Could feeling the teats of a doe be another indicator of

[illinoisguy]

pregnancy?

I tried multiple times to get a doe to breed. She now sqwaaks at me, seems grouchy and flipped around as if to bite. I really can't feel her stomach to feel for babies. But, I do feel her teats and they are raised up...not like my other doe that had babies 3 weeks ago....

So.....is it a possible indicator?

THanks

 

[Oscar]

I want the answer to this too because I suck at palpating.

 

[ButtonsPalace]

Palpating is actually easy. If you hold the doe down and feel right in between hips you'll feel little grapes. If you don't feel anything it's too early or she isn't pregnant. I wait until 3 weeks to palpate because then I can feel the kits better. I'm gentle when I do it since they are bigger. Nipples are not a good indicator, weight gain can cause nipples to swell, plus a doe who has had kits before will always have more prominent nipples and the more litters she has the bigger they get.

 

[LittleFluffyBunnies]

I agree, I have a doe I bred twice and her nipples are big no matter what.

Palpating is easy once you get the hang of it. I personally wouldn't palpate after 2 weeks. I palpate my does at 10-12 days after breeding with good results.

Practice palpating on a buck or a female who is not pregnant to know what you feel normally. Then palpate your bred female. To palpate, use one hand, and very gently feel around, towards the back and up toward the spine. Be gentle but firm. If you feel a soft, grape-like lump along the sides of the spine then she is very likely pregnant. There are lots of useful videos on YouTube about palpating.

Other signs are digging and haystaching, although that can also indicate a false pregnancy. she may also be very grumpy.

Your doe sounds like she could be pregnant based on her behavior, but I could be wrong. I would put in a nestbox on day 28 just to be sure.

 

[ButtonsPalace]

I can't ever feel anything at 2 weeks. Probably because my finger tips have no feeling for the most part (Thanks to the Wal-Mart hot water and oil fryers *By the way do not buy food from Wal-Mart Deli they hardly ever change the oil. It's pretty gross.*) So I wait a bit and then I feel if there's any lumps and if there is she's pregnant, if not she's rebred after a few days.