I've posted about Fiona my 10-12 month old Nubian goat before. Well, Fiona is starting to look very pregnant and her kidding will be a first for both of us. I'm getting a little nervous about this, Fiona doesn't seem to be nervous at all.

What should I have on hand for the blessed event? What should I watch for? Are there certain signs for a week before kidding, or a few days before? I'd really like to be there to help her but I can't sleep in the barn for weeks. We have no idea when she was bred. I went to the library but all the books on goats were checked out, I stopped at the local bookstore and they had no goat books either. So, could someone be so kind as to walk me through the last few weeks of goat pregnancy and the birth? When should I increase her grain? I thought I'd read on this forum to add vinegar to her feed prior to birth, and then molasses to her water after? What amounts do I use. Help!

Thanks again for all the good help.

Stacy Rohan---waiting anxiously for the big day.

-- Stacy Rohan (KincoraFarm@aol.com), January 24, 2001

Answers

Hi stacy,

Thats exciting news, heres wishing you and Fiona good luck. To tell when kidding is getting close; the doe begins to udder up or develop a bag (milk) about 2-3 weeks before on an average. then she will become a bit restless just prior to the event and you may see her pawing at the ground a few days before as if she is nesting. Which is in fact what she is doing. Then to get a good idea, check the ligaments in her tail, it begins to feel spongy. I will include a website address here at the end for how to tell when birth is near and the kidding process. You will also see signs of blatting and discharge too near the time.

have on hand iodine to dip the navels, warm water for mom afterwards, i add a little molassess to mine. Towels for dring off the kids, rubber gloves just in case you need them, i use a product called Immuno-G for the kids afterwards, but you can ID-1 as well.. These products are available by going to goatworld.com for the ID-1 and http://www.springbriar.com for the immuno. Give 1cc 2 times a day orally for 3 days after birth, kids do very well. Also have some cloestrum on hand, heat treated preferrably just in case you need that. And I think thats about it. Here are the websites. Good luck!

http://members.tripod.com/goatwisdom/ch1baby_care/deliveries.html

http://alpinehs.com/goatbook/health.shtml

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/3014/Swing.html

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), January 24, 2001.

Thanks Bernice.

She is starting to bag up slightly. I've been checking daily since we got her and there is a definate filling now. Her belly is really rounding out now and it seems more sunken in on top? Is that normal? She's eating much better now. I've been giving her a cup of Blue Seal Caprine Special morning and night, does she need more than that? If so, how much should she get? She has a mineral block that she can use free choice, plus free choice grass hay. I also pick out the weedy parts of the horses hay and to give--that seems to be her favorite. When she "helps" me do chores she takes bites from the horses grain, and the laying mash. Will this hurt her? She seems to love corn so I add a handful to her grain, is this ok?

Thank you so much for helping me. She is such a sweet, loving little thing I'd hate to have something happen to her.

Stacy Rohan, in Windsor NY where it's actually above freezing!

-- Stacy Rohan (KincoraFarm@aol.com), January 24, 2001.

Hi STacy. My goats don't usually bag up until the last few days before they kid. Usually not until that day. Sometimes they will produce mucous at the tail region the day of birthing-not always. I like to check mine several times a day when it seems imminent. I don't use the kid supplements, maybe I should. But you should have iodine on hand for the navels, towels and gloves, definitely. The front hooves and nose should appear first, the hooves extended a little beyond the nose. If you see that, she is in good shape. If one or both of the hooves is back a little, and she struggles overly, a gentle assist is appreciated to position them right. She should also be fine if the back feet come first. Usually they don't unless it is multiple. Our chicken feed is labeled not for rumens. I try not to let the goats get into it. I don't think the corn will hurt as a treat. Good luck! mary

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), January 24, 2001.

Hi,

Heres another addy that might be helpful for you too, actually there is a lot of good information on this site about supplies, etc for goats. heres the addy: http://www.7mfarm.com/goat-health2.html#last-weeks

We usually feed a doe a 1/4# to 1/2# depending on the size, etc. We tend to feed a little more on the more side. But don't increase he rfeed right now, just gradually add more.

