Get Ready for Kids

Christmas is over, so now it is time to start thinking about baby goats! We usually get out goats pregnant in late fall (September-November), so we have babies in late winter (February-April). Having early kids means they can be posted to be sold before the rush, are ready to find new homes around Easter.  


So what is needed when preparing for birth? I'll give you the rundown of what we have learned through our two...going on three, kidding seasons comprising of seven does giving birth to 18 kids. I'm no expert, but I do know more now that when I started.


Keep Track of Dates:
   First, record heat cycles as you notice them throughout the year for Nigerian's and starting in the late summer/fall for larger goats. Knowing the cycle will help when deciding when to make a date with the buck. It is important to record the times the doe was exposed to Mr. Stinky. If you see the deed happen, mark that on the calendar as well. You may witness it on more than one day, or not at all, but recording those dates will help you determine a more accurate due date. 
   I enter the dates into a Gestation Calculator like this one from the American Goat Society https://americangoatsociety.com/gestation-calculator.php. Or you can count weeks on the calendar (5 months or 21 weeks or 145 days for the little goats and 150 for the standards). I record three dates on a spreadsheet, earliest she could be due, estimated date from when he got her, and the last possible day she could have kids. Knowing all three dates helps me prepare on time.


Before Birth:
There are some pregnancy problems that we like to keep up on

1. Grain - We only give grain rations to goats in the milking stand. That means that pregnant/non-lactating does never get grain. Out lactating/pregnant does get a little bit at the start of the pregnancy, and then we wean down to none by the 3rd month. They get hay in the milking stand for the last two months. We start the grain again when we start milking after they give birth.
2. Water - This is a no-brainer, but pregnant and lactating does drink more. This can be hard when water pails freeze all winter, but they must have all the water they want.  
   1. Solution. We fill water pails in the morning and night with steaming hot water, it helps it last a little longer in the cold. We also provide one heated water bucket or water in an insulated place, so there is always fresh water that is not ice.
3. Shots - If you choose to give a CD and T Vaccine, we do it two weeks before we think kids will come. That way, the kids are born with some vaccines in their system, but it is gone from mom by the time we start drinking the milk.
4. Calcium - Pregnancy and lactation can drain the doe of Calcium and cause her bones to be weak. Calcium deficiency can also cause weak, ineffective labor contractions to be ineffective.  
   1. To prevent, we drench with 20cc of Oral Cal MPK (for cows). We do this every month for the three months before due dates. I also have it on hand to use if labor stalls. The goats love the taste of this drench and will lick the liquid syringe clean after it is given.
5. Selenium - This mineral is often found in your soil. If you live in an area that has low amounts (get the soil tested or check a general map), you may need to give them some. Selenium deficiencies can cause kids to be born with white muscle disease. This makes it hard to control their muscles or have weak back legs. Usually, kids are okay after the first few days if they get help nursing, but it can be a problem.  
   1. To prevent, we drench weekly for the last month with a drench that contains selenium.  
   2. To treat, we give a kid-size dose of the drench to all newborns, and weak kids get it once a day for the first week.  
6. Copper - This is usually not a problem the first season, but can be for any after. Watch for discoloration and dullness of the fur (blacks that turn brown, tans that get light) or bald patches.
   1. To prevent, offer free minerals that include copper
   2. To treat, copper pills can be bought and then forced down their throat using a bolus gun or hidden in a treat they won't chew. Or there are shots you can get from a vet.  Here's how.  Give the dose recommended on the packaging for goats (not sheep) and then wait 3 months so see if it improves. If symptoms get worse, a second dose can be given after a few months, or you can talk to your vet about a shot.

Prepare For Birth:
If this is your first kidding season, YouTube is your best friend. Watch as many birthing videos as you can find. Compare the births to what you read so you have an idea of what you will do if/when problems happen! 
Most births are perfectly normal, and you are only there because it is so fun to see. But sometimes there are problems. I have learned that no matter how prepared you are, it is not enough for the first few years. Here are my suggestions.

