Our mature Nigerian Dwarf does are all obviously “in a family way” as my father-in-law says, and I was wondering how 
developed the fetuses are as we count down the days to kidding. They still have a few days to go, and they look so big already. Here’s what I found:
1st Trimester
20 days – apparent heart beat
28-35 days – limb buds appear
35-42 days – differentiation of mouth, toes, and dew claws
42-49 days – nostrils and eyes apparent; mammary buds in females; empty scrotal sac in males; jugular vein barely visible
2nd Trimester
42-84 days – lung bronchial divisions are differentiated and air conducting system becomes established
49-56 days – eyelids close, ear canal opens, soft spot on top of head
56-63 days – jugular vein, facial vein and scrotal vessels all visible, nostrils open
70-77 days – hair appears on eyelids
77-84 days – horn pits appear, ear vein prominent, hair on muzzle
84-91 days – hair on forehead, pigmentation around horn pits
91-98 days – skin whitish and thicker; jugular, facial, and scrotal veins no longer visible, hair along top of neck; top of head has hardened; further lung development
98-105 days – hair around eyes and on chest; eyelids separated; teeth buds appear
3rd Trimester
105-112 days – body sparsely covered with hair, except limbs; more lung development
112-119 days – dense hair covers body and limbs, teeth buds prominent
119-154 days – lung development competed
The girls are all in the 119 – 154 day range (see Kidding Schedule), and given the descriptions above, I can see why they’re looking big. It seems like it’s taking forever for this year’s kids to arrive, but in reality they’re going to be here in no time! The picture is of Jewel Box just after kidding last year – she’s just washing him off.
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