New to the kidding process

[FarmerBoy24]

Hello everyone!

I have a LamanchaxNubian doe due to kid on March 22nd. This is her first time as well as ours I had a couple of questions. 1.) What do you usually have on hand for when the doe has the kids? (towels, blow dryer etc.) I also wanted to know 2.) How long after the doe has babies, can I start milking her? I know the babies need her colostrum milk but I don't know for how long. Her belly isn't too big so i am thinking she's only going to have 1 but I don't know. Any suggestions/answers help! Thanks!

 

[Missy]

Hello congrats! We are due the same day! I have a Nigerian due then. I would be checking on her more frequently about 10 days before her due date, and then be on watch very much regularly starting the 17th. I own a blow drier but have never used it. I get those cloth or disposable quick car drying towel and have a good stock of them on hand if needed. Depending on the weather and situation, I let the doe do her job herself and only intervene when neccessary. Will you be bottle feeding the babies or letting the mom feed them? If you are bottle feeding them, I would put them to the side and as soon as mom is finished, milk mom and bottle feed the babies the clostrum for a few days. After that, you can slowly switch the babies over to whole cows milk(heated up of course). If the babies are going to nurse from mom, watch her production. I would let only the babies nurse for a few weeks(at least 4 in my house) and then I start milking her out in the early morning and the babies can have the milk she produces for the rest of the day. At 8 weeks sell or move the babies and you get all the milk(milked out at least twice a day, no less than twice if you wish to continue to milk her.)

This is what works for me, I am sure other people may have better methods than I do.

 

[FarmerBoy24]

Hello congrats! We are due the same day! I have a Nigerian due then. I would be checking on her more frequently about 10 days before her due date, and then be on watch very much regularly starting the 17th. I own a blow drier but have never used it. I get those cloth or disposable quick car drying towel and have a good stock of them on hand if needed. Depending on the weather and situation, I let the doe do her job herself and only intervene when neccessary. Will you be bottle feeding the babies or letting the mom feed them? If you are bottle feeding them, I would put them to the side and as soon as mom is finished, milk mom and bottle feed the babies the clostrum for a few days. After that, you can slowly switch the babies over to whole cows milk(heated up of course). If the babies are going to nurse from mom, watch her production. I would let only the babies nurse for a few weeks(at least 4 in my house) and then I start milking her out in the early morning and the babies can have the milk she produces for the rest of the day. At 8 weeks sell or move the babies and you get all the milk(milked out at least twice a day, no less than twice if you wish to continue to milk her.)

This is what works for me, I am sure other people may have better methods than I do.

Awesome! I will definatly have a closer eye on her for the last 10 days! Ohhhh im so excited

I plan to let them nurse from the mom but I still want to milk her. So I will let them drink from her for 4 weeks, then after that I will begin to milk only in the early mornings so they can drink the milk she makes the rest of the day. So the babies are weaned at 2 months old? If she has a doeling I plan to keep her.

 

[SassyKat6181]

The woman I bought my doelings from starts to separate the kids at night after 3 weeks and milks in the morning. The kids are then totally weaned at 8 weeks and she continues to milk them twice per day. My does are due the end of June, early July and this is how I plan to do it. Good luck and I can't wait to see pics!

 

[FarmerBoy24]

The woman I bought my doelings from starts to separate the kids at night after 3 weeks and milks in the morning. The kids are then totally weaned at 8 weeks and she continues to milk them twice per day. My does are due the end of June, early July and this is how I plan to do it. Good luck and I can't wait to see pics!

Ok, nice to know and YES I WILL be uploading tons of photos!!!