GAH how cold for new kids?

Suzyq2u · #1 12/04/13, 08:16 AM

Of course since mama goat looks ready to go -
We're dropping temps DRASTICALLY. They're talking *9* deg on Thursday night, it was 70 here yesterday.
We got plenty of straw for the bays and if they stay at the back they are wind free or we could put her in a shed where we can shut the doors completely or last resort pinned in the garage.

So the question is, how cold would you let her stay in draft free area with new babies? We have 2-3t sweaters we can put on them (or smaller if need be).
Any other suggestions?

emeraldbutton · #2 12/04/13, 09:05 AM

lol where is there? We have seen temperatures in the 20's here in good old western NY... Idk if you are bottle feeding or not but could you throw together some boxes for them? These are for our grow out rabbits but it would work great for baby goats. Maybe install a heat lamp... Crap I can't get the picture to load but it is against a wall, three walls the front being about knee high then tapering up to the back to be about 4ft tall. They doors are the tops which we hold open when we need to get in by a loop hanging from the ceiling and a string and small handle on the door which we feed through the loop. Darn I wish I could show you a pic, I'm horrible at describing things lol. Good luck!

jcatblum · #3 12/04/13, 09:09 AM

Suzy what I do is hang a heat lamp high in my goat shed where they can not hit it & I pin momma to be up with a really calm companion. I always use our fainting weather that has the personality of Eyore. I think they freak out less when they have a companion. I also give them a special treat to eat in hopes to relax them (like a pumpkin). I also notice mine will crawl into a dog house if they want a small space to be alone-- so if you have something to offer her a private space she will enjoy it. I hate being on kid watch when temps drop like this!

Suzyq2u · #4 12/04/13, 09:12 AM

I won't install a heat lamp, kids are too bouncy.
We're in Oklahoma.

Mama goat is pretty content with just her kids - it may come down to the pen in the garage...

April · #5 12/04/13, 09:23 AM

Kids aren't horribly bouncy right at birth, so a heat lamp isn't AS big a risk. It'd buy you some time between checking on her. That's a rough call to make!

I wouldn't think twice about those temps in a draft-free area, but the goats in Missouri are used to much cooler winter temps than Oklahoma goats. I'm also not sure I could trust the girls not to wiggle around until they're out in the wind, so an enclosed area may be better.

I feel for you. We've been considering winter kidding for marketing purposes, but I hate winter!

**mygoat** · #6 12/04/13, 09:43 AM

DRY kids are fine at almost any temperature. The big one is checking 'round the clock and getting those kids DRY ASAP when born. You will NEED to be there for birthing. The kids are not likely to do well if you miss the kidding. Maybe if she has one and can dedicate all of her attention to drying that kid it may do well, but twins or trips you're likely to lose some or all in these temps.

You can do a couple things... Dry with a towel and keep a supervised heat lamp out while you're doing that. You can also use a hot box, which is a rubbermaid tub with a hair dryer hole in the top. Put a hairdryer on medium and blow warm air around on them for a while.

Make sure those kids are well bedded, and that momma is caring for them. Make sure there isn't anywhere it can wander off or get stuck where it will quickly chill. I make sure kids stay in the barn the first week or so of life, and I'm constantly in the barn for the first week of life which is the most critical.

bluefish · #7 12/04/13, 09:44 AM

This is why I kid in May.

However, my dd has her doe kid in Jan/Feb so she gets a fair kid (meat goat project). Anyway, we've had good luck with one of those medium/largeish sized dog crates. We put it out in the kidding pen and put the little ones in there and cover it with a couple of old blankets. It also has plenty of straw in it. They can be in there snug and warm and mom can still smell and hear them, see them too if we leave the door uncovered. We go out every 2 hours to let them out. We'll stay out there with them anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. After about 3 days, we usually take the door off so the little ones can come and go as they please. We still keep a very close watch.

That said, dd usually sleeps out there for a week or two and usually ends up with one or all in her sleeping bag.

punchiepal · #8 12/04/13, 10:56 AM

Quite a few years ago I took a 55 gal garbage can and using a hot knife (looks like a soldering iron with an exacto tip on it) and cut a hole in the top just slightly smaller than a heat lamp shade. Drilled holes that matched the holes in the heat shade (ours had the protector wire things on it) to wire the heat lamp to the garbage can. Then cut a small door in it with the heat knife. We have wood stall walls so I use a staple nail then tie the garbage can handles to the staples. I also use the hanger on the heat lamp to tie to a post or staple.

We only use these if it is below 30 in the barn and only for a day or so, if we dam raise. Most are bottle fed and in the house for the first few days.

Backfourty,MI. · #9 12/04/13, 12:12 PM

I think dry healthy babies out of the draft with lots of bedding, full bellies & a good mamma & they are good to go at your temp's no problem.
Did I miss the baby pictures of these new babies?

Suzyq2u · #10 12/04/13, 12:26 PM

Thanks all!
No, no babies yet....but sooner than later!

jcatblum · #11 12/04/13, 01:36 PM

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I only have the companion in the goat shed with momma goat until she shows signs of kidding. If I try to pin them up out of the weather all alone they stress much more. I agree the kids are companion enough once they are born. My heat lamp is at least 4ft up & it is secured permanently not really "hanging freely", I don't use a clamp on heat lamp near my goats. I scored some old lights that have huge reflectors on them & look like they may have been in a gym, they make awesome heat lamps.

Hope she kids today before the ice & snow comes. Checking on her every 30 min would not be fun in this weather.

Suzyq2u · #12 12/04/13, 02:04 PM

No, not at all!! I'm chilly already and it's not even 'cold' yet

We're trying to batten down the hatches for everyone today...
Think I'll go put on some hot tea!

Suzyq2u · #13 12/04/13, 08:04 PM

Nothing today, she doesn't look quite full enough in the udder just yet though is off doing her own thing the last 2 days - seems she's holding out for the nice and cold stuff (wasn't that nice of her? lol). Everyone's riding out the deep cold wave in a smaller area so I can keep a pretty close eye on her (and them all for that matter).
I think she just really wants to come inside

She didn't kid this last batch and she was *so* upset everyone else had babies but her. Hopefully they will keep her good and content!