Essentials - must have check list
Lots of towels / blankets - for drying kids off
Napkins / paper towels -
Iodine (used for dipping cords)
Dental floss or strong string (used for tying cords)
Sterile lubricant (available at most farm stores)
Flashlight - if you're like me and have no electric in your barns :)
Bottles / nipples - even if you don't intend to bottle raise your kids - you never know when I kid won't nurse or the dam may reject a kid.
Bo-se - for kids born with week or wobbly legs - **note, it is normal for kids to have some bendy legs at birth and usually the straiten on their own within a few days** This is for kids born with unusually bendy legs, bowed legs, weak or inability to stand. Dosage I use is 1/4 to 1/2 ml per kid depending on size/breed.
Molasses - about 1/2 cup in 1 gallon warm water - fed to the doe after kidding as an energy booster.
Extra's (just in case) check list
Kid or lamb tubing kit - I still don't have one of these - never used. but still something nice 'just in that rare instance you need one'.
Kid / lamb snar rope - for pulling out stuck or ill positioned kids
Optional -
Heat lamp and light bulb
Box or tube for carrying kids back to the house
Rubber gloves - if you wish to wear while assisting births (I never use these)
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How kiddings usually go down here - (you will find more info on this in Pregnancy doe care part 2 post)
Fresh straw in the kidding stall - I check does every 2 hours as they are close to their due dates. Once I am fairly certain kidding will be within the next 12-24 hours the doe is locked in the stall. I may sit out with them and wait, or continue to check on them every 1/2 to 1 hour.
I will have my kid with me or in the stall - I carry very little with me to the barn - all on the first list. I will use the lube before I go in and assist. After the first kid is out there is usually enough goo on me and the doe that I no longer need the lube.
As the doe comes into labor I wait until I actually see her start to push - sometimes babies come out fast, if not, I will insert a few fingers to see what I can find - something gummy (hooves) and something sharp (teeth) are normal. If not - I will push the baby back in slightly and re-position. If it's a tricky position I may hold the kid in place as the doe pushes it out.
**When assisting - ALWAYA pull with contractions** as contractions stop - stop pulling and wait for another. Pulling outside of contractions can tear the uterus. Whenever you reach in to assist it is normal for this action to stimulate more contractions causing the doe to push against you.
In general kids should be out within a few pushes - 2-3 strong ones. Often, small and correctly positioned kids will shoot out in 1-2 pushes. If the doe is straining and pushing and nothing is coming out or nothing is felt inside, it may be time to go in and assist.
As soon as the kid is out - and sometimes even while coming out - I clear and clean off the face and air way. I like napkins best for this part as the dry paper really grabs the goo away fast. I take fresh clean straw and wipe off the rest of the goo from the kids.
In the house -
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(Keep in mind that I bottle raise my kids - I like to separate the does and kids at once so they do not bond and it is easier on the does.)
Once I feel the kid is fairly clean its are wrapped in a clean towel and take it into the house (I have an assistant do this while I stay with the mom) If you don't have an assistant keep the kids in a box or basket near by.
Once in the house new born kids are loved and rubbed - I do LOTS of rubbing with a towel to help dry them faster. Rubbing is a great way to increase blood flow & circulation and let them know they are not alone in this world. :)
After they have started to look around a bit and maybe attempt to stand I take care of the umbilical cord. Some cords are short (under 1") and fine to be left at the length - but always always wipe / clean / dip the area with LOTS of iodine. I usually take a cotton ball and glob it all over their belly and cord. If cords are longer - after the iodine wipe, I tie them off about 3/4 - 1 inch from the belly with dental floss. Clip the cord about 1/2 " down from the tie - over all I don't want the cord to be much longer then 2" from the belly, but not closer then 1".
I do not like to feed kids right away - I usually wait until they start looking for food - or about 1-3 hours after birth. They will start to mouth things and bump them with their nose and head trying to tell you they are hungry.
