Kid care in the heat...

whiskeylivewire · #1 06/19/12, 04:20 PM

I've had kids in the winter and I knew what to do with them but I'm just checking if there is anything special to do for my bucklings with it being so hot.

They are panting some but are not in duress. Lila keeps putting them in the doghouse today and I keep taking them out so they catch the breeze! I finally left them alone because I figured she knew better than me about it.

And maybe this is a stupid question but do they need water? I know the older goats do and Lila lots of it (along with my expecting does Cubbie and Scully) but I didn't *think* the kids did...but I thought I'd ask to make sure.

Thank you!

Ranger · #2 06/19/12, 04:42 PM

You and Lila are having a time of it!!! lol They should be fine. Since they're newborn's they don't need anything but her milk right now. As long as she has plenty of water they will be great. Just make sure that her water isn't in something that they could jump or fall in and drown. When my babies are little I give the does a BUNCH of small buckets to drink out of. It's a pain, but I don't have to worry about the kids.

whiskeylivewire · #3 06/19/12, 10:22 PM

Thanks. She has a small bucket anyway because they are so picky about their water lol I fill it up several times a day because if it isn't the right temp they won't drink it!

They might be a bit spoiled...

luvzmybabz · #4 06/20/12, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranger

You and Lila are having a time of it!!! lol They should be fine. Since they're newborn's they don't need anything but her milk right now. As long as she has plenty of water they will be great. Just make sure that her water isn't in something that they could jump or fall in and drown. When my babies are little I give the does a BUNCH of small buckets to drink out of. It's a pain, but I don't have to worry about the kids.

Thanks for the reminder I just realized that we did not use out kid grate on the early kids this year. So I asked hubby the said the wood rotted off and we will have to replace it before we can put it back in tank. We use a sallow oval metal water tank, so I devised a kid catcher a piece of smaller size cattle panel I think 4 inch squares cut to eexactly the shape of the tank and used plumbers metal tape with the holes every inch to secure it to wood legs along both long side and then wedged it into tank. girls can drink through the holes but it will hold up and kids that decide to take a swim. We have to fill the water out more frequently but I fell better knowing. The waterer in the kidding stall is placed up in fence wuth a horse bucket holder almost at height of goats back wish I had more will have to talk to gma caregivers and ask if there are any left in her shed. She is really been on me to come get anything else I can use out of there just seems any time we are down there we are in a hurry to get back after visiting with her.

andabigmac · #5 06/20/12, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvzmybabz

Thanks for the reminder I just realized that we did not use out kid grate on the early kids this year. So I asked hubby the said the wood rotted off and we will have to replace it before we can put it back in tank. We use a sallow oval metal water tank, so I devised a kid catcher a piece of smaller size cattle panel I think 4 inch squares cut to eexactly the shape of the tank and used plumbers metal tape with the holes every inch to secure it to wood legs along both long side and then wedged it into tank. girls can drink through the holes but it will hold up and kids that decide to take a swim. We have to fill the water out more frequently but I fell better knowing. The waterer in the kidding stall is placed up in fence wuth a horse bucket holder almost at height of goats back wish I had more will have to talk to gma caregivers and ask if there are any left in her shed. She is really been on me to come get anything else I can use out of there just seems any time we are down there we are in a hurry to get back after visiting with her.

That is brilliant. We've been filling our tank half full but they can drink that in 7 or 8 hours. I'm constantly out there watering.

I put frozen 2 liter bottles in my rabbit cages to help them cool off. I tried it recently with my goats and most of them loved it. Pickles was using one as a pillow. Then they decided to use them as chew toys so mean ole mom took them away. I didn't want them swallowing the caps. If I could find a better way to cap them I'd put them out there again. The goats loved them.

blujenes · #6 06/20/12, 11:39 AM

That kid catcher idea is great! If you don't mind, we might need to copy you on that, since we already lost one that way.

momagoat61 · #7 06/20/12, 01:26 PM

As for supplying cool drinking water in the hot summer heat what I do and this works great since I have to have my water troughs outside and not in the barn, the water gets to dirty from dust in my barn and I use a 30 gal rubber maid tote, I butt the tote up against the fence and then I secure two wood pallets to the fence and then I place a piece of roofing tin or you could use another pallets as the top and then I cover the whole thing with a heavy duty canvas tarp leaving one end open, the end not facing the hot afternoon sun, The water stays in the cool shade,its almost dark under the canvas and the water doesn't heat up at all.