Calling goat experts! Need opinion!

[GabCar]

Hello friends! I'm very new to keeping goats. I bought my first 2 alpine/nubian almost 5 month old doelings about 2 weeks ago. I began to notice 1 of the doelings was growing in the belly area and the area near her utter area began looking puffed up as well. I spoke to the original owner and it turns out a buck got into their pen a few times in the last month or so. I'm worried because she's only about 50lbs. Does she look like she could be expecting???

 

[NatJ]

I feel movement on her right side sometimes but then I wonder if its just digestion or a muscle moving/twitching haha

You said you have 2 doelings, right?
Have you tried feeling the same part of the other one?
(Sometimes comparison is the best teacher!)

 

[britesidefarm]

Goats tend to be more heavy as they have more than one stomach. She could also be gaining wait if she was underweight before you got her. Doe’s are able to become pregnant at 4 months, and start showing signs of udder growth around 3 months. It’s very unlikely that she’s expecting

 

[chickens really]

I suggest joining Backyard Herds. It's a sister site to Backyard Chickens. Lots of dairy goat owners and great help there. Very friendly informative people..

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Instead of running to the vet and getting an ultrasound and spending alot of money get this:

https://www.emlabgenetics.com/product-page/p-test-livestock

Collect the pee, follow directions and mystery solved!

 

[AltonaAcres]

@cassie , yes she either is or isn't pregnant, and nothing can be done, but it is important to know whether or not she is for several reasons:
Feeding - pregnant does should get alfalfa (at least near to kidding) and grain
Health - pregnant does should be dewormed and vaccinated if the owner so chooses
Housing - a dry, secure, safe, and warm place should be made ready for a kidding. Fencing should be able to keep kids from escaping.
Preparation - a kidding kit should be collected and a vet should be on speed dial
etc etc etc

 

[Lovem all]

I'm simply looking out for her goat as I would my own (as I do for the chickens on here), I don't want to argue with anyone.

 

[britesidefarm]

She will be 5 months old next week, she still very young...i think that's what makes me nervous. I feel movement on her right side sometimes but then I wonder if its just digestion or a muscle moving/twitching haha

Are you able to get a vet to ultrasound her? If not it might just have to be a waiting game

 

[cassie]

Look. Either she is pregnant or she isn't. I am betting she is. In any event there isn't a lot you can do about it at this point. If it makes you feel any better I once had a kid get bred at three months. I'm not proud of it but it happened, I named the baby Yoletta's Surprise because Yoletta was not the only one who was surprised. In this case I did not milk Yoletta that year because she was so young when she kidded. She was not quite eight months. Both goats eventually matured into nice big does. You want to feed this doe all the hay she will eat and I would feed some grain too. You want her to have enough nutrition to support both her and the growing fetus but you don't want her to get fat, either. I didn't look at the picture as closely as I should have, but udder development starts when they are about three months along.

 

[cassie]

Could you get her an ultrasound??

Just a comment. While it may be possible to get an ultrasound done. there really isn't much point in doing so other than to satisfy curiosity Either she is pregnant or she isn't and at this point there is nothing to be done about it one way or the other.