Meanwhile - back at the barn -
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Sometimes kids are born very close together - hardly one is out and the next is on top of it. While other times the doe may take her time and you will have a good 20-30 minutes between babies. However, if 40 minutes have passed and the doe does not seem to want to continue to push, she may be done. If you have out hay and other goodies for her to be distracted by it may just be a longer wait between babies.
After 40 minutes - if the doe appears done I will give her a belly bounce. Facing the opposite way of the doe - wrap your arms around her barrel and grab your hands together under her belly (like giving her a big hug). Bump your locked hands up into her belly - start in the center and work your way back towards her udder. I will do this several times - if you feel something hard, or she feel solid or heavy, their may be another kid inside, however if she feels more like a bowl of jelly - most likely she is done. Belly bouncing like this is also good to help encourage and release the afterbirth.
Once I am fairly certain the doe is done kidding I give her a bucket of warm molasses water - think energy drink - She is de-wormed and given the nicest leaf of alfalfa in my barn and some grain as well.
Colostrum -
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I always raise on CAE prevention - which means the colostrum must be heat treated before it is fed to the kids. If I have some extra in the freezer I pull it out to thaw as the doe kids, otherwise I will milk her out as soon as I am able. Sometimes there is break between kids where the doe is comfortable and standing - I will take this opportunity to milk her out. Milking out the doe will also help stimulate more contractions. If the doe is having a harder kidding time I wait until the doe is done before milking.
Colostrum is heat treated on a double boiler - I bring it up to but not over 140' (must be at least 135'). Over 140' and you will have a rubber like custard. Make sure you have a good working thermometer handy. I then pour the colostrum into a pre-heated (having hot hot water run through it) thermos. This is kept on the counter for 1 hour. After which the temperature is check again (still needs to be at or over 135') to insure proper heat treating. This is then cooled down to 100' and fed to waiting babies.
If you have a very small amount of colostrum (under 1 pint), or very thick colostrum - you can add a small amount of milk to it. Raw goat milk is best - but in a pinch whole cow milk from your grocery store works as well. Don't use water. This is added to the colostrum before heat treating to prevent it from over cooking. Yes, it will weaken your colostrum down and not be as good for the kids as strait colostrum, but it is also much much better then ruining the batch and having no colostrum.
Bottle time -
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Kids must have colostrum within the first 12 hours of life if they are to survive and be healthy. After 12 to 24 hours their bodies stop being able to absorb the antibodies from it, in which case it is now safe to feed milk. I want all kids to eat at least 12 oz of colostrum, but more then 20 oz is not needed. If your doe gives more than the kids need/eat - freeze it and safe for next year / or next kidding. Does are only giving real colostrum their first 3 milkings.
Kids raised here are fed once every 2 to 4 hours for the first 12 hours after birth, or until they have had adequate colostrum. I feed them as much as they will eat at each feeding - until they are 'full' but don't let them stuff them selves. Usually between 2 and 6 oz a feeding. Smaller kids will eat smaller meals more often - larger kids with eat more less frequently. If the kids begin to cry - most likely it's time for a bottle.
The After Math - for does
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Up until this point my does are fed their grain once a day. Here is when I break their daily grain ration into 3 parts - with an increase (usually about 1 cup increase the day they kid), and continue increasing slowly over the next few weeks as their milk production climbs. I feed 3 times a day the first 2 weeks or more after kidding - because I milk them 3 times a day for the first 2 weeks or more (they are fed at milking).
It can be a bit normal for does not to finnish their grain the first day or two, or possibly lose interest in it all together. As long as they still have a healthy appetite for their hay I don't worry about them too much. Higher stress or harder kiddings can take longer to recover from. I do not ask my does to get on the milk stand either - they are milked on the ground the first week after kidding or until they seem ready to jump up.
I will add a handful of yeast culture, and a tsp of probiotics to their grain for an extra boost for the next 2-4 weeks. Most does will peak in their milk production anywhere from 2-8 weeks from their kidding day.
For more on bottle feeding kids - check out my post 'Bottle feeding kids'.
Or if you are wanting to dam raise - check out my post - Dam raising kids.
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