How cold is too cold for kids?

[barbieny2]

Okay...here's my deal....I am in the Finger Lakes Region on New York. We are getting another winter storm and the temp are cold...It is 14 now with wind chills around zero or below. It is going to be staying very cold for the next several days. I also have 2 does who are getting ready to freshen for the 2nd time. This is my 2nd freshening also. I am very worried about the temps with these upcoming baby goats. The laboring does are in the kidding pen with lots of bedding and I have curtains surrounding the pen to keep out the drafts. The kid pen is draft free but is very cold. Am I being overly nervous about this kidding or will these kids be okay in this drastically cold temp. I am prepared to be on hand for the delivery ( I work out of my home and check every hour around the clock on the state of the does to make sure I will not miss the kidding.) and I am prepared with blow dryer in hand to get these new babies 100% dry when born. I also have a large box with a door cut out of it to flip over to use as a warm house for these babies when the time comes. I really do not want to bottle feed or bring the kids into the house if I do not have to...I will but I would prefer to keep them with their moms. Anything else I can do to be prepared? Will these babies be okay?

This is my 2nd time around and I thought that I would be much calmer this time but I guess not. Oh well- I just love these milkers so much and I would hate to have an unsuccessful kidding season...Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated...Thanks!!!! Barb

[dbarjacres]

That's cold (warmer than us tho!). I've had 3 does kid since Jan 1st, and all three had kids in a 12x18 insulated building heated with an electric forced air heater (really killed the electric bill!) and I made sure it was 45-50ish the first 2 days for the newborns, then dropped it down so it's probably 35 during the day and about 30 during the night (as the water gets a paper thin layer of ice on it).

It depends on the kids as well. The first kid, a mini mancha, was born a week early (stupid me wrote down the wrong date!) from what I expected and he was born out in the goats 10x10 hay shed over night. He was shivery, but completely dry when I got him and he's been perfectly healthy and strong. I was lucky and it was only 25 the night he was born (it's been below 0 every night since then). But then I've had twin nigie bucklings, born inside, and they are shivery even now at a month old. Then again, my new LaBoer doelings have never shown any signs of being cold.

If you could, I'd definately try to hang a good heat lamp in there as that'll help. Make sure to hang with a chain or cable and high enough up the doe can't hit it with her back.

[southerngurl]

Mine were fine, it got down to ten, like the night after they were born. They were out of the wind, and had mama for warmth.

[gryndlgoat]

We have had two sets of twins born in the last 10 days. It is as cold or colder than where you are in NY state, I think. All our babies did great being born out in the barn. There is no heat, heat lamp or anything out there, but we make sure they are well protected from drafts. The kids have small doghouses in the kidding pens that are filled with old blankets. As soon as they are dried off (we help with towels- no hair dryer) and are up on their legs and have nursed, we put them into the doghouses for a nap. They learn almost immediately where their warm den is, and the Mamas stick their heads in every so often to let them know they are nearby. The babies go in and out whenever they feel like it and seem to know when they need to get out of the chill.

The two first born ones even ventured outside on Saturday- the sun was out but it was still VERY cold. They ran and bounced and had a great time, then headed back into their doghouse.

[Tam319]

Its -13 F here this week and our babies are faring ok. We have a 3 sided shelter (unheated) with deep straw. When it got down to -20 F with the wind we covered the front with a tarp, piled up more bedding and surrounded the perimeter of the shelter with straw bales to cut out drafts. The babies huddle up together or snuggle with their mamas. A few have frostbitten ears (they freeze almost instantly when they are born and wet). We would immediately put Mom and babies in a stall with bedding and heat lamp til they were dry, sucking well and on their feet, then we'd gradually acclimatize them to the outdoors and no heat lamp.

We just bought the bred does in January and it is not my idea of good timing for kidding. NEVER AGAIN! But as long as they are dry and have a place out of the wind they are very resiliant. BTW, when it warmed up to +28 F the whole herd (babies included) went out to lay in the sun. Guess it felt warm!

All the best!

[moonspinner]

I'm not all that far from you and have had does kid in 12 degree temps with no problem. I don't have electric in the barns or any type of artificial heat and all my kids have done well. First off, it's crucial they get dried off asap. If you do the blow dryer thing put a light towel around them first so the dryer won't be too harsh on their baby skin. I have found the smaller the kidding stall the easier to hold in warmth. I've also lined the stall with cardboard, put in deep bedding and put a tarp over that part of the barn. Tarps over my doorways have been a big help. And with this snow, packing it against the sides can make it quite comfy. But the main thing is being there at delivery and drying them off completely and making sure they are all well and fed. I've got a doe due the 28th so hope it warms up by then!

[beeman97]

We had kids borne 3 days ago & 1 so far today ,, momma is still deciding whether or not she wants to have another one!!!! they are outr in the barn ,,, im also in NY & going through this very same storm as you are & the ones that were born 3 days ago are doing fine, & the one born this after noon is also doing fine so far,
no heat in the barn ,,, just hay to lay in & they are A OK
i dont think you need to worry, they will kuddle right up to mom & be fine
Rick