1. Have the number of a goat whispering friend saved on your phone before your due date. It is nice to get a second opinion when you are unsure if what you see is normal.
2. Have the number of a vet that makes house calls! If you need it, you don't want to have to find it. Prepare for the worst, just in case.
3. Pack your birth box and check for supplies in the month before the due date. Here is our birth box list:
   1. Chuck Pads - I use these to catch babies, clean out noses, wipe down, and to hide stillbirths. As the name suggests, when dirty, you chuck them.
   2. 2 Old Bath Towels - like the chuck pads, sometimes it is nice to have a larger towel to warm mom or kids, kneel or sit on in the barn, and to keep mud below the work going on. 
   3. Way to Keep Track of time (phone, watch) and a notebook or whiteboard - I write down notes as labor progresses so I don't get anxious. I use those notes to fill in birth records that I keep as a google spreadsheet. Sometimes things happen so fast you forget the order once it is over. I record when pushing starts, when I see a bubble, the time and gender of each birth, and any complications I see. Reviewing these notes later helps me improve at knowing what to do or not do next time.
   4. Drench and/or Jump Start - As mentioned before, we give every kid a squirt of drench and jumpstart within the first 12 hrs after birth. Mom also gets some drench and jumpstart. It provides the vitamins and strength to help overcome the ordeal they went through.  
   5. Oral Cal MPK - I Use as a drench to help stalled contractions. I have only needed it once, but It is nice to have it handy. This also comes as a paste, but I have only ever used the liquid.
   6. Iodine Swabs - I know you can use iodine and cotton to clean cords, but why the mess when swabs from Amazon are so much easier. I love the pre-soaked cotton sticks to clean the cord and the surrounding area after mom has cleaned the baby.
   7. Medicine Syringes - These are handy for a few reasons, first to administer Calcium if labor stalls, and second, to collect and deliver milk if a kid is too weak to stand and nurse.
   8. Medical Gloves - If you need to check inside, you will need these to keep your does from getting dirty up there. If you don't need to check, it is nice to be able to keep your hands clean, so her mess is not under your fingernails. I just use the wrist length, have not needed anything more.  
   9. Personal Lubricant - KY jelly is perfect for lubricating your glove if you need to check the progress or position of the kid. I have done this many times (stuck kids- usually that are stillborn) or when you first start, checking to see if another kid is coming.
   10. Molasses - Mom will want a drink of warm molasses water after giving birth to go along with some fresh hay. The molasses give her some energy and taste good!
   11. Thermometer - I like to track mom's temperature for the first two or three days just to make sure there are no issues causing an infection that I can't see. I buy these at the dollar store and toss when the battery dies. 
   12. Vaseline - You will need this to lubricate the thermometer.
   13. Alcohol Wipes - I use these to clean the thermometer before and after use.
   14. Hand Sanitizer - I don't have running water in my barn, so I use hand sanitizer before and after touching birth stuff. I also put some on my glove before the KY jelly when doing an internal check. I don't trust that the gloves in the box are that clean after being in my barn.

Find and Have Ready:

   After birth, you will need a few items, so be sure to have them ready to go.

1. Heat Lamp - Here in Utah, it is cold. We leave the heat lams on 24/7 for the first three days, then at night for the first week. Be sure the lamp is high enough that it won't be touched or bothered and that it is not too hot.
2. Tall Water Dish - Baby goats can drown in a water pail. Make sure the one for mom is tall enough that a baby can't get curious and fall in.
3. Fresh Hay that is not near the ground - Baby goats love to sleep in moms hay. A wall feeder or bars that are too narrow for baby to fit through is best. We wasted good alfalfa the first year to baby poop.
4. A Plan - Our barn had two kidding stalls. The stalls are separate, so moms have their own space. Until you know the temperament of your goats, it is best to keep moms and babies away from your other goats for the first few weeks. An annoyed aunt could hurt a kid without meaning to. I found that the new moms are pretty tolerant of each other's kids, but the pregnant goats waiting for their turn are not always as patient. We breed in pairs and keep the other goats in an outside barn at night and fenced in a separate area during the day for the first two weeks. The separate barn is later used for night weaning until kids find new homes. If you plan to bottle feed all your kids, they will need their own space after 2-7 days.

Check out my other articles for Signs of Labor and the Actual Birth Process!