Well, we don't have an exact due date for any of our does this spring. We had the bucks running in with the girls from about September or October on. That means that we could've had babies a while ago. This isn't the optimal way to plan with goats, but at the time, it was the best way to keep the goats on the farm (and out of the road).
Since we don't have an exact breeding date, we have to use other clues to help determine when the girls will kid (or IF they will, for that matter). I did notice that Lilo came into heat around October 22nd and Tumbleweed came into heat around November 22nd. Most of the time, goats will cycle with one another, so it's a good bet that the other does were having a heat cycle at the same time. Whether or not they bred successfully is another story...but with those two dates, I can guess that Lilo (who did not come into heat in November) is due around March 22nd (tomorrow) and IF Tumbleweed took, she'll be due around April 22nd.
One of the first clues to impending babies is whether or not the girls look pregnant. This sounds like it would be easy, but some goats have a fat belly all the time. What I've noticed is that rather than just a "big" belly, the line on the bottom of their belly is straighter than normal. It doesn't lift up as it goes back to the udder. Lilo has this look for sure. Asha, Tumbleweed, and Stitch seem to have this look, but it's sometimes hard to tell. I'm guessing that just like with humans, goats who have kidded before tend to show earlier than new mommies. Sox doesn't look pregnant...and that's just fine with me.
The second thing to check is the udder. As I said, Lilo should be due around tomorrow...but I'm pretty sure that's not the case. Within a week of kidding, a goat's udder will "bag up" which means it will fill with milk. Lilo's udder is not full at all yet. While she could deliver without bagging, it's unlikely. None of the girls have any substantial udder on them.
The third thing to watch are the ligaments and pin bones. I talked about this last year. Checking the pin bones and ligaments around the tail helps to determine when the doe is within hours of kidding. Our goats ligaments are just fine...no signs.
The last thing is discharge. I list this one last, not because it happens right before the doe is going to kid, but because it's not the most reliable time table indicator. The mucos plug will slowly expel from the doe, showing a slimy snot out of the vulva. This could happen one day, one week, or one month before kidding. Both Lilo and Stitch have started to show this. Doesn't tell me much...but I suppose it's a sign.
In addition to the goats, we have a pig preparing to farrow. Ruby has been living in the same pen with Jaws since we moved them here in November. I seem to remember him getting some pig love toward the end of December and he hasn't really tried to mount her since. My guess is that was the date of conception. A pig's gestation is three months, three weeks, and three days. I know that Ruby is pregnant, as she is showing pretty nicely already. My guess is that Ruby will be due sometime around the end of April...but who knows.
Annie, our friend's gilt, has finally come into heat. Jaws has been giving her the once over, but she isn't standing for him yet. I think we will have the owners pick her up this weekend, as her heat cycle will be 5-7 days only regardless of whether or not she takes. Then it will be up to the owners to watch her in about 21 days and see if she cycles again. If not, there's a chance she's pregnant. I'm honestly not very hopeful. This pig has a lot going against her breeding - she's older than she should be (17 months), she's overweight, and she has never been exposed to a boar so this is likely her first heat cycle. If she's not, they can bring her back. By then, I hope to have the hot wire fixed so she doesn't destroy the fence again.
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