Hope this helps.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), January 24, 2001.

Thank you Mary and Bernice. I'll have to weigh her cup of grain and then gradually increase it to a 1/2#, if needed. I'll keep an eye on her for other signs of labor.

Again, thanks for your help.

Stacy Rohan

-- Stacy Rohan (KincoraFarm@aol.com), January 24, 2001.

Hi Stacy, I would definitely be keeping her out of the layer mash.

-- Laura Jensen (lrjensen@nwlink.com), January 26, 2001.

Thanks Laura. After reading the post about premixed feeds she won't even get that bite of layer mash.

Stacy Rohan

-- Stacy Rohan (KincoraFarm@aol.com), January 26, 2001.

Hi Stacy: Isn't it exciting??? I love kidding, even after all these years. Another suggestion that I have not seen here is old bath towels to dry off the kid or kids. I usually vigorously rub them off if I am attending the birth and it gets them moving about sooner.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 26, 2001.

WARNING STACY !!! WARNING STACY !!! RED ALERT !!! RED ALERT !!!

I lost a doe a couple of years ago to chicken mash. There is something in it that causes major problems with their stomach lining. And she didn't get much, just nibbled a little up off the ground when I was feeding the chickens. She basically starved to death because even though she was eating a lot of feed, her stomach couldn't process the nutrients into her blood stream !!! I didn't know it was a problem until my friend helped me feed one day. I would throw the chicken feed out first to get them out from under my feet while I mixed grain for the horse, goats, sheep and steer. Needless to say, the doe would snack on chicken feed while waiting for her grain.

Anyway, even though she got very little (max, 4-5 tablespoons / day) it did kill her. She never got a fever or anything, just started losing weight and looking poorly. I tried everything in the world to save her, but one day she just couldn't get up anymore and I put her down.

I pray this doesn't happen to you. It was very ugly. NEVER allow ANY animals in the chicken feed ! This includes, horses, cattle, dogs etc. I have built an extra chicken yard that is SUPER SECURE and feed them in there so that no one else can get the feed.

Good Luck. M.

-- Monica (zpepenovia@excite.com), January 26, 2001.

Oh yeah, I forgot. Have fun with the kids when they get here. There's nothing more amusing in the world than a couple of kids on a warm day ! And don't worry too much. The animal moms are much better at the job the Lord gave them than most human moms !!! (Except homesteading moms of course !) :0)

And don't worry when it appears she is pawing vigoursly (sp?) at the babies after birth. I panicked the first time, thought mom was going to kill those little babies. She's just trying to be sure the blood is moving and that they get up and get going ! Oh yeah, and my goats lay down a lot for about 2 days before kidding. And they grunt a lot even when not moving. If you stand outside their pen and listen real close, you can hear it from 100 feet away or so. Sounds almost like they are working real hard to exhale. Which maybe they are with those babies sitting on their lungs !!! LOLOLOLOLOL Have Fun !!! M.

-- Monica (zpepenovia@excite.com), January 26, 2001.

Thanks for all the help and advice. Fiona isn't do anything out of the ordinary yet. She has bagged up, and she's rounder by the day.

Miss Fiona doesn't get single grain of laying mash anymore. She never did get much, a bite when I took the top off the bin, maybe once every 2-3 days, before I could drag her head out. I don't even let her nibble the horses grain anymore.

I weighed her grain and a cup is not quite enough. I'm increasing it a 1/4 cup at a time until I get to almost a 1/2# (she's quite small.)

I've been checking on her before I go to bed at night. So far everything's normal. The horses look annoyed when I turn on the light tho.

Well, thanks again for all the good help. I'll keep you posted.

Stacy Rohan in Windsor, NY

-- Stacy Rohan (KincoraFarm@aol.com), January 28, 2001.