OK, this time around, since March 1, we have 6 live kids on the ground
out of 6 does (as of RIGHT THIS MOMENT, that is; they are still dropping them today while I am at work). I know 2 are bucks, and 2 does; don't know about the other 2 yet.
We have 6 does yet to go as of RIGHT this moment, though I think one of them might either be out of cycle or not bred.
One doe has had twins so far, but we lost a single-birthed kid that was born over a cold Saturday night after we'd gone to bed.
Really pleased with this buck so far...I like what he throws, and he has them mated in a nice tight season.
I did snap some more pix, but I have been too busy keeping up to get them up.
I am sure enough that my 18 m.o. LGD was pestering that first-time mom who lost her kid the whole time and spooked her away so the kid could not get milk, since she has pestered every kidding goat on the place since the first one and I caught her over the weekend "playing" rough with a new kid when I stepped inside the house. (She's a perfect angel when I am around, dontcha know.)
I thought she had killed it, but few moments after I got the dog up, the kid's head popped up off the ground.
So...since I am
because that one lost was a Boer-Boer mating AND a doe (and such a large, beautiful kid), the LGD is now chained up for the remainder of kidding and until the kids get big enough to run away fast.
That leaves me somewhat open to bobcat attack, but the barn stays lit during kidding season like a New York skyline, the goats have access to it, and the dog is left loose in the barnyard (but unable to get in with the goats). I'm hoping that'll be scary enough for the cats til the goats have all kidded out and got a couple weeks age on the kids.
This is our second kidding with this LGD. We were fortunate not to have to have one for the first 14-15 years, til the bobcats moved in. So I am still working out systems to get the kidding done with this dog in the mix. I have talked with quite a few goat owners locally, all of whom seem to have trouble with their dogs roughing up the kids. I have a drag weight on her to slow her down and also because she literally can climb over the gates to get where she wants if she is not weighted.
What are the experiences of the board folks? Maybe you can help me fine-tune my system. Don't forget two things in advising me, though: 1.) I pasture kid. I have a nursery pen in the barn I use when necessary. 2.) I work a full-time job, so I am not there daytimes.
I'd like to hear what others do.
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