Udder Comparison | Chickens in the Road

Jun
4

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(Clover on the left, Nutmeg on the right.)

I know. I’m weird. I took a photo to compare Clover’s and Nutmeg’s udders. I don’t really think Clover can be pregnant, but sometimes I wonder if she’s fooling me. She’s dainty (slender, for a goat), despite all the cookies. Nutmeg, on the other hand, is a tub o’ lard and always looks like she’s about to drop triplets. (It’s impossible for Nutmeg to be pregnant unless it was an immaculate conception.) I don’t even think it means anything that Clover’s udder is larger than Nutmeg’s. After all, Clover has had babies before and Nutmeg hasn’t.

Girth comparison (Clover on the left, Nutmeg-the-pig on the right.)
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Clover has always been a big eater.

Case in point and the evidence:

When I took Clover to the vet, he agreed she was on the slender side, but she checked out healthy. She’s just a naturally skinny girl. I even feed her extra, trying to fatten her up. She won’t fatten up. She’s wormed regularly. She must have lovely metabolism.

If she’s pregnant, she was bred sometime between the end of February and early part of March, so she could be anywhere from three to three and a half months pregnant. I’ve been told that it can be difficult to tell, sometimes right up almost to the end, if a goat is pregnant, particularly if they are a slender goat. (A goat’s pregnancy lasts five months.)

So is she or isn’t she? I don’t think so, but….

Only Clover knows, and she’s not telling.
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Skinny wench.

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33 Responses
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6-4
3:04
am

We kept Nubians for several years–they do have the BEST milk! We had a tubby girl like Nutmeg named Honey who gave no indication of having been bred until one morning I went out to milk and there was a tiny version of Honey standing beside her! You sure make me miss my dairy goats and all the milk, yogurt, and cheese they provided!

Love your blog, Suzanne!
Cindy

Dayhiker - Reply
6-4
3:19
am

I have no idea how to help you on this one. I just don’t know. Do her ankles get puffy by the end of the day? That’s all I have.

Kathryn - Reply
6-4
3:44
am

Is there some kind of home pregnancy test for goats? I can see it now, “come on clover pee on the stick, I’ll give you a cookie”

Stacy - Reply
6-4
3:46
am

I hope she is. More little kiddies would be great!

Runningtrails - Reply
6-4
3:48
am

HOW ABOUT A LITTLE PRIVICY. A GAL DOESN’T HAVE TO TELL IT ALL.

mmHoney - Reply
6-4
3:53
am

I wish I could keep a secret like that. I hope she is, too.

beekudzu - Reply
6-4
4:35
am

Has she had any morning sickness? Don’t tell Nutmeg or Clover but Nutmeg has prettier hair. Five months for a goat…..how long is the gestation for a cow, dog, or cat; anyone know?

Box Call - Reply
6-4
4:42
am

When a cow is pregnent or suppose to be.. we are able to ‘bump’ a calf in her. In other words we litterally can bump a calf if we push on her sides. However, there are some cows that its hard to tell on also – because of the way they are standing or if they are what we call a ‘deep’ cow’. This meaning she’s a tall leggy blonde with baby makin hips LOL!!! really it means she is wide through her hips… Try pushing right behind her ribs and see if somthing ‘bumps’ your fist when you do it… I can be reached for further consultations thank you!! LOL

Heidi - Reply
6-4
4:43
am

A cow is around 9 months, dogs and cats are 63 days. thats why there are so many unwanted puppies and kittens in this world.

Amber - Reply
6-4
5:20
am

Good morning,

We brought home a sweet 5 month old pygmy goat home to keep our recently bereft pygmy company. Goaty-Goat was not all pleased to have a new friend provided and it took some time for a friendship to develop between the goats. After a few months, all had settled and Snowflake was beginning to get the same wide load look as her elder; we just assumed it was weight gain from all the chicken feed. About 4 months after Snowflake came home I bent down to take a close peek at her and almost had my eye knocked out by an enormously swollen udder. Ummm, that isn’t supposed to be there. I called the fellow we bought her from and he reckoned she was pregnant, though young. Snowflake, the teenage mother, had her kid about a week after we realized she was expecting. We had hardly any time to set up a layette. Her babe is a cute wee billy goat, Nubbins.

Clover will keep her secrets to herself until the end…

Amy

Amy Detweiler - Reply
6-4
5:55
am

Would a stethoscope help? Can you hear a heartbeat, or would it only be digestive gurgles??

M - Reply
6-4
7:07
am

Wow I can’t believe I am commenting on goat boobies, but I need a laugh. I think they are back to a pre-pregnant size. You have kids: human moms boobs shrink a little after drying up, but they stay a bit bigger than before pregnancy (Thank goodness, or I wouldn’t have any!)

Cowboy was shooting bullets and didn’t do his job. It takes a little more than just keeping them in the same pen! Maybe she was afraid to come out of the bathroom because her legs weren’t shaved. Buy her some perfume (male goats think pee is sexy, though) and a box or cookies and some alone time. You have to set the mood.

monica - Reply
6-4
7:19
am

Chances are good that she is pregnant given that Cowboy is a proven breeder and that she was seen bred to him (more than once). If she hasn’t come back into heat again, that would be a good indication of pregnancy since Nigerian Dwarf goats aren’t seasonal breeders like the larger dairy breeds. I’ve been doing the udder watch here too. Both mine are first fresheners, though, and I’ve seen development, so I’m fairly certain we’ll be getting something this month. I just read something this morning that said that if a goat has kidded before and is only carrying a single, it can be quite hard to tell if they are pregnant by looks. Some does also don’t start filling their udders until a week before or even cases of a couple hours after kidding. I’d say get the nursery ready!
~Jenny~

Jenny - Reply
6-4
7:30
am

It’s a cruel twist of fate that we want our livestock to be “good keepers” and always some “cover”, but covet that crazy-fast metabolism for our women (well, speaking of myself anyway!! the older I get, the more difficult is my ever-waning metabolism to even find!)8-)

iowacowgirl - Reply
6-4
7:37
am

I hope she is preggers. I would love to see some brand new baby goats!

