Palpating a Flemish Giant

[cmany]

Hey there....

So I bred my Flemish to a NZ/CA cross...because she didn't take with her first breeding...which was to a Flemish...but either she didn't take...or as a friend told my husband...the move (the woman who had her bred her) and the adjustment to the new environment may have caused the pregnancy to terminate...

She did go through false pregnancy tho...

Anyway...I have watched the very few videos that I could find on palpating...and she is SO big - 15lbs and still growing - I just can't tell...

She doesn't feel as solid as my Californian, but I can't feel the tell tale grape like nubs...and my hand, which is not that small...but WAY too small to feel her like I can on the other...

Gonna have my hubby try and do it...he has very big hands...

I just don't know if I am not doing it hard enough...or maybe she is infertile...

Any tips from anyone who knows about these Giants?

We are planning on breeding her with another Flemish...just wanted to make sure that she would take before making the trip back to the woman I got her from...but we are thinking...if she does have babies...to ask the woman if I can borrow one of her bucks and bring him here so as to not stress her in transit...plus we are planning to get another buck from her too...different line of course...

Thanks in advance

Christine

 

[woahlookitsme]

I am definitely not an expert on palpating and get it 50% of the time but with my tans i have to squeeze pretty far in remember dont be too aggressive go very slow and dont rush.

Also how old is this doe and do you know anything about her past litters if she has had any?

 

[cmany]

She is just under a year...and no she has never had any litters before

 

[Samara]

Any updates for us? Did you find out if you can transport a buck rather than driving your doe?

 

[cmany]

Well, I think I could feel something in there...but it is so hard to tell...

But I can say, that when I feel my Flemish and my younger ca doe and compare what their bellies feel like compared to my older ca doe...well it certainly feels different...

The two have more firm bellies, that I don't want to push and squeeze too hard...the other one is easily squished around...

Also my Flemish has become very reclusive and has been cleaning out her box...which had been full of hay and hair from her false pregnancy...and if she is pregnant, she is due early next week...

My CA that I bred, she has been digging and digging in the box we have in there for her...we are in the process of building her a better nesting box...and she is REALLY Cranky...she is due the following week...Oh and she has been REALLY picky with her fresh veggies...some days she doesn't want ANY of it...then she seems to rotate what she feels like having...

So I will have to see where it goes after next week...

Thanks

Christine