C&D farming kidding thread...

[lalabugs]

I stand with them in between my legs on their neck. Slightly squeezing to hold them in place. Tilt head up some and slowly squirt in their mouth. It's easy enough my daughters help with giving the molasses/karo mix. The molasses/karo mix taste good to them. Our doe Nilla fought at first (not a huge fight, more just pulling her head away) now she drinks it as we're squirting it.
The first year we had goats we did not have a stand. I learned how to do everything with out a stand. Trimming hooves. I would have my husband or daughter roll them into their lap with legs sticking out for me to trim. After we always gave them all a small hand full of grain. Pulling blood my husband holds them in between his legs with head up tilted to the side a little. When I have to give copper I hide it in a prune. They love it. Also while our does are pregnant we give them massages. We massage their necks/shoulders. Even our crazy Rhea just stands there with her eyes closed as we're massaging.

This year we will be pulling all kids. They will sleep inside, in a huge dog crate. When we dam raised we had nothing special for them. If it was cold we would have a heat lamp. Other wise we made sure the kidding pens had A LOT of straw down for warmth. We did have kidding pens for each doe. That way dam and kids had time to bond with out the herd.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Ok, can I ask where you are? I don’t really plan to milk a ton, I just want to try it...or, does it not work that way. I either have the kids dam raised and feed at night, therefore, nothing for me to milk in the morning...or can they sleep in with her, in the kidding stall, but have the wood box for extra heat? Or won’t they need it, just a heat lamp? Everything I’ve watched has shown a dog crate...we’re they all pulling the kids? I’m in NW PA..and at times it gets below zero...will mom’s body heat and a lamp be enough? I was hoping, in theory..they would all be dam raised and healthy...I could milk a bit, just to see if it was something I would want to do with future goats...I think these two are not adjusted to the milk stand/ meds, since they came from the bad farmer who never gave any supplemental care, or attention. i Was thinking I would train the kids to go on the stand..nicely...and perhaps milk them, once I’m a more experienced goat owner. But, I really want the option open to me to be able to milk them..I really want to try it

 

[lalabugs]

I am in California, we're the southern part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We do not get below zero here. I think we hit 10 degrees as our lowest since we have lived here. If I were below zero I would look into extra warmth for them. Any breeders that are close by that you could ask how they do it?
If you want milk, you need to milk daily. You can keep kids on dam and still milk her, just know you will get close to nothing once the kids are about a month old. We have bottle raised and dam raised. We milk 2 times a day regardless if they are on dam or bottle. If you are not milking daily, once she starts to wean the kids her milk production will drastically drop.
Training the kids will make it easier on you once they are old enough to breed, eventually kid and be milked.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

So, do do you milk in the morning and at night? How do you make sure the kids get enough first? I have a new issue...tonight I thought I’d put Stormy in the kidding stall, since she’s the first due, and, if I’m right, is only a few days away. Her udder is nice and tight. Anyways...they were not having it! Busty actually stood up on the feeder , and then tried to climb through the rails. they have never been apart. When I told Chris, he said, do they have to be separated? I said I’d ask...because everything I have read and watched has shown that they need to be in a stall. I guess I always figured it was for safety. I don’t know any goat owners at all in this area. There is one couple, but, we don’t really know them..and, I’m sure they have the best of the best...they are extremely wealthy. Apparently goats aren’t very common around here. We have only seen them sold at one auction, and we didn’t know anyone to ask questions. Chris built our mini pig, that we only had for a week, a really nice, insulated box. It was, plywood, then, insulation, then plywood. It had the heat lamp. It was 4’ x 8’. I suppose he will just make two tiny versions? it would probably be be much cheaper to just cut holes in the dumb blue barrels, definitely easier!! He just loves those barrels...thanks for all this help!

 

[lalabugs]

Yes, I milk am and pm. When dam raising I did not fully milk them out and if any kid looked like they needed extra. I put them up to the teat to eat before I milk.

I separate mine. However they can see and smell each other. The pens are right next to each other. With her having a problem being alone i would keep them together in the pen. Also I do not lock mine up 24/7. I lock up at night. Let them out during the day, unless they are showing clear signs they will be kidding soon.

The boxes sound like a good idea to add for the kids.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

I think I won’t lock up Stormy...or whoever goes first, until I see real signs of labor...then, it won’t stress them out unnecessarily. Did you ever have issues with kids going to the wrong mom, and then being rejected by the right mom? And, did your girls ever get into, spats because they were overprotective?

 

[Xerocles]

I think I won’t lock up Stormy...or whoever goes first, until I see real signs of labor...then, it won’t stress them out unnecessarily. Did you ever have issues with kids going to the wrong mom, and then being rejected by the right mom? And, did your girls ever get into, spats because they were overprotective?

Ducks! How many ulcers do you have? I worry and ask a lot of questions. But you OBSESS! How do you even sleep at night? What if a piece of space debris falls out of the sky? How do we protect from that?
Know I love you and am only playing. Take care of your babies.

 

[Mini Horses]

Did you ever have issues with kids going to the wrong mom, and then being rejected by the right mom? And, did your girls ever get into, spats because they were overprotective?

Yes, head butting sometimes by does with NEW babes. The other will stay away then.

Only occasionally will a kid try wrong mom and trust me, they will be pushed away. IF they get a slurp or two, it's rare.

Normally I let my does and new kids have 48 +/- hrs to bond and be able to watch to be sure all is well & all kids have/are nursing. Then they can go out. with others.

Since I have large goats and way more than you, I sometimes find I will need to keep separation of doe & new kids for a day or two longer....depends on the doe(s) and kid activity.

Right now I have 2 moms & 2 sets of twins, couple weeks old. During the day I sometimes find all 4 kids napping together with moms grazing. When time to eat....they only get to nurse from own mom. AND the doe knows when they should nurse. She will call them, also push away when enough or not time. The doe knows. In all my years I've only had 2 times a doe wouldn't nurse her kid...I bottle fed one with her moms milk, doe did all else for it (& nursed the other 2 of the trips). Another doe let one of twins nurse, other more sparingly. That one made herself part of a family of twin doe buddies and snuck into the nursing from the rear of their mom.. Both of the two are still here and well.

 

[animalmom]

Regarding giving molasses to your girls... mine LOVE their hot molasses water. I put about 1/4 cup (give or take) in a regular 8 qt bucket and add hot water. The molasses mixes quickly and the girls slurp on it during the day.

Introducing any new food item to goats can be trying. I understand your desire to traumatize the dear wee drama queens as little as possible but sometimes you just have to dig in and do what is needed.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Ducks! How many ulcers do you have? I worry and ask a lot of questions. But you OBSESS! How do you even sleep at night? What if a piece of space debris falls out of the sky? How do we protect from that?
Know I love you and am only playing. Take care of your babies.

It’s sooo true...at least you know me!! Besides, just wait till you get your goats..they require different care than even even my beloved dogs!