Help! Need to know lenght of labor.

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I have 2 does who started signs of labor Tues around 2:00pm. Lucy is around 3 yrs old. She has had twins and a single since I have had her. In the past she was out in the pasture, but I could tell when she went into labor and it was the same day or the next that she gave birth with no trouble and no assistance . This time they are both in a birthing pen close to the house. She has been going in and out of the first stages of labor since Tuesday. She has the very heavy breathing,grinding teeth, but no discharge.Then she will stop, get up, and act like nothing is wrong. Her daughter is following the same pattern. They are both not due until April 1st. Is this normal? If so, how long can this go on? I stayed home from work today because she looked so bad last night and this morning. Now she's out grazing and looks fine.I'm getting tired and irritalbe since I have been checking on them off and on for the past 2 nights. You guys are great. I've been reading your question and answers for months. Oh, by the way Lucy is half pygmy and breed to full pygmy. Sandy, the daughter is by Lucy bred to a pygmy. She looks full pygmy so I was at first antisipating possible problems with her. Your help is greatly appriciated.

-- Sheriln Audilet (mysweetpea@centurytel.net), March 21, 2002

Answers

Cooping them up is actually the opposite of what you really should be doing. During the day let them out and lay in the sun and get some exercise. The older the does get, the more pronounced first labor a false labor, braxton hicks, gets! So much so that you very old goats seem to be able to push 5 times and you better duck because them gets are squirted out! If you are crazed about this delievery :) than just lock them in the birthing pen at night, and use a baby monitor to listen to them. Please don't coop them up for 19 more days till the 1st! Is their udder full and bursting shinny, teats shinny and full of milk? vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 21, 2002.

When they are about to birth the things that clue me in are first, that the kids will engage into a birthing position and the doe will look different. She will have a visible backbone again since the kids will move down a bit and the head of her tail will look more pronounced since the ligaments on either side will go soft and look concave. There a site with good pictures and quite a few articles that you may want to check out. The address is www.geocities.com/goatladys_goats . A mild discharge will start when the doe loses her mucous plug. It may be seen as either a shine or slight discharge on the vulva, or possible make the back of the udder look a little dirty. Behavior is also a good detector since the doe will become restless, pawing and getting up and laying down quite often. She may also start talking the kids in a soft Mamma voice. Kidding is a beautiful...don't get all worked up just try to stay calm and enjoy it! (Now, for all the rest of you who are laughing hysterically at the woman who is offering these sage words and was panicking a couple weeks ago...laughter is good for the soul!!!)

-- Sheryl in ME (radams@sacoriver.net), March 21, 2002.

Tension breaker for Sheriln,

Ok, Bernice, sounds like here's the time for Joe's Vision kidding story to insert a little humor. I'll try to tell it, but he does it better.

Consider Bernice's earlier post where she told you Vision was satan's consort herself at her place. When Joe and I were at Bernice's to pick up a buck, Vision introduced herself to Joe and said "I like you and I'm comming home with you!". Who'd have thunk it!

After worring a few days over Vision's actual due date, checking ligaments, behavior, and general countanence every few hours and getting really tired and irritable over the whole thing,(Joe) Vision finally went into labor. If I remember the story correctly, the first kid had a leg back but otherwise not bad. Anticipating a second kid possibly comming breech, Joe was eye to butt, watching very closely. Suddenly Vision coughed, burped and farted in machine gun fashion then Joe swears he had to duck as the the second kid flew over his shoulder and landed half way across the pen!

Dennis & Joe

-- Dennis (westwoodcaprine@yahoo.com), March 22, 2002.


Thanks for the responses. I sure hope I don't have any kids flying through the air. Ha! The area I moved them to has a shed with a fenced area so they can go in and out as they please. It's close to the house and easier to get to. We have had a lot of storms and the pasture area is very muddy. My consern was that they both were showing signs-pawing the ground, heavy breathing , teeth grinding, getting up and down and slight white mucus, not much. This was Lucy's behavior a day before birth in the past. Since both their due dates are not until the 1st of April,for sure,I thought this was awfully early. They are both eating and drinking. I checked the ligaments. I could still feel Sandy's slightly, but could not feel Lucy's. They seem to be fine, but just wondered if this could go on for another week? She has just never acted like this for this long. Thanks for everyone's knowledge.

-- Sherilyn (mysweetpea@centurytel.net), March 22, 2002.

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