Merry
Meadows

Goat Gestation Calculator

Please select a breed.
Please enter a valid number of goats (1-100).
Please select a breeding start date.
Please select a breeding end date.
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How to Use Our Goat Gestation Calculator

This calculator helps you predict kidding dates for your herd with breed-specific accuracy. Pick your goat breed, enter how many does were bred, and choose your breeding window. The tool uses a gestation period that fits the breed you select, then gives you an estimated kidding range, a simple event timeline, and ready-to-use calendar files. You can export the schedule to Google Calendar, download an iCal file for Apple or Outlook, save a CSV for spreadsheets, or print a clean PDF.

The event timeline includes:

 

  • Preparation Reminder about three weeks before the first due date

  • Watch Period Start one week before the first due date

  • Peak Kidding Period for your selected window

  • Post-Kidding Care follow-up after the window ends

 

You can toggle these events on or off before you export. The breed panel also gives quick tips for pregnancy care, nutrition, and climate considerations.

How Accurate Are Kidding Predictions?

Typical goat gestation ranges 145 to 155 days, and most does kid close to the average for their breed. Age, body condition, litter size, season, and stress can shift the date a bit. Multiples often arrive a little earlier than single kids. Use the calculator as a planning tool, then watch each doe for the real-world signs that kidding is close.

What the Breed Selection Changes

Choosing a breed adjusts two important things:

  1. Gestation length used to calculate your due window

  2. Expected kids per doe used to estimate total kids

 

It also unlocks quick guidance that fits the breed’s typical size, feeding needs, and heat or cold tolerance. For example, Nigerian Dwarf and Pygmy does often carry multiples and can need closer monitoring, while hardy brush breeds like Spanish or Kiko may require less intervention.

Signs Your Doe Is Getting Close

Even with a solid due date range, your doe will tell you when it is time. Keep an eye out for:

  • Udder filling and a tight, glossy look in the last days

  • Softening tail-head ligaments that feel like warm jelly

  • Vulva swelling and a stringy, clear to whitish discharge

  • Nesting, pawing, or a doe that wants quiet time away from the herd

  • Restlessness, talking more than usual, or refusing feed right before labor

 

Kidding Prep Checklist

Use the Preparation Reminder the calculator creates, then gather these essentials:

  • Clean, draft-free pen with fresh bedding

  • Clean towels, puppy pads, and a garbage bag for soiled materials

  • Lubricant, OB gloves, and iodine or chlorhexidine for navels

  • Digital thermometer and a kid tube or syringe for colostrum if needed

  • Nutritious hay, fresh water, and a little molasses water for the doe post-kidding

  • Colostrum plan for the first two hours after birth

 

Feeding and Minerals During Pregnancy

Good nutrition supports healthy kids and easier births.

  • Hay and pasture. Offer high-quality forage every day.

  • Concentrates. Increase grain gradually in the last 6 to 8 weeks, adjusting to body condition and litter size.

  • Loose minerals. Provide a goat-specific loose mineral with adequate copper and selenium.

  • Water. Does can drink a lot near term. Keep fresh water available at all times.

  • Avoid sudden changes. Make feed adjustments slowly to prevent digestive upset.

 

Planning Breedings With a Calendar

The calculator’s calendar tools make herd planning a lot easier:

  • Breed in groups and export a calendar per group.

  • Share CSV files with helpers and vets.

  • Turn on the Watch Period to schedule night checks during the peak window.

  • Use the Post-Kidding event to time disbudding, vaccinations, and weight checks.

 

Common Questions

What if I only know the day the buck was introduced?

Enter that as the Breeding Start Date and give yourself a two to three week breeding window for the Breeding End Date. The calculator will produce a realistic kidding window.

 

Can I use this for Nigerian Dwarf goats?

Yes. Pick Nigerian Dwarf so the calculator uses the right gestation average and kid count estimate.

 

Why does the estimate show a window instead of a single date?

Goats do not all kid on day 150. A window reflects real variability and helps you plan coverage for checks and supplies.

 

Do multiples change the due date?

Often a little. Does carrying twins or triplets sometimes deliver earlier than a single-kid pregnancy.

 

What if I re-exposed a doe to the buck?

Use the earliest and latest likely breeding dates. The tool will give you a peak period that covers both attempts.

 

Can I rely on this instead of watching my does?

No calculator replaces daily checks. Use this tool to plan, then confirm with physical signs.

After Kidding

Keep records for each kid and the doe’s recovery. Note time of birth, sex, presentation, weights, and any assistance given. Make sure each kid gets colostrum quickly. Monitor the doe for appetite, normal temperature, clean discharge, and a firming udder. Use the Post-Kidding event as your reminder to review mom and babies at one week.

Learn More About Goats!

If you are new to goats, these guides from our blog are a great place to start: