Cold weather babies..help?

Sher · #1 12/01/05, 12:52 PM

I think I have mentioned that I have a new..and rather immature buck. At least he WAS in the beginning. Therefore...I find myself with SIX goats pregnant. Four of which look like they could go any time now.

We just had our first small snowstorm. Three inches...and blowing and cold. The girls are in a little shed. Have bedding. Half of the shed is goat girls..the other half is chickens.

My worry...the kids being born, cleaned, dried and sucking before they get too cold. I never dreamt that I would be kidding in Dec...lol? And I have never done it before. Could really use some help on "what to do".

I have been setting the timer for every hour and fifteen minutes. I bundle up and go out and check. I have had scads of kids born on this place...but never at this time of the year.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

trnubian · #2 12/01/05, 01:19 PM

Just keep doing what you are doing. Always have towel or rags available also, this way you can help mom get the kids dry quickly and up to eat. Never leave a new kid assuming they will get up and eat by themselves. Always make sure you see them take that first sip and that mom will allow it.

Also, are they in a four sided shed? If not, I would highly reccomend it. It will keep all draughts out, the main killer of kids. Lots of bedding (clean). Straw is the best, as it is a natural insulator.

If you've done this before you know that you should have all the preliminary kidding supplies, and just in case extra colostrum and milk.

Teacupliz · #3 12/01/05, 01:27 PM

Get- Iodine, dental floss, scissors, blow dryer, towels and a baby bottle.
Get a baby monitor if you can they work great. get used to the sounds they make now so you will know if it sounds odd. When kids are born let the mom lick them but get them dry and if need be milk a little into the bottle and make sure they get their colostrum. Are you going to dam raise them? Get the baby good and dry. I put a a box in upside down for my babies so I know they have a draft free place to sleep. Here in NY is is very cold. Our goat kids grow best in cold weather.
and dip the cord

Good luck=- Teacupliz

Sher · #4 12/01/05, 01:29 PM

Yes..there are four sides. Its and old pull together hog shed I think. It has individual pens in it. They aren't locked up in them yet..as they have a heated outside waterer and I want them to get all of that they want til they lay down and have babies. Plus..a little exercise is probably good right now.

I am mostly concerned with the weather. And because three of them..sisters...are sooooooo darned big this year. They are triplet sisters. Last year they laid down and all had twins..one boy and one girl each..all within hours of each other. It sure looks to me like if one starts all three will go. That is why I so want to be there to help them dry..it almost looks like at least two of them are carrying triplets this year.

Thanks for responding..I live for these births and felt so bad that they were going to kid at this time of the year.

I just say prayers for them all and keep on keeping on.

goatkid · #5 12/01/05, 01:34 PM

You are already doing well by checking on your girls on a regular basis. I hope you have plenty of old towels handy. When I have babies in cold weather, I make sure to dry them well, paying especially good attention to their little feet and ears. I have also used a hair dryer to dry and warm new kids. I make sure the dry babies are laid on dry straw and remove all the wet straw after mom is done kidding. Make sure each kid gets adequate colostrum, even if that means usung a bottle to feed them. If you have individual stalls for the new moms, you might want to use a heat lamp. If its crowded in your doe pen, you need to make sure the new babies don't get laid on. It isn't unheard of where I live to have baby goats in the house the first week or two of their lives if they are born in really cold weather or are weak and need help getting started. I usually breed my goats to kid beginning in March. We still get some pretty cold days in March some years. This year, it looks like I may be having a couple batches of kids in late Jan. or early Feb. One of my bucklings snuck back in the family pen and one day my big buck jumped the gence when the does were on weed patrol. I'm grateful for my friend's experience and guidance. She usually has goats start kidding in Dec. or Jan. Once the kids are off to a good start, they usually do OK in with the herd through the winter. If a new baby gets hypothermic, get it warm and then feed it colostrum. You may need to tube it, however, I have found that if the baby gets warm enough, it will usually suck a pritchard nipple. My friend and I have border collie dogs who will actually lick the babies to stimulate them and we put cold babies near the wood stove or hold them close to us to warm them.

Sher · #6 12/01/05, 01:36 PM

No monitor here and we have raised quite a few goats, its just that this is our only "winter babies" scenario. Four days ago it was 50+ and today zero with wind chills.

I only bottle feed if a momma is having trouble or refuses..other than that..momma has that chore.

The one break I caught is..only one goat out of six has never kidded. There is alot to be said for experience. And I still have one goat that I am milking, who could help me out in pinch for awhile if God forbid..there is a problem with someone.

Thanks again so much. I truly love you guys on here. Its good to know there is someplace to come for help and advice and encouragement!

Sher · #7 12/01/05, 01:42 PM

Thank you for such good advice and tips too! I expect I will be needing new towels after this..LOL!!

I appreciate you answering me and so promptly. Well, I see my time is ready to go off. Need to bundle up and trudge down to the maternity ward!! Be back soon.

Ramblin Acres · #8 12/01/05, 01:48 PM

Heat lamps and blow dryer....That is what works the best.When we first got into raising goats I bought a momma that was bred and low and behold she ended up kidding at the end of Jan.I took old towels and the blow dryer and put up a heat lamp and we never had a problem.We now have our kidding in late may to june.It sure does make it a whole lot easier for us and the goats.

Good luck...

Sher · #9 12/01/05, 02:12 PM

Thanks for the info. My hubby was going to try and pick up some heat lamps after work. Did you attach yours to the ceililng? Or how did you keep momma goat out of it?

Thank you for answering this thread! All help is definitely appreciated. (Would you believe I DON'T own a hair dryer? How embarrassing is that? LOL!!)

