The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: ScotsGirl on February 10, 2013, 08:58:42 pm
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I bought 5 goats in kid and have just counted up the days based on breeder's dates. Comes to 154. Isn't that a bit long? I thought they were the same as sheep which normally lamb around 147.
One is due Thursday but her udder is small compared to the others due end of the month or March. She was sat up like a dog today and I thought she had started but nothing.
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Around 150 days..5 months so google tells me :wave: :fc:
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Yes 150, but I have heard of the odd one coming a week early.
That's a lot of goats Scotsgirl ;D :goat: :goat: :goat: :goat: :goat: :goat: :goat: :goat: :goat: :goat: :goat: :goat: take a while to sort out the pecking order in that lot.
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Ha, yes there is the occasional bickering as I had a little AN x but she has now found her place and buffs the others when in season but otherwise has a couple of mates. All 5 came together so fairly settled. I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew! Wanted to raise some kids for meat but they are so cute and friendly I hope they Are all girls!!
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150 days give or take, about 5 days before or after. Or something along those lines ;)
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As I keep saying Goats are not sheep!Average 150 days (watch out for Leap years ;) ) Suggest you get Goat Husbandry by David Mackenzie,only book you need and gives you all the tables :)
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As I keep saying Goats are not sheep!Average 150 days (watch out for Leap years ;) ) Suggest you get Goat Husbandry by David Mackenzie,only book you need and gives you all the tables :)
I've just looked at this on amazon lol is it printed on gold leaf???
£62.03 for a used copy, £129.87 for a new one
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As I keep saying Goats are not sheep!Average 150 days (watch out for Leap years ;) ) Suggest you get Goat Husbandry by David Mackenzie,only book you need and gives you all the tables :)
Wow, I better look after my one then.... the 5th edition is the one to look out for, came out in 1993. I rate it very highly BUT it is difficult to read in places. Keep checking it on abeboooks.co.uk too, sometimes a copy comes up cheaper there.
All of mine have been between 149 and 151 days.
I've just looked at this on amazon lol is it printed on gold leaf???
£62.03 for a used copy, £129.87 for a new one
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I have just bought a copy for £18 on Amazon,not sure which edition it will be. Knowing my luck not the right one :-\
Dammit just checked and it is the 1980 edition, oh well will just have to keep looking for the 1993 one.
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I have just bought a copy for £18 on Amazon,not sure which edition it will be. Knowing my luck not the right one :-\
Dammit just checked and it is the 1980 edition, oh well will just have to keep looking for the 1993 one.
I think the more important bits on feeding and kidding etc are quite similar, I have got the earlier edition too but not read it in detail. I have been reading much older goatbooks recently and it is amazing how little has changed (except veterinary matters where things have moved on)...
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I have counted days from mating to now and it is 156. At what point do I worry? Presumably they have to come out sometime but mum doesn't look like she is imminent, udder not huge and vulva not particularly swollen. Belly is huge though so no doubt pregnant unless just been over eating!!
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Were they scanned and confirmed in kid? False pregnancy??
Were they taken to the buck individually or him put in the field with them?
Last year mine that had triplets looked imminent for 3 weeks even to an experienced breeder and one that had a single didn't look ready till a few hours before. They'll keep you guessing if they can. ;D
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My first ones due on Monday.....but apart from a nice big udder, she's pretty normal. Can't wait for it all to get going!
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Mine are spot on 149 days.
One manages to look like she's imminently about to produce triplets, from about 2 months before, and then finally pushes out one modest single. And still looks pregnant!
The other I wouldn't know was in kid, until about a week beforehand, but for I have them scanned,
As DW says - did you take them to the billy, so you know to the minute when the deed was done, or did they run with the billy for a while?
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Meant to add this - you can work out the day due etc - brilliant website, full of helpful info http://fiascofarm.com/goats/breeding-kidding_sheet.html (http://fiascofarm.com/goats/breeding-kidding_sheet.html)
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Will look at website, thanks but they were taken to billy for two days, he isn't firing blanks and girls have all had kids before.
I'm scared to go too far in case there is a problem. Lost a lamb other night cos I popped in and twin was still in sac. Really annoyed with myself for not checking but suppose these things happen.
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if you are really concerned, can you get a scanner now? we had 2 ewes and our nanny scanned last year. not sure if you can at this possible late stage or not...
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1 week overdue I would now be getting a little concerned for the size of the first kid............I would alert your Vet/discuss issue.
Caesareans are not cheap and sometimes are necessary for overdue goats because the kids are simply too big/or malpresentation. The kids do keep turning 'indoors' therefore there is a risk of the first being in wrong position.
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Just what I need! Will call vet in morning. Thanks
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No help here but I do hope all goes well for you :goat:
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Peach's udder is now filling as of yesterday so think things may be moving on. The breeder wasn't overly concerned if goat wasn't distressed and said just to keep an eye on her. Sunshine may help encourage them out.
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At last first kid arrived about an hour ago. Not managed to find milk bar yet. How long before other kids arrive if there are any? She seems to push occasionally but nothing happening and she is more interested in eating or cleaning baby.
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At last first kid arrived about an hour ago. Not managed to find milk bar yet. How long before other kids arrive if there are any? She seems to push occasionally but nothing happening and she is more interested in eating or cleaning baby.
If there isn't anymore within the hour I would think you have had a single - is she a first kidder? then more likely to be one only. BUT kid needs to find milkbar SOON. If not hold it's head and gently push into the right direction. If she only has one you are most likely to have to ease out her other side, as kid will only use one side... I would by now milk some colostrum out of the nanny and try and get some down the kid by bottle. If the kid takes the first drink from the bottle it normally doesn't stop them to suckle from mum,but it makes it a ot easier to put them onto the bottle on day4 after disbudding.
If she is a first kidder she will also very likely find it quite strange that there is someone trying to suckle her udder, so you may have to hold the nanny still while the kid gets on for the first few times.
The occasional pushing is probably the afterbirth? If you press (quite hard but not painfully so) your hand into her tummy just before the udder, you can feel any more kid(s) inside her
BOY or GIRL?
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It is a girl. I managed to squeeze some milk through both sides so hope now she can get it. If no progress I will take some off and bottle feed first drink.
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Congratulations look forward to seeing some pictures :thumbsup:
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I wish someone had told my last kid that they only take from one side. The plan was to have the milk for myself from whichever side he left. Little gannet took from both sides.
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Congratulations, :thumbsup: . Hope this little one got sorted last night.
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Congratulations :bouquet: