# Mchaos acres 2017 kidding thread



## Pamela (Jan 18, 2017)

Well, here we go. My Nubian doe, Oreo is our first up.  Last year, she delivered triplets early and we lost them all.  I thought she was due to deliver between Christmas and New years, but doe code is in full effect. She passed some mucus that week and started bagging up. Now, we are three weeks out, more mucus , lots more udder. I am not so worried about premature kids as I am the weather.  Why start kidding season in January in Idaho you ask? Well, most of the time our winters are relatively mild. This one however, has been very harsh. Like much of the country, lots of snow and ice. To top it all off, our high today was still in the single digits.  I am really worried that she is going to kid through the night, and we will have frozen popsicle kids. She is in a barn with 3 other does, separated, but it is a fairly small space. It isn't warm by any stretch, but it is out of the worst of the weather.  I have my kidding kit ready, . Now we just wait and pray that she goes when I am around.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Jan 18, 2017)

I pray you have a Blessed safe kidding season, and healthy kids and momma!


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## Pamela (Jan 18, 2017)

Thanks! The doe code is killing me!


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## Latestarter (Jan 18, 2017)

Hoping for the best for you and your doe. May she provide you half a dozen happy healthy doelings for putting you through such stress


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## samssimonsays (Jan 19, 2017)

Eeeek! I can't wait to see what she has!


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## nstone630 (Jan 19, 2017)

Prayers for a happy healthy kidding!!!  

A lot of people on here suggested the goat barrel to me...which I now call an igloo. It might work for you if you have some water barrels laying around.  Keep a little heat in for the kids.


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## Pamela (Jan 19, 2017)

nstone630 said:


> Prayers for a happy healthy kidding!!!
> 
> A lot of people on here suggested the goat barrel to me...which I now call an igloo. It might work for you if you have some water barrels laying around.  Keep a little heat in for the kids.



Do you have a picture or a link of this?


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## Latestarter (Jan 19, 2017)

http://onpasture.com/2014/03/03/dont-burn-down-your-barn/

https://www.backyardherds.com/threa...is-in-the-kidding-pen-april-7th.21809/page-17  Scan down the page to the entry with pics.


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## nstone630 (Jan 20, 2017)

Just took a large water barrel (doesn't have to be this big) cut a square in the bottom front for them to get in and out. Then on the top there was already a hole that seemed to be made just for a lamp. Not really, but it fit perfectly. You could just cut a hole in the top if yours doesn't already have one. And I'm just using a 100 watt light bulb in it. Doesn't make it hot, but deff makes it warmer than everywhere else. My pregnant doe actually squeezed herself in this one until she is finally too fat to get in and out of it. We still have our on and up just in case she kids at night and it's about freezing. 

Happy Kidding


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## Pamela (Jan 21, 2017)

Thank you! My husband and I will be making one of these in the morning.  
So today I have noticed that oreo is really bulgy, not just in her lady parts but around her tail. This is when she is laying down or at the feeder with her front legs up.  She is very squishy in this area, until she stands normally and then I think I can still feel ligaments.  I do really have to dig for them though.  
Tonight, she has been grunting these little pathetic grunts.  She has had discharge off and on for days, but has no active discharge now.  She seems really uncomfortable, but who isn't when they are that preggo?  I've had 8 babies myself, and would have loved to have had the epidural inserted and running for the last trimester of each!
I don't know if she is toying with me, or if she is in early labor.  Sigh.  Time will tell.


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## Latestarter (Jan 21, 2017)

Sounds to me like she's really close.   I'd guess within 48-72 hours. Just a guess


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## Pamela (Jan 21, 2017)

I sure hope so! On the upside, I am getting a great workout slogging back and forth through the ice swamp we call the pasture! I have been going out to the barn about every hour during the day and late into the night.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Jan 21, 2017)

Any news? She sounds close to me!


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## Pamela (Jan 21, 2017)

Ligs are all but gone. She is generally very friendly, but doesn't really want to be checked for ligs today.  Otherwise she is just chillin'.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 21, 2017)




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## Hens and Roos (Jan 21, 2017)




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## lalabugs (Jan 21, 2017)




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## Pamela (Jan 22, 2017)

Is it possible to not feel ligs one time and then feel them the next time you check?
Oreo is TEASING me!  
On a happier note, yesterday we made a warming barrel and rearranged her kidding pen, so I feel A LOT better about her kidding when we're not there. 
Thanks for all the advice and encouragement! I will keep everyone posted.


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## Pamela (Jan 22, 2017)

Sad news on the kidding front.  Grammy, our Kinder, delivered a dead buckling today.  At least I am pretty sure it was doa.  We got home from church and she had it cleaned off and was nudging at it.  No signs of another kid or of afterbirth. She does have something hanging, kind of looks like an umbilical cord, but not sure.  She is completely unperturbed.  She is up and eating and drinking and acting like nothing significant has happened today.  
We are sad, but we just barely figured out that she was pregnant yesterday.  She has no bag, just a saggy old lady udder. Grammy has not been in great health this winter.  We have wondered if she will survive the season.  She has been wormed, has a mineral/protein block, good hay, and fresh water at her disposal.  She also has a barn to come and go in to get out of the weather.  We have always felt that she is on the old side.  Anyhow, sad day.


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## Hens and Roos (Jan 22, 2017)

so sorry to hear


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 22, 2017)

So sorry


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## norseofcourse (Jan 22, 2017)

Sorry to hear 
When my sheep start passing the placenta, the first part has a weird umbilical cord look to it.  The hormones caused by a kid/lamb nursing helps them pass the placenta - since she won't have that, keep an eye on her and call your vet if she doesn't pass it by tomorrow - a retained placenta can cause a serious infection.


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## Pamela (Jan 22, 2017)

norseofcourse said:


> Sorry to hear
> When my sheep start passing the placenta, the first part has a weird umbilical cord look to it.  The hormones caused by a kid/lamb nursing helps them pass the placenta - since she won't have that, keep an eye on her and call your vet if she doesn't pass it by tomorrow - a retained placenta can cause a serious infection.


that is what i am worried about.  we are watching her closely.  what looked like umbilical cord earlier, now looks more like thick, bloody, mucus.  I am totally bummed, but I am not sure what we would have done with no colostrum for the kid.  everything is closed so i can't even go buy a colostrum replacer.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 22, 2017)

Sorry


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 22, 2017)

Will she let you milk her at all?


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## BlessedWithGoats (Jan 22, 2017)

I'm sorry!


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## babsbag (Jan 22, 2017)

Sorry, it is never easy.


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## nstone630 (Jan 23, 2017)

So Sorry to hear


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## Sunny Searle (Jan 23, 2017)

Too bad, hope Oreo does better! Hopefully we both have our kids soon! Hope that they are healthy! Keep us updated, love ya Mom! I will let you know if anything changes with Lickaroo and Lucy. I hope we can both be there when everyone goes!


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## samssimonsays (Jan 23, 2017)

So sorry for the loss. It is never easy.


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## Pamela (Jan 24, 2017)

Oreo's ligaments are nearly gone, especially on the right side.  It is just a waiting game.  At least there is no school again tomorrow, so all of my helpers are around if I need them!


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## Pamela (Jan 24, 2017)

frustratedearthmother said:


> Will she let you milk her at all?


She has no milk at all.  That's one reason we didn't think she was bred.  All of the other girls are due at roughly the same time.  Grammy hasn't developed a bag at all, not before the delivery, or since.


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## samssimonsays (Jan 27, 2017)

Any babies from oreo?


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## Pamela (Jan 28, 2017)

Nope. She is really playing out this doe code thing. Two days ago her ligs were softening. Yesterday, they were easy to find and firm.  My daughter's (sunny Searle) goats haven't gone either. I think we are way too excited and anxious. A large part of the anxiety comes from the weather. When it's not snowing/sleeting and blowing, it is single and below zero temps. We are both pretty worried about missing a delivery and having frozen kids. 
I will leave you with an old midwifery addage:. " The fruit will fall when it's ripe."

Of course it doesn't address how nuts you are by the time said fruit falls!


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## samssimonsays (Jan 28, 2017)

Hahaha I know what you mean! My biggest fear and what drove us to want April kids was the frozen kid concern. Hoping for the best and a healthy kidding!


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## Pamela (Jan 28, 2017)

A mid spring kidding sounds great. That is what we will shoot for next year


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## nstone630 (Jan 30, 2017)

Good luck and I can't wait to see pictures!


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## Calendula (Jan 30, 2017)

Good luck! I'm sorry to hear about what happened with your other doe, Grammy. 

Is Oreo the only other doe you have due this spring?


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## Pamela (Jan 30, 2017)

We have 4 boer does, 3 are bred, and Grammy's girl from last year.  We think she is bred, but she is in with a young buck, so we are not 100% sure that he has done his job.  Our next girl, Cupcake, should kid on or around april 24.  She was hot to trot the day we put them in with the buck.  
While the other girls explored the new pasture, she gave Bucky a come hither look and they became instant sweethearts!  Once again, we are less than clear on dates for the rest. We will be spending the end of april and probably all of May playing the waiting game.
Next year we are hand breeding for sure!


