Steps Leading Up to a Goat Kidding

By no means am I an experienced goat farmer.  As a matter of fact I owned goats for 3 years with the goal of breeding and milking but my attempts at breeding failed.  Believing it was the goats, I sold them all.  Then last fall I decided to try again.  Lured by the fact that my new 3 dairy goats were already in milk.  However, for whatever reason, their milk went sour then dried up.  I was frustrated.  But since I had sold all my goats but the billy, I decided to give breeding one more shot.  And it worked!  All four of my goats got pregnant.  Yes four.  I had also kept my little pygmy goat simply because I liked her.  My billy had also successfully bred her even though he failed to in years past.  Exactly to the day five months after I filmed Caesar mating with Esther, I had my first goat born on the farm yesterday afternoon.  And then my first set of twins born this morning to Beatrice.

I have already had numerous lambs born here so was beginning to recognize the signs of impending labour and in addition to having done my research on the internet and in books, I knew what to look for. To help others looking on the internet for the stages and signs of a goat going into labour, I thought I would provide the steps leading up to birth.  Keep in mind however, all goats are different and may or may not experience some of these signs.

1.  Ballooning

I really don't know how to explain this and it is something I learned to recognize after many lambings but just before (usually within 12 hours) the ewe/doe's udder balloons.  It takes about a month for it to fully develop but a day for it to balloon.  It goes from big to full.

And again, goats differ as do their udders.  The udder above is of Esther, the one below is Beatrice's.  Both have ballooned.

2.  The Vulva

The vulva is a stage that I think in my own experience isn't always accurate.  I've had ewes that swelled up right before giving birth and others who haven't.  As in the case of Esther and Beatrice.  Esther's vulva never swelled or stretched at all. If I were to base my guesses on how the vulva looks, I would have said Esther has a long wait.

Unlike Beatrice who's vulva puckered up like a set of lips.

3.  Mucus Plug

One thing both of the above photos do have in common is the discharge of the mucus plug.  Some will discharge it slowly over a couple weeks, while others may pass it the same day as delivery.

4.  Bleating

Unlike sheep, or at least mine, goats are very vocal when they go into labour.  They start early at the beginning stages of labour.  At first it simply sounds as if they are calling out for grain or hay but it is continual.and grows more intense as labour progresses.

5.  Pawing/Standing in Corner/Restlessness/Off Feed

I grouped these four together as they aren't always obvious.  Does going into labour will exhibit nesting behavior and start pawing at the ground.  They may also stand silently in a corner and may or may not press their heads against the wall.  They may also become very restless and may attempt to lie down but will get back up again. Many folks report their doe will go off feed but I've only ever noticed this when she is in actual labour, otherwise her appetite has remained the same.

6.  Water Breaks/Contractions & Pushing

Closer to the point of delivery, the does water will break.  A small gush of clear fluids will pass out of her vulva.  You can pretty much guarantee delivery within half an hour after the water breaks. The doe will start to have contractions if she hasn't already and will begin to push.

7.  Tail Position

The does tail will stand up and away from her back end.

8.  Uterine Fluid & Bubble

First stages of actual birth is the discharge of the uterine fluid and the "bubble".  I have no idea what the purpose of the bubble is, but there it is.

9.  A FOOT!

First sign of the kid is his foot.  It should be facing up ensuring a head first delivery.  And with the hooves in the correct position with the sole of the foot underneath will mean the kid is coming out in the correct "diving" position.  Sole up means he's coming out upside down.

Something that occurred which surprised me was that Esther had pushed the foot out and then would suck it back in.  The only reason I could figure out why was to get him in the correct position where the second hoof generally will follow the first either next to it, behind it or above.  Our little kid came out with one foot on top of the other.

10.  The Head

Shortly behind the front hooves, the kids nose will push through followed by the rest of his head.  The most difficult part for the mother.  In the photo below, you can see the nose of the kid with his tongue stuck out to the side pushing his way out of the vulva.

Admittedly, the tongue to the side scared us, we thought he was dead but when we touched it, he sucked it back in and wiggled it at us. If mom is really struggling here, then go ahead and give her a hand.  Remember to only pull when she pushes.

11.  The Shoulders and Rest of Body

The next big push is the shoulders and once they pass through the birth canal, the rest is smooth sailing. If mom is too exhausted to push anymore and you can see the kid's chest fully, you can go ahead and finish the job and pull him out.  No need to do anything with the umbilical cord as it will snap off on it's own.  You can dip it in iodine to sterilize and if it's super cold in your barn, towel the baby's dry to warm them up as soon as possible.  However, mom is quite capable of doing this herself and enjoys it as well.

12.  Kid Goat

At long last after months of waiting, your kid goat is born.  Congratulations!

13.  Afterbirth

That's right, we're not quite done yet.  Momma will expel the afterbirth indicating the last kid was born. It may take a while for it to fully come out but be patient, it will on it's own, you won't need to help.

And don't be alarmed if she begins to eat it.

Perfectly normal.  And healthy.  There's a lot of nutrients in that placenta.

So there you have it.  The stages of goat birth. Now go and enjoy your little bundle of joy.