I am *NOT* ready for kidding! We are due to begin in a week-2 weeks. NOTnotnotNOT mentally prepared. NOT. :help2
I was all ready for Delphine to start kidding: I got my stuff together, put her in the kidding pen when it was time; watched her for signs like her udder forming and such--then no kids. And then I got really wound up about it. Wound tight as something wound really tight. I'd check on her every couple of hours. Look for any little sign that she might be kidding. "Is that nesting behavior? No, she just making herself comfortable against that straw bale." There was one time I grabbed a bunch of stuff and ran out to sit with her when I thought I saw her laboring--she was just trying to rub along that same straw bale. Then finally, I just gave up. I let her out with the rest of the girls and figured she hadn't taken when I first saw our buck mounting her and it would be another couple weeks before she kidded. Calculated the next date and let it go at that. Then last Saturday I went out to feed/milk and there she came running and looking like she'd lost 25 pounds. I rushed in and there were two perfect little Boer/Nubian crosses, all dry and standing up and everything. She took care of everything. So, now I just have to get BACK into the kidding mood when March rolls around. I had wanted to space out my does so I would have them all kidding at once, but somehow I ended up with 4 kidding in March, all around the same time. Shows you how much we know, doesn't it? You'll be ready when you need to be. Don't worry about it. You'll do just fine. -- Wendy
I haven't registered my kids from last year (this means I am using an unregistered buckling and so are my friends, if I die tommorrow you all will have grades I just got a post card from ADGA to renew, first time ever I wasn't renewed before it got here. I have not made my winter order to Jeffers. I only have about 3 names on my list of kid names for next year...unheard of, this time of the year I only have 3 does left to name even though they are unborn. I have to put up my new kid pens. Nope 45 more days...can't even imagine 2 weeks...but no not even ready for 45 days. Feel for you LeeAnn! Vicki
lol! My back is still messed up from the wreck, I'm NOT ready for kidding and milking! I think we start around feb 26th, but maybe a yearling ff will go before that I don't have her date down as she was in with the buck since July, but didn't come into heat as planned. all my little girls I'm holding over are in Horrible flagging heat today. lol! I guess if my back isn't better soon, I'll have to make herd cuts quicker than planned this spring and sell more doelings than I planned : (
My first bred doe is at day 145 on Valentines day. So I am foot loose and fancy free til then. I may go to Houston one more time, one of my DD has an early February BD and she is a freaky party animal. Or maybe I'll desert my friends and go to the Bahamas.
I thought you were going to Belize. :lol I start kidding dairy girls Feb. 15th, then I have one 2-22 and one on 2-23. I want to go take another trip before that first one kids.
My first doe is due in 7 days, pens are up, box is ready, but I am not sure where I will house babies this year, I usually keep them in the house for a week or so but this year I want to keep them in the barn where I milk, but I am not quite sure what to use to house them. Oh well, I am really excited for kidding to start because we have some really exciting breedings this year but I also WORRY something terrible about everything going smoothly. I will keep you all posted on babies when they arrive. Autumn
I have been very bad. I have let DH take care of the goats this winter and I only go look at them a couple times a week. I have 4 weeks and the first doe due looks like she will quad. Probably not but I think about milk fever and all the bad things that can happen with a doe carring a bunch of kids. I need to get up there and give bo-se and CDT and whatever I need to be doing. I said I was being bad. I also need to start increasing her grain but I hate to do that too soon as that starts the problems usually. I also have not registered last years doeling. She is due to kid in April. I haven't even tatooed her. I got my ADGA card too. I need to get that sent off. WHAT IS MY PROBLEM ANYWAY!!! I have kept the hooves trimmed. I used to believe you should not do that when they are pregnant but the poor things were huge and walking around on bad feet. I don't let that happen anymore and I have had no problem with them because I trim their feet.
19 days til first possible kids born (day 145 for Agnes) Confessions of a goatlady: Four 2007 doelings need tattoos and need to be recorded. I don't have the used playpens I was going to buy this year for keeping kids in the house. I have not collected all the thousands of towels I was going to. I have not organized a birthing kit. BUT I have started going to bed earlier. I usually go to bed at 2:30 AM and recently have been going to bed at 10:30 PM the last week just to learn to get up earlier so I can be conscious in the morning for AM milkings. So I have a bit over 2 weeks left to get used to getting up early for early morning chores. I am a night owl and I don't do mornings well.
:rofl ready for kidding? :rofl mine start somewhere around the 24th of Feb....I think...hmmm guess I'd better check. I'm behind on my sewing......birthing kit? ha ha I don't have that ready either. Heck I haven't fixed the kid pen for the new ones coming....last years doelings registered ha ha :rofl I am always a day late and a dollar short.....I'm never ready. Now you all have me scared to death. I've always had good kiddings. Never had to really go in on a doe. At least not like you guys are talking about. Now I'm afraid it's gonna be my year....oh I so hope not. I just now got the disbudding thing down really good. :/ Well I guess I'm not alone huh? I won't feel so bad now that I know some of you guys are behind too. :biggrin Sheryl
now...note I said MENTALLY prepared. I think we have everything we need, tho we do still have to get colostrum out of the freezer and heat treated, but that is about it... it just ran up on me and took me by surprise, is all...seems to me that we just DID breeding!
I have 4 out there now due anyday but am leaving the kids on the does as they are all going for meat.