weaned gradually, her appearance may lead you to think that she’s getting closer to kidding time (bags up and bag is shiny & tight), when in reality, it’s just a normal process because she’s not nursing.
To answer your second email, yes she can get pregnant within a few to 10 days right after kidding. Some breeders breed year round.. some for milking purposes, others because they don’t know any better. Personally, I like to give my girls some time off.
Good luck with your girl!
Thanks Christine, about the compliments on all my kids both the furry and non furry ones. LOL. The little girl it doing a lot better now she is able to get up on her own and eat when we hold her up to her moms side. She is also walking now a little drunken but she is walking, though most of the time she walkes backwards. I think that is how she figured out how to get her rear legs under her. Whe no longer use the sweaters on them as they are older now and seem to be controling their body heat better and they still have a heat light on when it is very cold and at night. My daughter is sad because she liked dressing the baby goats up. I am not tube feeding the girl anymore as it seems as long as we make sure she gets a chance to eat at least three times a day her belly is staying full. We use that time to do her physical therapy too. You know putting her legs straight under her and keeping them straight for at least 30 min. Wow…Who knew baby goats could be such work. Thanks again for all your help and advice.
Christine, You and I must both be drawn to the same arcticles because I read this one right after the babies were born searching for the way to help the little babies. Thankfully we did not have to do a lot of the stuff the article was suggesting. Though I am tube feeding the little girl and she is showing a lot of improvement. Today she was not only standing on her own but she was also trying to walk and was nursing from her mom with help, directing her in the right direction and holding the teat for her when she would start eating and doing it over again when she would loose it. I still tube feeding her after her attempts to eat from Cinnamon just to make sure she is getting enough. I am praying that she continues to get stronger and healthier. Thanks againg for all your help here is a link to a photo of Cinnamons babies and mine. I also posted it to youi Facebook wall.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3789985&l=91bec1477a&id=637416934
Jessica, the internet is a marvelous thing.. especially for answers to questions we are searching for. You did a great job with the little one – just make sure not to overfeed her as she will not feel the need to try to nurse if her belly is full. Keep me posted! I have just sent you a friend request also!
Here is a link to pictures of Cinnamon’s Babies if you would liketo see them. I also posted them on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3789985&l=91bec1477a&id=637416934
Oh my gosh.. they’re so adorable! Even the non furry ones!!! I love the idea of the little doggy sweaters! That’s great!
Christine, I was just updating you on Cinnamon. She delivered her triplets on Wed. the 3rd. She had one tiny doe kid my 4 year old daughter name her Shirley Durley. Two bucks one of the bucks is huge, around twice the size of the other babies, his named Goliath and the other one is tiny his name is Walker. We had to pull all of them their legs were all tangled up and the big buck Goliath was very stuck. While my husband was pulling the baby I had to pull the doe because he had to pull so hard it was pulling her across the ground. We are having a problem with the little doe and buck having weak legs. The doe still has not walked. Just today I was able to get her to stand but was not able to walk yet. I am holding her up to nurse from the mom she sucks with alot of help and I was having a hard time getting the mom to stay still long enough. So Shirley I tried to bottle feed her but with her being so weak it kept getting up her nose so last night we started to tube feed her. She seems to be a lot stronger so hopfully soon we will be able to get her to nurse off the mom. Cinnamon did not reject any of the babies she loves them all and is very protective of them all. So I left Shirley in with her mom and brothers and just give her milk four times a day. The little buck is a little better he is able to eat off the mom without assistance and is walking hince his name Walker. All of the babies are diffrent colors. Shirley is red with black spots and a white blaze on her face and white ears with black poke-a-dots. Goliath is a orange red color with a white star on his head. Walker is typical Nubian black and red. Their dad is a Lamancha Alpine cross. Thanks again for all your help and God Bless.
Jessica, thank you so much for filling me in. Very few readers take the time to follow up. I really appreciate it! Please take the time to read this article.. you’ll find it very helpful regarding your little ones. Keep everyone warm & make sure mom gets a good supplement like Goat Drench… something that’s a must in your goat cabinet. Please post pictures on my Facebook page.. all the fans would love it. Take care & God Bless!
Christine,
HELP!!! I have red all of your info and posts on kidding, and I think everyone elses as well. My husband and I have gitten into meat goats and our doe is due to kid soon but we do not know her due date. I saw that you do not know yours as well but here lies the problem. Our doe has been nesting for a week now, ligaments gone, belly dropped, prominant hip bones, udder as big as my head. I we worry something is wrong the vet says no and we will know if something is wrong and just be patient because we do not know the due date. I have affectionatly dubbed her the eternally preganant goat, do you have any advice.
I had a few of those myself in the past! As long as mom doesn’t appear distressed (mom as in goat, not you!), you have nothing to worry. From my experience, the only “sure” sign is very shiny milk bag with sometimes drips… however, they don’t all show this way. You’ll come to the pen at some point & SURPRISE!!! Don’t sweat it, she obviously isn’t! Good luck & keep me posted!
Christine,
Everythings fine here. Trixie is about ready, the sun is shining and we are ready for some babies! This will be her second time! Thank you for your time and energy. The information is outstanding. Yahoo for spring!
Bless you and yours,
Terri
Terri, thank you for the kind words! Blessings to you and your family also! Be sure to post pictures on my Facebook fan page!
