Getting my birthing kit together... am I missing anything?

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Hi guys, I am getting my birthing kit ready for our babies that are due in 3 weeks... Am I missing anything, or is there something you guys think I should add that would be good to have on hand? Thanks in advance!



I have on hand:

Shoulder length gloves
Pen G
Clean towels
Bloat Ease
Baking Soda
CD&T Vaccine
Copasure
Selenium/ E Paste
Iodine
Trash Bags
Dixie Cups
Floss
Syringes
Rubbing alcohol
Molasses



I am ordering this stuff this week;

Clost Perf C&D Antitoxin
Tetanus Antitoxin
Weak Kid Syringe (Feeding Tube)
Vet Thermometer
Di-Methox Soluble Powder
Lamb Bottles w/ nipples
Probios Dispersible Powder
Non-Spermicidal Sterile Lubricating Jelly
Pritchard Teat Nipple
Triodine-7
Fortified Vitamin B Complex
Micro B-1 Oral Gel
Elastrator w/ rings
Bulb Syringe
Surgical Scissors
Colostrum

 

[pridegoethb4thefall]

Molasses or Karo syrup- I give it to a doe who has delivered, in a bucket of warm water, to get her hydrated and get some sugars into her.

Also good to have on hand in case you need it for a floppy kid, or kid who just needs a does of sugar to give them a quick 'pick-me-up', mixed with water or milk from a bottle or syringe.

Puppy pads are great and disposable for kidding mess.

Big trash bags for used towels, trash, placentas, etc.

Small paper cups, or old baby food jars for dipping umbilical cords (if you choose to)

Dental floss for tying cords if needed

SNOT sucker- bulb syringe for sucking goo out of kids noses and mouths after birth (I used mine ALOT and was SO glad I had gotten it last minute as an after thought)

Pair of small, sharp, sterilized scissors

Rest of your list looks GREAT!

 

[bonbean01]

I don't see any Apricot Brandy on that list...that has become a lambing time tradition here

 

[daisyjack]

when I have kids I think I am going to try bovi sera for immune system and I would also get colostrum

 

[SheepGirl]

I would add a tube feeder to that list. We've had to tube a couple of lambs who wouldn't suck.

Personally, if you had sheep, I think you could do away with a lot of that stuff that's on that to-get list, but you have goats, and I'm not sure of any goat/sheep birthing differences.

For example, for sheep, the only things we've needed (knock on wood) are:

- Elastrator + rings
- Tagger & ear tags
- Iodine + navel dipping cup (medicine bottle works good too)
- Tube & syringe
- Nutri-Drench (GREAT for weak newborns)
- Milk replacer & frozen colostrum (we leave our lambs on their dams, so this is for our orphans that can't be grafted onto another ewe)
- Bulb syringe

And that's pretty much it.

I can't wait to see pictures of your kids!!

 

[pridegoethb4thefall]

I would add a tube feeder to that list. We've had to tube a couple of lambs who wouldn't suck.

Personally, if you had sheep, I think you could do away with a lot of that stuff that's on that to-get list, but you have goats, and I'm not sure of any goat/sheep birthing differences.

For example, for sheep, the only things we've needed (knock on wood) are:

- Elastrator + rings
- Tagger & ear tags
- Iodine + navel dipping cup (medicine bottle works good too)
- Tube & syringe
- Nutri-Drench (GREAT for weak newborns)
- Milk replacer & frozen colostrum (we leave our lambs on their dams, so this is for our orphans that can't be grafted onto another ewe)
- Bulb syringe

And that's pretty much it.

I can't wait to see pictures of your kids!!

I like how you put that! It seems like I had a TON of supplies ready, but when the time came for actual kidding, I didn't use but maybe half of it. Of course, I did have a difficult first kidding with quads, a few got stuck, a few were near dead at birth, and at the time I had NO experience, nor any help from anyone (I was home alone).

I used the gloves, I used the snot sucker, I used the iodine for the umbilical cords, and lots and lots of paper towels and trash bags. Thats about it, really. My doe really appreciated the warm water and molasses after the birth too- she gulped it down big time!

But the good news is- I DID it!!! I had to go in, I had to give mouth to snout, I had to aspirate with the snot sucker, but I got it done, and everyone made it!! And you can do it too!

Its a good idea to have on hand everything you might need though. I would suggest not buying the biggest box/bag/bottle of anything, since most things are used in small amounts anyways.

For me, the things I would not go without are- Nasal aspirator, iodine, gloves, paper towels/puppy pads, molasses, cups for iodine naval dipping, and a CAMERA somewhere nearby to take pictures!! I got so wrapped up in the birth and assisting that I got very few pics during the birth, but LOTS right after. Oh, and consider if you are going to have or need electricity to your kidding area, and how you will keep any cord, wires or heat lamps out of harms (goat teeth and hooves and water) way.

 

[2goats8kids]

I don't have electricity to the barn, but even if I did, I'll bet I'd appreciate having these: camping handwarmer pouches. Sarabi delivered at night, and I was SO glad to have them. Even after the kid was dried off, her little hooves were cold for some reason, and I just held the warmers against her hooves, and held them against her, used them to warm the blanket I wrapped her in, and kept my own hands warm! Love those things

Here is a link to what I'm talking about at Amazon, although that amount is excessive for sure! http://www.amazon.com/HeatMax-Hot-H...8&qid=1359506778&sr=8-1&keywords=hand+warmers