Claudia W. - Reply
6-4
7:49
am

Well, if goats are anything like horses it’s iffy. I had one of my mare u/s in the fall, vet said there was nothing there and next spring I had a baby. Either a sneaky horse or a lousy vet.

I bet she’s preggers. The billy is proven, so is she and she was bred.

Remudamom - Reply
6-4
7:53
am

I don’t know anything about goats, but if she were a sheep, I’d say it’s way too early to tell. The real signs of pregancy usually are more evident in the last 4-6 weeks. The sheep get more ‘pear shape’(for want of a better word) when you are looking from the side. A non preggie ewe will just look fat and square, with no shape. The udder can be an indication, but as some said sometimes they don’t bag up until right near the end. A few other good clues are they are less frisky (the non pregnant ewes will run and jump and act silly, and the pregnant ewes will watch from the sidelines), they get more affectionate–wanting more attention and scratches, and ’sentimental’, and they sorta start ‘plodding’ towards the end, so you can tell they are carrying a load. Nothing scientific in these observations, but these always help me. Of course as someone else said, if she hasn’t recylced that is the best indication she’ll be kidding for you.
Tammy

Tammy - Reply
6-4
8:05
am

Would you be able to feel the baby kick if she was preggers?

Bev - Reply
6-4
8:12
am

how about an ultrasound??? the cheapest way to tell if she is pregnant is to just wait and see.. ***Does anyone out there know anyone who has pygmy goats?? I only want them for pets for my grandsons so they don’t have to be registered/perfect.. Oh I live in Malden WV (5 miles east of Charleston). Clover has her own mystery story.

Mim - Reply
6-4
8:18
am

Like your first poster, my Bella didn’t look pregnant and I sure couldn’t tell by her udder, and then one morning I went out to feed her and there was a baby!

Keeping my fingers crossed for you – what a nice surpirse that was!

Beth in PA

Beth Brown - Reply
6-4
9:04
am

Is it weird that I think that Clover is just beautiful?

Carol - Reply
- 6-4
  12:45
  pm
  
  I do too!!! I don’t know what it is about that cute little goat.
  
  Suzanne I am over this post! This city girl has NO clue!
  
  Rachel - Reply
6-4
9:44
am

We bought the beginning of our small flock of sheep last year about this time. Last November I was looking out the window at our sheep in the meadow, and thought to myself how nice it was that the sheep were putting on weight for the coming winter. A few minutes later it occurred to me that the ewes were getting plump, but the ram was his own sleek self.

I still didn’t really get it until a friend brought us five sheep we bought from her, and she commented that these four ewes were due in December or January, and by the way did we know our current eight ewes were pregnant, too. I took a closer look and oh my! she was right!!! Our first lamb was born on 12/28/08 and our last the end of January. Our last twins included Annabelle. This time we won’t be surprised (at least I hope we can estimate when they are due…) It might just be another surprise!

WV_Hills - Reply
- 6-4
  10:57
  am
  
  Question: Do you have to bring the lambs in due to the weather at that time of year?
  
  Box Call - Reply
6-4
10:36
am

She’s just staying slim to make sure you don’t dress her up in maternity clothes!!! Only time will tell, since Clover isn’t telling.

Nancy in Atlanta - Reply
6-4
11:24
am

When my three Nigerian does were pregnant recently, there was no mistaking that they were pregnant, like pregnant women, towards the end you can visually tell, large baby bumps. Get a good look from their rears as they walk away.

wilcoxjj - Reply
6-4
11:42
am

such a cute post…totally ignorant about goats…can’t help but do love to read your posts! thank you!!!

kritter keeper - Reply
6-4
11:46
am

Must be really nice to eat all the junk you want and not gain a pound. I envy her.

Treasia - Reply
6-4
1:15
pm

I would think anything living near you would be plump with all that fantastic food you make!!!! All those homemade cookies too!!!
I found out the hard way that feral/stray cats could have two litters in one spring/summer. At one point there were 12 kittens from 2 females where previously they were only having one – I guess I fed them too well!!!

catslady - Reply
6-4
11:44
pm

Could Nutmeg be pregnant?

Melinda - Reply
6-5
2:13
am

From the way her hip position looks, I’d say she’s pregnant. I know mine shifted while I was pregnant!

Ruth - Reply
6-5
9:29
am

Great story – my dad loved sorghum on biscuits – mixed with softened butter then slathered on a hot biscuit half. Mmmmm I can almost taste one now! lol
I have a Hoosier – the sifter is gone and we use the bin to store recycled grocery bags, plus mine has a bread drawer. It’s not a really old one, but I love that thing

Dede

Dede Kelly - Reply
6-5
5:38
pm

Clover is not really skinny. She is a dairy goat and they should look like that. Since she has produced kids and was milked her body will be different than NutMeg’s, who is a pudgy teenager right now. I think you should put Clover in the milking stand and see if you can feel anything kicking and feel the udder and see if she is starting to bag up or if it’s just left over from last kidding. You should be able to feel the difference. Also is her tail changing? You will see hollows on either side of her tail. And everything “down there” will get loose and start to droop.
I sure hope she is. There is nothing…I mean nothing cuter than Nigerian Dwarf babies.

Wendy - Reply