Nighttime kidding

Dreamgoat Annie · #1 02/24/12, 01:59 PM

I sleep in the barn just to be safe but we have never had a nighttime kidding! The ewes will very, very occasionally lamb at night but it's only happened 3 or 4 times in 9 years. (But keep in mind we've had a lot of lambings and only something like 20 or so kiddings)

My ewes often lamb exactly at dawn or right at dusk (or very shortly thereafter--they're in second stage labor by the time the sun goes down); our elderly Boer-Saanen also kidded at dawn. Most of the ewes and all of our other does (Boer and Nubian) have eaten breakfast, then given birth sometime between 9:30 AM and 3 PM.

I feed around 8 AM and 3-5 PM, depending on the time of year. It's like they don't want to miss a meal.

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon?

Sue

houndlover · #2 02/24/12, 02:11 PM

I have found, with both my goats and sheep, that if I feed them late in the evening, they won't kid at night. I haven't had a nighttime birth in years.

Kits&Kids · #3 02/24/12, 02:14 PM

My goats have never kidded at night. they usually kid mid morning between say 8 and 11 and i thank them every time.

Dreamgoat Annie · #4 02/24/12, 02:20 PM

I love those daybreak birthings. One ewe in particular, one of my two oldest now, always lambs on a gorgeous day just as the sun begins rising across the distant ridges. It chokes me up just writing about it, the beauty of it, the miracle of birth at the break of a new day.

She's bred this year, possibly for the last time as she's a favorite and due to retire. I will miss that experience so much.

Sue

yarrow · #5 02/24/12, 02:26 PM

All most all my does.. we breed on avg 15-20 each year... will kid during the day, usually right after morning chores.. as long as we don't go outside and check on them during the night.. back when we did that.. they'd get up to see what we were doing and lots of times we'd have 4am or 5am babies.. we installed cameras and started not going out after evening feeding.. giving them time to eat, lay around chewing cud, then going to sleep without getting disturbed... NOW??? that I've gotten some older gals and lots of ff.. I induce just about EVERYONE.. (I only EVER have 1 possible due date.. doe & buck are put together, deed done.. back to their own areas.. I come inside right then and make a note of who with whom.. date & time... so there is NEVER any doubt and I'm sure that I won't induce premies)... I induce around 11am.. kidding usually start the next day ususally between 3pm & 10pm...

susie, mo ozarks