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## Pamela (Feb 1, 2017)

Oreo is still holding out. She is such a tease. This morning her ligs were softer than they have been. However, tonight they are firm and easy to find. Ugh.
I had a bit of a run in with our yearling buck, Captain Jack. Apparently, he is the king of his pasture, and wanted to be sure that I know it.  After dodging his thrashing horns, I grabbed a front and a back leg and threw him on his side, then I knelt on him until he calmed down. All this while wearing my ugly house dress, no less. It's always an adventure here at McHaos acres!


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## Latestarter (Feb 1, 2017)

Well, then it seems you came by your farm name honestly M-cHaos farms   Good for you on handling the buck!


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## samssimonsays (Feb 2, 2017)

I thought the same thing @Latestarter 

I had to do that too many times with my wether so I know your pain After he jumped up on me trying to take the feed scoop from me and left bruises on my chest and banged my head against the barn I was DONE. He went with a friends wether to a pet home where he is a perfect angel because he is only one of two goats.  I spent more time knocking him down and making him submit to me than I could actually enjoy the goats in the end so he had to go. I hope he learned his lesson!


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## Latestarter (Feb 2, 2017)

Ummmm the fact that he's gone... would indicate he didn't... justsayin  oh... or were you referring to her buck?


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## Pamela (Feb 2, 2017)

The buck is our younger buck, Captain Jack. He has always been a sweetheart. We grafted him onto Oreo last year after she lost her triplets. He is not the buck that bred her. He is in with her now, because we have 2 does that we want him to breed, and they are in with Oreo. Our big buck is in another pasture with all of his boer girlfriend's.


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## samssimonsays (Feb 2, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> Ummmm the fact that he's gone... would indicate he didn't... justsayin  oh... or were you referring to her buck?


Her buck LOL


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## samssimonsays (Feb 2, 2017)

Pamela said:


> The buck is our younger buck, Captain Jack. He has always been a sweetheart. We grafted him onto Oreo last year after she lost her triplets. He is not the buck that bred her. He is in with her now, because we have 2 does that we want him to breed, and they are in with Oreo. Our big buck is in another pasture with all of his boer girlfriend's.


It sounds like his hormones are still in the spirit of rut! I hope you don't have any issues that progress. THose horns alone worry me on any goat.


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## Pamela (Feb 6, 2017)

Well, she finally did it!  Oreo kidded at about 9 tonight.  An hour earlier, Sunny and I noticed contractions every 3 minutes.  Another daughter and I checked at 9:30 and she had 1 kid on the ground and was struggling to deliver another. After donning gloves, I reached in and discovered that while the head was delivered, her front hooves were back and out of reach.   I tried from different angles, and was almost in full panic mode when my husband came out and he was able to get the kid delivered. (side note- my husband is a nurse practioner who worked as an RN for many years and delivered many babies) I was super worried that if I pulled on the kid's head that I would pull it in two.  Cameron knew how much he could pull without causing damage.  That kid, a doeling was slightly alive, but mostly dead.  We thought she was coming around, but ultimately, we lost her.  Baby #3 was hot on her heels and delivered immediatley afterward.  They look almost identical to Sunny Searle's trio.  So triplets, 2 does, 1 buck.  We have 1 and 1 surviving. They are resting and have kind of eaten, but not well. We are watching them closely. I will post pictures when I have some.


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## Latestarter (Feb 6, 2017)

sorry you lost the one. Grats on the two survivors!


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## norseofcourse (Feb 6, 2017)

Congrats on the kids, sorry about the one you lost.  Good for your husband on being able to help!


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## lcertuche (Feb 6, 2017)

Too bad about the little one. Hope Mama and babies recover from the birthing experience quickly.


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## nstone630 (Feb 6, 2017)

Sorry you lost one, hope mom and babies recover soon.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Feb 6, 2017)

Congratulations! Sorry about the doeling that didn't make it.


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## Pamela (Feb 7, 2017)

Babies and mom seem to be doing well. We really struggled getting some clostrum in them. My daughter brought over some of lickaroo's clostrum. I think lickaroo's is part Holstein! Sunny milked 6 cups of clostrum from her. We were lucky to get 6 tablespoons from Oreo.  Oreo's clostrum was about the consistency of sweetened condensed milk.  Anyhow, babies are out with mom, and look to be content. The bucklings tummy is full and the doelings isn't exactly full but not empty either. Still watching closely.  Here are some pics. The doeling has the darker head.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Feb 7, 2017)

Cute!


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