Kidding Emergency?

Blue Ridge · #1 12/29/13, 06:35 PM

Our first goat is in labor, and it is her first time, as well. She is a Nigerian Dwarf.

How do you describe hard labor? How far should the contract be apart?

We have observed contractions for 3 hours now, and have goo, but not seen the sac, etc. Contractions have been about 5 minutes apart, and she is looking very uncomfortable.

Thanks!

paintpony · #2 12/29/13, 06:49 PM

I would probably go in and check things out at this point. If shes seeming tired, I'd def. go in and pull the first kid.

GoldenWood Farm · #3 12/29/13, 06:56 PM

I would go in after 30 minutes of contractions. Sounds to me like somebody is blocking or stuck somewhere. Is she actively pushing at all?

GraceAlice · #4 12/29/13, 07:00 PM

Yep, I would lube up and
go in.

Blue Ridge · #5 12/29/13, 07:05 PM

Before I do that. Just to clarify it doesn't look like there has been any dilation. Shouldn't there be a some "opening" up?

Thanks!

GoldenWood Farm · #6 12/29/13, 07:11 PM

You will know if there is dilation. You can't visually see it but when you go in you can tell. If she isn't dilated you won't get very far, it should be like hitting a wall of sorts. If she is dilated you will be able to feel all the way into her uterus. Sorry I am on my phone so I am probably not explaining well.

Blue Ridge · #7 12/29/13, 07:15 PM

Can someone describe HARD labor? We are wonder if this is just early labor. She is bleating and straining about once every five to ten minutes.

paintpony · #8 12/29/13, 07:20 PM

Doesn't matter 3 hours is a long time. If you wait too long she won't have enough energy to push if there are more than one kid.

GoldenWood Farm · #9 12/29/13, 07:26 PM

If she is bleating and straining every 3-5 minutes she is in labor and pushing. You need to go in NOW and see what is going on. I wish I remembered the place that had all those different kidding diagrams but I can't for the life of me. Hopefully someone else can chime in.

You need to scrub up, lube up and start feeling around. I am going to PM you my cell number in case you need someone to verbally talk you through it. It can be rather scary for a first timer (goat and person

). Here is at least something from Fiasco Farms http://fiascofarm.com/galleries/Goat...ons/index.html

Justine

Alice In TX/MO · #10 12/29/13, 07:30 PM

Go in now! Do not wait!

Here's another website with pics to help you visualize what's going on. Make a mental picture of what you feel.
http://www.boergoats.com/clean/articleads.php?art=285

You are going to have to re-arrange things inside. You either want the nose and front hooves coming out or the rear hooves. You tell which is which by what they are connected to. You are going to have to grope around in the goo to figure it out.

The dilation is inside, not on the outside until the birthing takes place. One of the kids is blocking the birth canal, most likely, by being turned the wrong way.

DenMacII · #11 12/29/13, 09:14 PM

I hope there's an update soon...with good news.

We had two very ready does bleating all day on the 26th by evening they had quieted down, and their backsides were looking more ready at noon then they were at 9PM. At 4AM we were in the barn with them and they were both putting kids on the ground, and all worked out just fine.

If you're sure there's full labor going on, I'd go with what everyone's recommending and find out what the problem is by getting the smallest hand available in there.

If not, you need to be present and monitor very closely until the situation changes.

Hopefully by now you have a kid or two cleaned up and figuring out how to nurse.

Best of luck to you.

Blue Ridge · #12 12/29/13, 10:35 PM

Here's the update. - Thanks everyone for your help!

Ultimately we lost the kid, but saved the mother.

The rest might be graphic.

We could never get the head positioned right. Called in the vet, who confirmed the kid was already gone. She also could not reposition the head for a delivery, so the head was detached and body removed separately. After examining the kid, the vet confirmed that it had several deformities which would not have made it viable. This added to both why the birth did not occur either naturally or with assistance.

In the end this was our first kidding experience - and we learned a lot more than we ever could imagine. We were hoping for a couple of "easy" births first, so we could recognize how it is "supposed to go", before having to deal with a difficult one.

But, as this is how it has worked out, we hope to have learned lessons to take into the future with us.

GoldenWood Farm · #13 12/29/13, 10:43 PM

I am so sorry you lost the kid

. Glad you saved momma though and GOOD JOB! That is NOT an easy birth to deal with and expecially being your first one.