Christine,
This never happened to me before. My Salish is due on March 26th this is her 4th time, she usually has triplets. I know I saw her breed. The thing is that I bred her a month before, and she was crazy in heat again a month later so I let her to the buck(she was bred again) I then counted her due date since the 2 breeding. She now is showing signs of labor like: vulva is swolen, she has milk in her udder and it’s dripping. She is huge and I think she is going to have babies soon. Can this happen with the milk coming in so soon or she is really due sooner then I though.
Thank you for all the time you are spending on the computer answering our questions. God will reward you for that.
God bless you
Galina
Christine, Cinnamons pen is quite large it is a one of those large box trailers that used fit on a flat bed truck maybe like 5X10 feet and she is the only one in it. I was thinking maybe part of the problem is she is a very nervose goat and with all our checking she can’t relax and have the kid. Last night she had a new sign and that was she was being very curious and lippy. When I went to leave she followed me, which she never does so I shined the flashlight at her to see what was going on and she started lipping it and flapping her tounge like a buck does to a doe. I guess I will just wait and see when she delivers. I think that I like it better when I don’t know excactly when she is due so I don’t worry as much just get suprised by a baby. So if I am understanding your answer only use the heat light at night and don’t worry how long as long as her water has not broke or she is not showing signs of destress. As far a the issue with a vet we do not have one in our town and the nerest town that has one is 90 miles away. My husband and I are both ready, willing and able to “go in” if nessasary. My husband has done that sucessfully twice before. Once before with my doe Negrita that died last month and once with a neighbors doe that had triplets. He had to go in for all of the triplets because to first one was stuck and the doe had exausted herself before they asked my husband for help and she was done working she was just laying there crying. In this small community we all learn to help each other because there is not much outside help available. Thanks for your prompt answer and I will let you know how it turns our with her. If you have any other advice please let me know.
also the mother is up, walking and eating.
I need some help.
We got home last night to find our female with a baby stuck inside her. The babys head was out but the rest of it was stuck inside her. My husband and I removed the baby. It was dead when we found it. The moma is still bleeding and has a cord like thing hanging out of her. Should I worry about this? This is our first experince with having babies.
Christine, first of all I have enjoyed reading your blog and advice and have found it very informitive. As far as my question, I have a two year old Nubian doe past due to have her babies. She had a single buck last year all on her own with no problems. This year I know exactly when she was bred and she completed 150 days on February 17th. She is huge, streching a lot, her vulva is very swollen but has no discharge. Her flanks have hollowed out, her tail head is raised and she has a udder that lookes like she is diffinantly producing milk but it is not “shiny” yet. She has been like this for the last week and a half. The only chage is her vulva getting larger. She is not showing any distress just looking a little uncomfortable. I am up all hours of the nights checking on her saying “I think tonight is the night” I live in Nevada and we have been having temps at night that get down to 15 deg. I don’t want to wake up in the morning to frozen babies. We have her in a covered pen alone with straw bedding and a heat lamp. I think that she does not want this special treatment to end so she is never going to have her baby!LOL!! My question is how long is too long to wait? I don’t want to lose her. We lost a doe last month to milk fever and I don’t want to lose Cinnamon also! Thank you Jessica
Jessica, thank you for the kind words. I know how anxious you must feel! Have you tried just removing the lamp? Leave her in a confined area but remove the lamp – she may find it invasive. She may need to move around a bit more if her pen is real small. I’d put the lamp back on before bed, just to be safe. I think all of my goats (20 some), have always birthed during the day. Of course these are Pygmys and maybe that’s just something with them but I don’t think so. Horses will birth between midnight & dawn but not goats. Usually. I just think that as long as she’s not in any form of distress, she should be fine. Do you have a vet handy or someone (maybe yourself), that can “jump” in if need be? You may want to line someone up.. just in case. I wish I could be more helpful! Please keep me posted.
Hi Christine,
Just an update.
Baby Boy died today. We took him to vet because he was not eating well. Vet gave him some milk through the tube straight to stomach and a shot of penicilin, half hour later he was dead. I gues like you said “nature will decide.” I have triplets to be born on March 26th. It’s kind of a chilli weather still in the NW, Should I take them home or leave them with their mother? I had to take the boy inside because his temp was 96. Thank you
Talk to you later.
Galina
Ah Galina, I’m so sorry! I’ve never taken any goats inside.. if mom’s been out all along, everyone will adapt however, I do keep a red heat lamp in their pen & I use hay bales to make their pens smaller… the bales hold the heat in and prevent the silly goats from going to lay out where it’s cold. Sometimes they don’t figure out to come in from the cold,. we have to think for them. By March 26th the weather may be warmer! Good luck & stay in touch!
Dear Christine, our girls are getting real close to giving birth. Our oldest doe is being kind of aggressive to others and is mounting them. Is this normal?
Hi Lisa… what she’s doing is normal.. she’s establishing her position on the “totem pole”… I’ve had most of my goats give birth among the herd & I’ve never had a problem unless there’s a billy goat around. As long as the top goat doesn’t chase the others (not allowing them quiet to give birth), I wouldn’t worry about it. Good luck & have fun!
Thank you for the info.
I don’t want the risk but he is our only boy and don’t want him to be lonely. Guess we will consider keeping a wether for him to play around with. Now is as good as time as any to split the pastures…
He’ll be fine & wethers are easy & cheap to find. You’ll find that wethers make the best of pets.. better than the does! They’re much more affectionate & their minds are not on breeding or birthing! Up until last week, I had my 3 billies all sharing the same pasture – they had their pecking order established and all was well… and stinky!