Q's about Pygmy in heat.....

[bheila]

I am new to goats and she is my first doe. I think she is in heat...I don't know. On Sunday she had what I can only describe to be like mucous coming from her vulva. It reminded me of a mucous plug. Kind of like when I was pregnant and going into labor with my kids. Sorry that's the best way for be to put it. Now there is no more signs of mucous but her vulva is swollen. Also her bag(milk sack) seems to be a getting a little bigger. She has only been with my wether. To my knowledge she wasn't breed when we got her. She is only about 7 months old. Do goats have false pregnancies like rabbits do? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[crazychickengirl]

Ok...I've had two pygmys for the past couple of years, but never bred them or anything like that....but here's what I know. I was told that they go into heat every 3 weeks. And that they don't usually have very good tell-tale signs that they are in heat. But I had a friend that said usually when they are in heat, their tales will curve up over their backs. Don't know about the pregnancy thing though....I know they can be bred before they are a year old, but if she's only 7 months old, and you think she may be getting in milk, I'd think it's too early. I can't remember how long goats' justation periods are, but I know it's probably around 5 or 6 months old. And usually other animals don't get their milk in until closer to the due date.

But like I said, I'm no expert! Hope you get a real expert to answer you! LOL

 

[helmstead]

Hmm...I could go either way on that description.

I have several does who get the tiniest udder when they're in season. BUT their discharge is always clear...is the opening of her vulva getting elongated?

Pics?

She could well have been bred, shame on the breeders if so...because she would only have been about 3 months old...I wouldn't personally know if that's even possible, because I make sure that kind of thing doesn't happen here.

 

[bluebirdfarm]

hi,
I have fainting goats and they only come into heat when exposed to a buck , not sure about pygmies.
here is a VERY good web site with a LOT of info on goats and there is a great forum here also.
hope it helps you , good luck.
sure hope she isn't bred at her age , but yes it is very possible .


http://www.goatworld.com/

 

[bheila]

Quote:
Her udder isn't ridiculously huge but noticiably bigger. Her discharge was yellow. Her vulva is getting elongated, yes! I wish that I could get pics but my camera isn't working correctly. Is there a website with some pictures that I can look at to compare? So do they have false pregnancies like rabbits? My husband is trying to tell me this, but he doesn't know everything. He would like to think so.

 

[helmstead]

They CAN have false pregnancies, but it is not common at all.

I am not sure about being able to find pics. There are good descriptions and a few pics at fiasco farm's site. The vulva will enlongate, swell and become pink/red as they near kidding. It will even bulge when they lay down. All of this happens in the last month or so.

Does can loose their mucos plug anwhere from 1 month to 1 hr before kidding...also first timers won't usually build their udder to any great extent until they actually kid, or just before.

Sounds somewhat ominous...

 

[helmstead]

Here's a good pic of a mucos plug. I have had some that were yellowish...

http://fiascofarm.com/galleries/Goa..._Photos/Peepers_Delivery/slides/i00079_1.html

 

[bheila]

Quote:

This has just got me so puzzled. Yes, it would be great to have a cute little one prancing around but I'm so unprepared especially not know what is going on for sure. So now what should I keep looking for? I will check out the website you mentioned. I suppose I should start preparing for whatever happens. You have been very helpful. I love you BYCer's

 

[bluebirdfarm]

http://fiascofarm.com/goats/prenatalcare.html

 

[bheila]

Quote:
Yup, that's exactly what her's looked like except yellow. I instantly thought....oh my god that's what it looked like when I went into labor

It's just freaking me out because I didn't expect to have to deal with something like this.