Thankfully those kind of births hardly ever happen and now you know how to deal with them when they do come. It have found delivering a dead kid if it is deformed or not is WAY harder than a live kid. So good job on saving momma, again I am sorry you lost the kid

Justine

Doug Hodges · #14 12/29/13, 10:46 PM

Wow. Sorry you had to deal with this. It should all be easy now.

GraceAlice · #15 12/29/13, 11:08 PM

I'm so sorry.

That is definitely hard for a first time. My 3 first ones went without me. 4th one, I had to help deliver. Goodness! I'm sure that was hard on you and your family. Glad the doe is okay.

You don't seem to worse for wear though, which is great. A lot of owners would be completely distraught after something like this, fortunately you seem caring and smart but not TOO soft hearted.

Great for a farmer!

Not saying you aren't sad at all, just... you know what I mean.

Wow. Having a hard time with words tonight aren't I.

Doug Hodges · #16 12/29/13, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraceAlice

I'm so sorry.

That is definitely hard for a first time. My 3 first ones went without me. 4th one, I had to help deliver. Goodness! I'm sure that was hard on you and your family. Glad the doe is okay.

You don't seem to worse for wear though, which is great. A lot of owners would be completely distraught after something like this, fortunately you seem caring and smart but not TOO soft hearted.

Great for a farmer!

Not saying you aren't sad at all, just... you know what I mean.

Wow. Having a hard time with words tonight aren't I.

My wife would be done. Her and the kids would he balling. I would be digging another grave in our animal graveyard and performing a ceremony.

I've only been with them 4 years. They are city people. Or were. They've come a long way.

I agree. You sound like you got this.

Blue Ridge · #17 12/29/13, 11:30 PM

Thanks for words of encouragement.

Yes, we came into this without any blinders on, fully realizing that life (and death) happens "on the farm". Something that we have been trying to prepare our family for.

I'm not saying that we are not sad or disappointed; or that the "hands" won't take it a little tougher than us who are older. It's just where our focus is directed at in the cycle of life and the stewardship of what God has provided us with.

Thanks again to everyone,

Brent
www.AllHandsFarm.com

GraceAlice · #18 12/29/13, 11:40 PM

I have to say the first time we had an animal die, it was a chick, and I buried it... covered the "grave" with flowers...

Can you guess? I came STRAIGHT from the city!

I know everyone in their right mind gets at least a tiny bit down when something dies, but when you live on a farm or in an environment where you experience these things, you CAN'T afford to live your life grieving!

So again, good for you.

Honestly I felt a little guilty this year because after having about thirty animals die in the last 8 months, my emotions were about as hard to kick into gear as they ever could be. I hardly cried after that. I've gotten a little bit more emotional since then. lol

Blessings to you and your family, and for making the decision to get the vet out when you needed to.

All in all, FANTASTIC job.

Alice In TX/MO · #19 12/30/13, 05:10 AM

I'm glad the doe was saved and grieve for the lost kid. Blessings on you for acting quickly.

Huggs,
Alice

K Epp · #20 12/30/13, 06:10 AM

I'm getting in late on this, but it seems that the good deliverys surprise you. I haven't breed my does, but my friend whom I help does. Good delivery goes like this... "Could you go by and check on Gabby she is due in 3 days?" I go by after work in dress clothes and stick me head over stall to discover a baby all nice and dry and fluffy. Or I get a call saying "I went to feed the chickens and Holly has had a baby I didn't have her due for another month.". Bad deliveries start at 12am and end up at vet me and my friend holding while the vet pulls. After a hour of that and vet saying its dead we were lucky. Kid came out and while vet worked on Mama I got kid going and now 6 months later she us running around my yard escaping every chance she gets. I named her Athena because she is a fighter.

Now I'm as tender hearted as they come and so are my kids. In a year we have gotten over it. You learn quick that on a farm with lots of animals things are going to die especially if you have chickens. Now its sad, but not as traumatizing. At least that's the way it is for us. Now if I were to loose one of my goats I will squall like a baby. I haven't breed mine because I don't want to go through the bad delivery thing again. That and the fact I don't need anymore and know I most likely wouldn't be able to sell them as I will get attach to them. I also have 20lb turkeys running around my yard that act like dogs.

Editing to add:
I lost my bottle baby and it was almost enough to keep me from getting anymore goats. To loose one that you know is in there growing has to be heart breaking especially in that manner. I'm glad you could save the Doe and you seem to be handling it well. Hopefully you have others coming and that will make it easier for our children.