How the Does Do Grow

I thought I would give you another update before the kids are born. One Stripe and Copper both look great, the babies are active and the udders are filling nicely. In approximately six days, we should have kids on the ground. 

One Stripe is very consistent in kidding at 150 days after breeding. Since I have had her for six years now, my estimates of when she will give birth are usually fairly accurate. 

January 14th

All remaining pictures are February 3rd

Her udder will continue to fill until next week. It is still fairly soft.

Their hips are starting to hollow out as the kids move down and to the rear.

You can feel the progress of the hips beginning to spread over the last few weeks.

This will be Copper's second set of kids. Last year she gave birth at 150 days just like her mother, One Stripe. If they both hold to this tradition, One Stripe will birth next Tuesday and Copper will birth on Wednesday. Here is how Copper looks now.
 

January 14th

The rest of the pictures are February 3rd

You can usually feel the kids kicking on the right side during the last two months of gestation.

In the last few weeks, the kids have moved back toward the rear and farther down on the side.

Between now and then we will give the barn a good cleaning, and go through our birthing tote to make sure we have everything in order. 

It's a great time of year. Time for baby goats to start coming, time to plant seedlings for the cool weather crops, time to really start having spring fever. It's interesting how the fall tends to slow us down a little. Then winter seems to be a less active time of year for a while. But with the coming of spring the blood tends to quicken a little in preparation for the more active time of year. Are you ready? I sure am.

Until next time - Fern