1 week before our 1st due date

[PrettyPaisley]

And I an scared out of my mind!

Our first pregnant doe is due next Saturday and I need to figure out what to do next. Do I separate her from her herd? Do I need to dose her with anything? Ugh....I wasn't this nervous when I was pregnant!

[prairiedog]

We never separate till labor is ready to start. Then we bring her to the kidding stall with a doe right in the other stall. We have wire in between the stalls so they can still be together but apart. We give BOSE 2 weeks before. Other than that after she kids worm her. Just watch and wait is about all you can do.

[Oat Bucket Farm]

I hear you Shannon. I'm pretty sure Bella will go tomorrow. Looks like the babies have dropped and her ligs are soft. We've been through baby goats being born, but somehow, I'm still nervous about it every time. I love kidding season...when it's over. My mother isn't ever nervous, but then she worked in labor and delivery when she worked at the hospital. So it's no big deal to her. For me, I was never nervous about my own labors or deliveries (though I worried for middle son since he was six weeks early and I refused to push until my pediatrician arrived), but with goats, I can understand how my husband must have felt.

I think I would be less worried if I could take them to the hospitals and ave a team of surgeons standing by (just in case), and fetal monitors and all of that,lol.

[yarrow]

we have does due on Monday & Tuesday (then another one the next Monday .. one on Thurs & then Friday)...The two due first will be moving into the kidding barn tonight.. of course they are NOT friends, so each will move into a stall with a non-pregnant friend... (our stalls are 8x8) I keep them in the stalls at night, so I can watch them closely. (I don't actually expect night time babies, but don't want them kidding out in the doe barn with everyone) I will let both pregnant gals (and friends) out into the barn lot with the doe herd in the morning (we close the gates, so NO ONE gets to leave and browse.. I don't want the moms-to-be upset that they got LEFT BEHIND.. but I don't want to walk the woods looking for kids, that they forgot where they left them!!! Once actual labor begins.. the friend goes back with the herd and we move into the stall -towels, jug of lube, suction syringe, dental floss (it's how I tie off cords LOL) If I don't have more does lined up and ready to kid.. the new mom will spend the evening in the kidding stall (either alone or with her friend brought back) We pull all of our kids & bottle, so mom usually wants company.. I try to move the does back into the herd as soon as the afterbirth is gone and I'm sure she is doing well.. It lessens the return fighting/shoving/head butting that will go on, if a doe is away too long... (I don't let the LGDs around the new mom until the afterbirth is out. .I don't want one of the dogs tugging on it.. I don't mind them helping to keep mom clean afterward tho.. the does seem to appreciate Lola helping keep them clean.. but the dogs are one of my main reasons for keeping a new mom in the kidding barn longer)...

susie, mo ozarks

[JBarGFarmKeeper]

Originally Posted by Oat Bucket Farm

I think I would be less worried if I could take them to the hospitals and ave a team of surgeons standing by (just in case), and fetal monitors and all of that,lol.

I am completely opposite, I would be TERRIFIED to go to the hospital to have a baby! I am old and set in my ways and I would be a TERRIBLE patient! It's just like any other birth...things go better the LESS we interfere and you WILL know by the does body language and demeanor whether all is well or not. Just watch and listen. My teenage daughters have learned TONS about birth just watching and dealing with the does. My midwife and her assistant were here yesterday and my daughter was amazed how the discussion about people and goats was so similar. LOL. It's just birth. Hang in there....

[Sonshine]

All I can say is that I'm glad kidding season is over for us and I can sit back now and watch all the babies playing.

[Oat Bucket Farm]

What I'd rather have than a hospital, is a transporter. Then I could just beam the babies out and I wouldn't have to worry so much for my does.

[JBarGFarmKeeper]

Originally Posted by Oat Bucket Farm

What I'd rather have than a hospital, is a transporter. Then I could just beam the babies out and I wouldn't have to worry so much for my does.

LOL...Beam me up Scotty!

[sammyd]

we never separate the does for kidding. We don't treat them with anything either.
Have found that letting them be works well for us. 6 years without incident.

[Backfourty,MI.]

I don't put the doe in a separate stall until Labor is imminent. They'd much rather be with their buddies so I hate to separate them any sooner than I need to. I try to make sure I get the CD & T boosters done 3-4 weeks before kidding. Then worm the doe the day she kids.
Breath, try & relax & most likely nature will take care of the rest. Have the camera ready too.

[Sonshine]

Originally Posted by sammyd

we never separate the does for kidding. We don't treat them with anything either.
Have found that letting them be works well for us. 6 years without incident.

That's actually the route we have taken too. I want to be as non-invasive as I can. I'll treat them when needed, but other than that I let them do their thing.

[PrettyPaisley]

What wormer should I use? If her eyelids are bright red is it something I can skip?

Are there CD &T alternatives? I don't want to be foolish and ignore the knowledge of those that have come before me, but I don't want to go the conventional medicine route if I can help it.

[prairiedog]

Do not skip the wormer. I use cydectin(quest horse). It is a little late to do the CDT now for the baby protection so I would skip that for now.