When you induce, do all does kid at the same time???

The most does I have ever induced in a day was six. I gave them the injections all at the same time. :crazy The crazy thing was the most I had kidding at once was 2 does and several were back to back. I put each litter in their own Rubbermaid tub. Easy peasy.

My setup is so convenient that it makes kidding season bearable.

Sara

 

I'm glad I read this thread. I was wondering about keeping the kids sorted out if more than one doe should decide to kid at the same time. Thanks Amy for asking. Thanks Sara for your easy and good answer.

 

You can always stagger the injections so you give them to the does at different times. I just don't do it that way because I don't want to get up more than once during the night.

Sara

 

I sure hope you have definite due dates. If you do...then have fun! :biggrin

 

Also get those paper bands so as you clean up kids etc you date and mark the bands with who is who different colors on does and bucks.

 

Yippee. I'm so glad. I knew you probably did or you wouldn't even consider it. Please let us/me know how it goes for you. I might try that next year. Can't do it this year as there are some that were bred more than once.

 

LOL...it's not hard to induce 3,4,5, at a time. Just have your *tubs* outside the pens and drop the kids in as they come. Like Sara, most of mine will kid at different times...depending on how many days they are from due dates. Add an hr. or two to each day they're out from due date. Allow extra time for FF and have a catcher's mit for older does~they spit them out pretty fast! :lol Babies don't break, and I'm notorious for grabbing hind legs and holding upside down to drain the nose/mouth. I squeegy them with my hands, drop in the tote (if another doe has a kid coming) if not then the kid is picked up, wiped off. Sex checked, right equipment-2 teats-2 testicles, etc...unreserved bucks disposed of, navels & hooves dipped, E. Coli vaccine given, wattles cut off, and colostrum is given within 30 min. of birth. On to the next one. Doe is checked, some colostrum milked out (in her stall), she's given warmed water. The babies are then moved to the garage out of ear shot of the dam for the next 24 hrs. Plus it's easier on me, in cold weather, to give them their bottles than in the cold barn.

And I also give all the shots at the same time...but I give the shots on Fri. am(midnight) if I'm going to kid does on Sat. pm. Most of mine come between 1:00pm and 5pm. I have duct tape collars this year. Pink for does, yellow for bucks. How original.? The duct tape is folded over onto it's self with a small square cut out to stick them together. Sharpies to mark. Each tote has a piece of duct tape with the dam's name on it. Since all the totes are the same color and generally all the kids are also the same color! :lol
Kaye

 

What E. Coli vaccine? ...here we go, another thing I have missed.

Thanks,

Paula

 

Kaye

When you keep them in the garage for 24 hours do you just leave them in the tub?

I have no garage so I would have to put them in the house. :/

Troy

 

Mine stay in the house too in a tub.

 

Mine stay in the house in a dog crate, or large box... Makes the every 4 hour feedings go by easier.

 

Not trying to hijack this thread...it is most helpful. But, Sara, do you bring the babies in the house? My one doe is due in February. If it's still cold like this (which it probably will be) would they have a hard time transitioning back out to the barn?

And Kaye, I too want to know what time you give the shot for 1-5pm babies. Afternoon and evening would work the best for me.

 

Michelle, bringing them inside here is about convenience for me at night so I don't have to walk out to the barn and feed babies. It is not about getting them warm inside the house, that is the worse mistake you will make out here, babying the babies. If your barn is so warm that you have to take off your jacket than your goats will get pneumonia eventually. Kids should be out in the cold brisk air, sunshine, they should not be out in rain or blowing wind where they sleep. A corner to snuggle down into is much better than a heat lamp.

Someone on the forums will lose their barn to a heat lamp this year, it happens each year. Then we do a benefit...benefit from the advice instead

I do use heat lamps, I put just born kids into my dairy sink, lined with feed sacks and towels (that stainless is cold) I have a heat lamp attached above to quickly dry off the kids while I tend to mom and other kids.

My dog is the best also, without her the quad and quint deliveries would be impossible by myself, she licks off kids and keeps them on the feed sacks in the milkroom, while I deliver my kids.

I do love to use my dairy sink though, the kids can't go anywhere and it's easy to clean everything up. I also don't use paper towels I use feed sacks (under butts and for me to kneel on, in the milkroom to lay kids on and in the sink) and barn towles. Vicki

 

Christina,

I have a pretty convenient setup... you'll see when you come here how it works. I actually have a 'goat room' in my basement that I put all my babies in after they are born (completely finished, flooring, storage, etc.). I do this because I hate going to the barn 4-5 times a day then they are just born. You know how long it takes to get dressed and undressed in winter gear!

The room is kept cool so it isn't so hard on them when I move them out tot he barn. I've been doing it this way for as long as I have bred goats and I have never had a problem transitioning them to the outside. Of course a draft free area is a must along with a belly full of milk. I never use heatlamps as they are dangerous and completely unnecessary even in our cold temps. (We had a barnfire that was caused by a heatlamp about 10 years ago and I will never use one again.)

I have a vast selection of Rubbermaid tubs that I keep in my heated milkrrom. As soon as the babies are delivered they are dried off and dried even more with the help of a hairdryer and tucked into a tub with clean, dry towels. Once the litter is born I dip navels, give BoSe, etc. and bring them to the house. Once in the house they are transferred to the baby pens in the goat room. I love the pens... I have a picture of them and will post it if I think of it.

Sara

 

I've had 3-4 does in labor at the same time, without inducing :crazy. Once you get a system down, it's not hard to do. I only induce for convenience here, when I have does due, and I know I need to be elsewhere. But, mostly, I let nature take it's course. I bring my kids in the house and put them in a playpen (gives them room to move around some), until they are completely dry. Then they go to the kid barn, where they have a heat lamp they can get under if they get cold. I make them a fort out of hay bales, that they can snuggle down in, when it's not cold enough for a heat lamp.