Expecting Nigerian Dwarfs

For the past two days I've been watching Thumbelina closely. She spends more time lying down, and sprawls her hind legs awkwardly to accommodate her expanding girth. Late in the week, when I had the dwarfs on the milking stand for hoof trimming, I felt her coming into milk. Although she's much smaller than the fainters, her udders are definitely filling with milk. For the past two nights I've gone out late to check on her and she's stayed lying down and let me massage her neck and shoulders. (She always accepts petting. This is the goat who taught me that goats need affection almost as much as dogs.)

This evening I cornered both Jennifer and Cocoa, the other Nigerian Dwarf does. While they are not as far along as Thumbelina, their udders are starting to swell. If they'll be delivering close together, I wonder if I'll need to separate each mom and her offspring. Cutting a stall into four sections will be more difficult, but these girls are small enough that it can be done. They've only just begun to enjoy a full stall space again, so I'd rather not limit their space too drastically. Then too, I hesitate to simply bisect both stalls, giving each dwarf mom a half and putting FiFi Mae back in with the fainters. I'll take another look at the setup tomorrow. Maybe I can trisect a stall for the expectant dwarfs (although with only two doors it'll take some doing) and bisect the other. I could put Feenster in with FiFi Mae on a trial basis; they're about the same size.

An additional concern is the multiple teats I've only just noticed on some of the gals. One of the dwarfs--either Thumbelina or Jennifer--has an extra teat on one side. It's smaller and likely to not be put into use, but its presence marks an undesirable trait that can be hereditary--making the does with the trait good candidates for culling. Feenster has four teats instead of the usual two. I'll have to find out how likely the trait is to be passed on; she's a fine fainter--known for impromptu somersaults every few days--and I'd hate to lose that asset.

I wonder how soon Thumbelina will deliver. Something tells me that she'll be a good, attentive mom.