Some help spotting signs of pregnant goats

We were given Nigerian Dwarfs in August, it's two does and a buck plus a couple bucklings. The males and females were kept separate but one day at the end of August we came home and they had gotten through the gate. The does still seemed to go through their heat cycle in September, but now we're trying to mate them and they won't let the buck near them. Is it possible they're already pregnant?

Welp, I let the buck in with the does today and they must be in heat now. I know it's a 3 week cycle and it's been about 3 weeks.

Gordon, welcome to the wonderful world of goats. And welcome to Permies! I've been keeping goats for about 15 years, so I can offer what I've experienced and observed. I've had the same thing happen to me, with the bucks breaking in to get to the girls! (Talk about a 3-ring circus).

If it was me, I would mark both possible breeding dates on the calendar and then both potential due dates. For Nigerian Dwarfs, gestation is about 145 days. Typically, they lose interest in the bucks once they're pregnant, but I've had does go into false heats three weeks after their first date with a buck, get a second date, and then deliver full term kids near the first due date. It must have something to do with hormones.

So I think it's best to be prepared. Keep a close watch on them when the first due date approaches (a range of 140 to 150 days would all be considered normal) and have your kidding supplies at the ready. Then enjoy those baby goats!

Leigh Tate wrote:Gordon, welcome to the wonderful world of goats. And welcome to Permies! I've been keeping goats for about 15 years, so I can offer what I've experienced and observed. I've had the same thing happen to me, with the bucks breaking in to get to the girls! (Talk about a 3-ring circus).

If it was me, I would mark both possible breeding dates on the calendar and then both potential due dates. For Nigerian Dwarfs, gestation is about 145 days. Typically, they lose interest in the bucks once they're pregnant, but I've had does go into false heats three weeks after their first date with a buck, get a second date, and then deliver full term kids near the first due date. It must have something to do with hormones.

So I think it's best to be prepared. Keep a close watch on them when the first due date approaches (a range of 140 to 150 days would all be considered normal) and have your kidding supplies at the ready. Then enjoy those baby goats!

The smaller doe is looking pretty wide. She was a year old but the other doe is about 5 so she's bigger. We'll be ready for them at the end of December even if they come on the later due date.

I'll post a picture of them tomorrow.

Here's some pictures of the does

Yep, they look bred to me! I have lamanchas mostly, but have a couple ND crosses. The ND does look like lil blimps like that. You've got kids coming in the next monthish for sure. Have you had goats kid before? If not, watch for them to sudden udder growth, drooping tails, pawing at the ground then laying down. Sometimes experienced does get milk a lot sooner, but I've had first timers fill out less than 24 hours before (that was quite a thing to wake up to in the middle of the night!).

Gordon, they look good. I agree they look pregnant but my goats have taught me not to make assumptions! They look healthy too; well cared for.

Mylow Bear wrote:Yep, they look bred to me! I have lamanchas mostly, but have a couple ND crosses. The ND does look like lil blimps like that. You've got kids coming in the next monthish for sure. Have you had goats kid before? If not, watch for them to sudden udder growth, drooping tails, pawing at the ground then laying down. Sometimes experienced does get milk a lot sooner, but I've had first timers fill out less than 24 hours before (that was quite a thing to wake up to in the middle of the night!).

These will be our first goat kids, we had a sow give birth in September but we're still new to this.

The white goat had kids last year with a different owner. The other girl (Daisy) is her first time, she's just under 2 years old. We'll be cleaning out their stall on Friday and adding a clean layer of straw. Then we get to start watching for signs. I think the earliest breeding date is around August 20th, so I'm thinking we have till the second week on January, but we didn't mark a calendar when it happened so we're not really sure.

The smaller doe had triplets this afternoon. Everything went smooth, we have three healthy kids. Everyone is eating or drinking and the placenta came out about 40 minutes after the last baby.

The white doe doesn't look as pregnant as today's mom. But we'll see what happens, she does look pregnant.

One of them for sure got mated in August.