This may seem a silly question but this is the second kidding I've had and will be the only one this year.Cookie is due in two weeks and today is the first time I've seen a kid move. All the books say kids can be seen on the right side but this was on the left.It was not just a kick, it was a well defined limb movement.She is realy big bellied and is a small goat.Is this normal?

-- VickiP. (countrymous@webtv.net), February 15, 2002

Answers

Hi VickiP, It's not uncommon towards the end for the kids in the uterus to push the rumen aside...room for them all becomes an issue then, and feeling kids on the left is not unusual. I've had the same thing happen here with a doe that continually had quads and quints...the kids took up all the space! :)patty Prairie Oak Miniatures http://www.minifarm.com/prairie_oak visit our message board! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Littlegoats

-- Patty Putnam (littlegoats@wi.rr.com), February 15, 2002.

I never feel kids move and this bugs me. Am I doing something wrong? I've always thought it was on the left side too, near the udder? Should I be pushing my hand in more?

-- Lynn (moonspinner@bluefrognet.net), February 15, 2002.

You can usually see kids moving with the doe laying down. You can alos stand behind your doe, bear hug her right in front of the udder and release, but still holding your arms and hands in the bear hug, the kids will kick back against this pressure, you can also feel them as hard spots in the uterus. Lots of folks will use this bear hug technique to make sure there are no more kids in the uterus after the delivery. Once all the kids are out it is soft and fleshy feeling again. Problem comes with my big porkers, you would have to be one mighty long armed person to bear hug their bellys! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), February 15, 2002.

Thanks for the reassuring info.But right now if I tried the bear hug Cookie would go ballistic.she does not want to be touched nowhere, no time, no how, by nobody.Every time I check the ligaments she has a hissy fit, evan when she's in the stand eating corn.She'll settle down after she kids and is being milked, at least she did last time.

-- VickiP. (countrymous@webtv.net), February 15, 2002.

Hi VickiP, I know exactly what you mean. My girls who are dog tame, all I have to do when they are in milk is open the door, they walk out and jump on the milkstand with no assistance, but try, just try to touch them out in the pen! When customers come and I try to show them what a beautiful udder they have coming in, you would think they were wild goats, stepping and a kicking! You can milk me on the milkstand, you can milk me with a snap to the fence, you can milk me at ringside, but don't touch my udder when I am dry! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), February 16, 2002.

I can never feel mine either! Only one time have I ever felt a kid move. I have a doe that I am not certain is pregnant and was irritating them all last night by messing with them trying hard to feel kids....maybe I just don't know how hard to push.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), February 16, 2002.

I've been feeling kids by putting them on the stands, and resting my hands on their bellies just in front of the udder. At first they think I am trying to milk, and they throw a fit, I just hold my hands still and they calm down. I don't push, just slowly slide my hands from the midline of the belly to the sides and see if I feel any kicking. It has been a LOT easier than feeling on the left side or doing the bearhug, which I tried in in years past. And, you can pretty well determine if the doe has twins or a single. Whether it is twins or triplets is guesswork. :)

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 16, 2002.

I will give that a try tonight! Thanks, Rebekah.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), February 16, 2002.