How do you know if a goat is pregnant?

when I got my Does, My billy was still a billy they were together for about a week. I kept them seperated as much as possbile, but Jack was determined to make his aquanences so to speak. Neither doe showed any signs of being in heat. This was around the beginning of June.

Now my Nubian cross is sooooo fat. And hungry all the time. I've felt her belly, and I dont feel anything moving, but I dunno-could I have a surprise on the way? She was unsuccessfully bred in November to what turned out to be a sterile buck.

What can I do? How do I tell?


Also, my pygmy and my mutt whether have an occasional raspy cough. I've removed their collars, thinking maybe they were bothering them. Do gats get colic or anything like that? Thanks!

goats can definitely surprise you pregnancy wise.

How long since the "deed" was done? You could calculate to see if she could be close.

As to cough, they can get sick from moldy hay. Also, where I am, there is a poisonous weed that keeps the animals from making Vitamin K, and they get a bad cough if they eat too much of it.

The cough would worry me, if you can't get a GOOD and KNOWLEDGEABLE vet out, then ask around. It might be some kind of problem common to your area.

If the deed was done, I would have been between June 2-9. Jack was whacked on the 10th. How long is goat gestation? I used to know, and I can't find my goat book, of course.

I'm going to call the goat expert. We wont come to me, and if I have to I'll load the pygmy up in the Mini and take her to him.

I built them a hay manger off goatworld just so we wouldn't have moldy hay. Its inside the barn, so it never gets wet. The pygmy came with the cough, but it went away, and now has come back in her and my whether. Hmmmmm.

Any more idea on how to tell if Rosie is 'expecting'?

Goat gestation is 150 days. Feel her udder, it should be filling somewhat by now. Also, around a month prior to kidding, most does start to swell at the vulva.

The cough could be nothing more than dusty hay (esp when feeding hay from a manger) or could be something like lungworm, upper resp, or cudding issues. Need a vet for a diagnosis there. No, goats don't colic, they bloat.

So, is feeding from a manger a bad thing? I thought it was good because it kept the hay dry and off the ground.

Also, I did deworm them all a week after I got them, and then again three weeks later, as per the instructions on the package. They are all healthy and happy, and quite demanding of food and affection! I dont want y'all to think I'm some yahoo who just bought goats on a whim. I built them a secure pen and a proper fence and checked the pasture for any known poisonous plants.

Lil' Bits cough went away when I removed her collar. I just assumed that was it. Its only been back for a couple of days now. How do I prevent the hay from getting dusty? And why wouldn't rosie the nubian be coughing too? Jack is a pygmy cross, could it be a pygmy thing?

Oh, and the lady I bought the does from had them in a very dry, dusty pen. I was just reading that late summer months there is more coughing because there is more dust. They don't have any other illness symptoms-no runny noses, nothing coming up when theey cough, just like there is something in their throats. I'll call the vet tomorrow.

Thanks!

I think feeding from a manger is good.

The rest of the stuff...beats me.

Helmstead, wouldn't now be way too early for any udder change? That would mean she wouldn't even be 2 months along yet.

I do not know much about goats, but I do know that male pygmies make a weird like sneezing sound, and its just the sound they make, nothing wrong. I went to a pygmy show last week and my aunt was explaining that to me.
Keep us posted on how the vet check goes!

I agree with helmstead as the hay can make them sneeze and cough. If the hay is really dusty you can sprinkle it down with water and let dry, or shake it really well. Check their eyelids and see what color they are. If they are bubblegum pink thats a good sign but if they are pale they are on the wormy side. Its a never ending battle especially if they are grazers. Worms crawl up the blades of grass and that is how they get wormy, especially short grass. I personally worm them when I get new goats when I first get them home and then 10 days later and then again 10 days later to break the worm cycle and get the adults and then the hatchings after that.
Lung worms will cause them to cough also and so you need the type like Cydectin for the lung worms and a white paste type like horse wormer for the tape worms that are a constant battle. Yep collars are a accident waiting to happen and not good for goats, except to lead them to the milk stand. Goats gestation is usually 145 to 150 days and like Kate said you can tell by the growing of the udder and the swelling of the vulva. How old were the does? that were bred?

Ok, so I called the vet. She said that at this point is still to hard to tell, but between her fatness, ravenous, and sudden neediness, she probably pregnant.

as for the coughing, she said its probably dust since their membranes are pink, and there is no other drainage, but she wants to run a fecal on them. So I need to take in fresh poop. I'm going to try and gather "evidence" Monday morning.

Here are some goat pics!



These are my three.



This is Lil' Bit my pygmy



This is Jack. He is a pygmy cross with something else.



This is Rosie, my goat of ill repute.



Here is a top shot. Cleaning the goat pen tomorrow, dont worry!

Thanks!

Those are nice goats! Thanks for sharing