One of our new goats kidded-all went smoothly-I think. I am suspecting that maybe there is one more kid in there...How long is it safe to wait it out? The first one is a doe (yeah!) and doing fine. Cute as a button. Just finished feeding her-I decidd to pull the kids because it is so cold here-and our barn is not the warmest...

Anyway-momma seemed fine-restless still-pawing at the bedding and staring at her behind a bit when I last checked on her. She has drun some molasses and warm water with gusto-an eaten some hay and a bit of grain. But I am still wondering...I saw what appeared to be the placenta and amnion on the ground-witht the kid-and then for a while the doe had what appeared to be a fluid filled red bag coming out of her-so I thought another kid is in there-but so far nothing. Maybe just the one-and that was the rest of the pacenta etc? (never saw a goat placenta before so I don't know how big to expect them.)

The kid is doing great- curled up in a box near the woodstove-belly full of colostrum. the owners said to give the kid 4 cc of nurtidrench as soon as possible after birth-the kid said 2...is that enough? We also were given probios to give her-not sure how to get her to take that-it is think-sort of gel like. And I forgot to iodine the navel in my excitement...can I clean it up some and still do it?

Well I am off to check on the doe once more before I hit the couch. A grand New Years present for us! Our first kidding! :)

Peace and blessings, Sarah

-- Sarah (heartsongacres@juno.com), January 02, 2001

Answers

Sarah, Congratulations on a safe kidding and a beautiful baby. I can't answer your question if there may be another baby. But DO dip the doeling's naval in iodine as soon as possible!

Enjoy and give them a hug for me!

-- Marsha (CaprisMaa@aol.com), January 02, 2001.

Sarah, if the doe is still restless there is probably another kid there. If the placenta doesn't come out, well shoot. You left so it may have come out. They will eat it and eat it quickly. Disgusting, but that's nature! Just watch the doe and see how she acts....it can take awhile for the entire process to complete or it can go real quickly. If she is straining and nothing is coming out, you may need to help her out by going in. The second kid could have a leg placed incorrectly and be jammed. I assume you have the tools. You should wash really we, have your finger nails smoothly trimmed, hopefully have a pair of latex gloves and KY. I don't know what time you posted this so this could all be over by now!!!

Let us know what's up and if you still need help, I will stay on for half an hour or so...Congratulations!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@excite.com), January 02, 2001.

If the placenta is out and she is not straining, she is probably done. Usually the placenta is the last thing to come out, after all the kids are born. If she is straining, you can go in and check her, but it's best not to unless you are prety sure that she has another one in there.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 02, 2001.

Its not safe to wait anything out during a delivery. And it is also not a huge deal to go in and feel, in fact I think you should to put your mind at ease and also to learn. Go in clean, wear gloves if you have to, but I think it is eaiser to feel if you don't. You can feel just how large an open cervix is, how there are two horns to the uterus, and how when you enter your hand the doe tries to push it out. If all you feel inside is mush than you are feeling placenta. Putting your whole hand in will cause more contractions which would bring another baby forward near the cervix to be born next. I don't wait any longer than 10 minutes for 2nd, 3rd and 4th kids. We counted this for our 4H kids, but we only let our older does have 15 really good pushes and if we don't see hooves and a nose, than we go in and make sure the presentation is right. 1st and 2nd Fresheners are allowed to push for 2 minutes, and if they aren't presenting front hooves and a nose, same thing, we go in and fix the problem. There is no reason to let a doe push and push, especially with lots of kids, you just get them all jammed up with the first kid clogging the way, and usually it is just simply something like a leg that is turned back.

Probios would be great for the Mom, but not any reason to be giving this to an infant. The nutridrench is fine, but the colostrum is really all it needs right now, and at least 22 ounces of it. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 02, 2001.

Okay...the worry wart has regained her composure! Only one kid-and in hindsite, seeing hwat I saw it was clear this would be a singleton from almot right away-it took about 45 minutes for the remainder of the placenta and amnion to come out-but if I had left her be and waited before trying to milk her, it would have gone quicker. Now I know for next year.

The kid is doing great-I decided that just like human babies the most important thing is the colostrum and not worry about the meds-they were marked for the kids, but these folks are probably way more into adding meds and healthy stuff for all their goats and kids. I will be more hands off.

Momma is easy to milk-very copperative, and gives a lot. I think I about have it figured out. :) she likes it when I rest my head in her side-weird huh?

I have not weighed the baby yet-about to do that. She has had about 22 ounces of colostrum already, pooping and peeing normally. An absolute doll...maybe a name for her? (Dolly-daughters idea; I rather like it.)

Now one more question...the doe was wormed right after hard frost- backin October. Since it is winter do I worm her? I have always been told by goat people nad the one vet around here who knows goats and sheep-when they are moved to a new home-worm them. I have Safeguard on hand.

Okay-one more question. I have been told that if two does are due near each other, that if one kids the other will likely follow suit shortly after. Is that just an old wivs tale? These two does were just running with a buck from July until October-a different buck for August to the end. The other doe looks heavy with kid-but then I don't really know her yet. Should I look for her to kid soon-or am I stuck pacing the waiting room-er, the barn again thinking.."this might be it-she is doing something weird...or is she?"

Now I am done-going to go and weigh the kid. I would guess about 7 pounds-a bit lighter than my babies-but not much.

Peace and blessings, Sarah

-- Sarah (heartsongacres@juno.com), January 02, 2001.

Old wives tale, with a twist. We do have older does who are smart enough to kid before really bad weather, or a change of weather. But this is of only 3 or 4 days. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 02, 2001.