Barb Marks · #10 12/01/05, 03:49 PM

Take a 45 or 50 gallon plastic trash can, take the lid off and stand it up-side down. Next cut a small hole in the bottom, big enough for a goat kid to climb in and out. Now you will cut a small hole in the middle of the top (the actual bottom of the trash can), just big enough to pull the electrical cord of the heat lamp through. Most heat lamps have little metal hangers, just slide a little piece of wood through it to keep the lamp from falling into the trash can. DO NOT leave a heat lamp in it, use a regular 100 Watt light bulb. This will make it nice and warm for baby goats. Just put a little bit of hay or straw in the bottom. Make sure you attach the trash can to the wall so the other goats won't tip it over (I use bungie (sp.?) cords and it works great).
We have used these little kid houses over and over and they work very well. We had up to 5 newborns crawl into one, but two to three is probably better.
Have fun.

Kazahleenah · #11 12/01/05, 04:29 PM

I've birthed goats in the foulest winter weather... eventually, I had a barn with a room that was heated for birthing. But in the beginning, I used to dry the babies off very well, and have a 55 gal drum with a heat light hanging threw a hole in the top and a door cut out for the babies. They could walk in as they got cold. Worked for me anyway...

Kaza

Ramblin Acres · #12 12/01/05, 04:39 PM

We ran the extension cord up over the rafter and then we plugged the lamp into the cord and we made sure that the lamp is low enough for the babies to feel the heat.Those heat lamps really throws off heat so you want to becareful and make sure you have it at the right height,which you can regulate with your extension cord.

Good Luck with the babies and keep us updated....

Goat Freak · #13 12/01/05, 06:04 PM

Just wanted to say good luck, and that I will be praying and routing for you, and that the goats have nice EASY births with nice HEALTHY babies, and that EVERYTHING turns out just fine. I REALLY can't help with the winter thing though, I am in Florida so the worst that I have had to deal with is a slight amount of cold. Good Luck, bye.

chamoisee · #14 12/01/05, 07:37 PM

They should be fine. I have had goats kid out on the ice, without bedding, in sub zero weather and the kid was OK!! (not ideal by any means, but....it makes a point).

The barn does need to be dry and adequately bedded and to have at least one side sheltered with a wall from strong winds.

It is best if you can help dry the kids off when they're born and make sure they get that colostrum! Once they get a good first drink, they seem to do well. If they don't...it's another story. If they have long ears (Nubians), take special pains to dry both sides of their ears really well so that they don't get frostbite.

Do not use heat lamps or bring the kids into the house unless absolutely necessary! if you do this, they will not develop cold resistance and then you will be forced to "harden them off" just as though they were delicate little tomato seedlings...As long as they get a good drink of milk and their dam is mothering them, they should be OK.

Sher · #15 12/01/05, 09:53 PM

Still no babies...but at least, after all your advice..I am feeling a little more confident in this winter birthing. The weather for the next five days is the same as today...soooo..the girls and I are just going to have to go with it!...LOL!!

Seriously...I have gotten so much good advice on this thread. Thank you for sharing your experience on this matter with me. I sincerely hope that I can pay ya back some time.

You all have a great night...me and the girls will see you in the morning!

Jillis · #16 12/01/05, 10:16 PM

Just a word of caution on the heat lamps---make sure you use more than one method of securing them.
We have heat lamps on our babies because they got hypothermic w/o them. Now we are hardening them off, and then it warmed up. Now it is getting cold again and the lamps are back on...they have colds and I want them to be warm...

debitaber · #17 12/02/05, 09:48 AM

I bottle feed, so all of my babies , will be in the kitchen for the first week, then in the garage, with heat lights, so a while, then out side. but I hate winter babies. lots of work. the trick is to be there when they are born, and get them dried off fast. i bought rag rugs, at the dollar store, for this and went to sams, and bought terry utility towel, I got 48 of them for 11.48 I think the price was, it was under 12 bucks, and they will get used. then washed and put away for spring birthing.

moonspinner · #18 12/02/05, 10:22 AM

It's a good thing you are checking them frequently. I've had Dec/Jan kids and once you get them through the birth and making sure they nurse should be fine. At least the cold cuts down any cocci problems. Wet spring I hate. Just want to re-iterate, if it's really cold make sure they get out of the sack and are dried off asap. Or you might end up with frosbite ear tips.

Charleen · #19 12/04/05, 07:39 PM

Sher,

Here's a link to Fiasco Farm's website and their diagram showing the ligaments on a pregnant doe. Watching and feeling these ligaments is a great indicator as to when your doe will deliver.

http://fiascofarm.com/goats/prenatalcare.html#ligaments

Investing in a baby monitor is well worth it, too. Look for one at a thrift store or maybe there's one on sale at K-mart or Walmart. We leave ours on all year. Not only does it make it easier at kidding season, but we've heard goat hollar for us for many reasons. Stuck in the hay rack, smooshed kid in a pile, cat fight in the barn

Sher · #20 12/05/05, 05:09 AM

One of my girls is agitated this morning..with the goat in the next pen. McGrew is laying in her pen chewing cud...loudly...Rita is not happy with that. She is not her usual self.

And Esther..if you read Fiasco thread above..is exactly like the described goat. Hunched .. yawning..standing..stretching..

It is now the coldest day here so far..I hate to say it...but I think today there will be action. And maybe its a good thing. I honestly have been having stomach troubles...I think alot of it is worrying and interupted sleep! LOL!! Being a midwife to goats..is NOT easy work at times.

I thank you all for your advice. Hubby brought me home a hair dryer..it is now in the goat house .. ready for use. I guess I am as ready as I will be.

Still have no heat in there. I am going for wiping down and blowing dry those babies and garbage cans with lights (not heat) in them.

Thank you all again. Say a little prayer if you are inclined to..and I'll let ya know how it goes! You have all been just great and extremely helpful.