Our first kidding is coming up

EosRisingFarm · #1 05/10/14, 12:22 PM

AND I AM GETTING VERY NERVOUS.

I was good until this evening when i looked at the calendar and realised we have 14 days to go. Thats it.

We have one lamancha doe due the 25th.

Questions...

When do you seperate the kids for the night? How do you do that? What time? Do you need to feed them at night? How much milk will a first freshner give daily?

Whats your miliking routine? Milking supplies? Alternatives to commercial feeds that help your doe keep her weight and milk production up?

Alice In TX/MO · #2 05/10/14, 03:25 PM

When do you seperate the kids for the night? At two weeks of age.

How do you do that? They will fit in a dog crate at first, but you will need to build a kid pen.

What time? 9:00 PM works for me.

Do you need to feed them at night? Nope.

How much milk will a first freshner give daily? Depends on the breed and the individual goat.

Whats your miliking routine? 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM Here's a great page (not mine) that shows a good routine. http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2....GKHlU6Qt.dpbs

Milking supplies? Previously discussed here: Milking Supplies?

Alternatives to commercial feeds that help your doe keep her weight and milk production up? Oats and a bit of black oil sunflower seeds. Alfalfa pellets.

**mygoat** · #3 05/10/14, 03:42 PM

The kid pen will need to prevent the kids from poking their heads out and sneaking milk from the dams, if you aren't bottle raising.

The does WILL stand next to the fenceline and nurse kids.

I pull dairy kids at birth and bottle raise, I prefer it to any sort of dam raising - personal preference.

Wether you feed the kids at night is up to you. I'd probably personally use that time to feed the kids anything 'extra' I wanted them to have, like start them on grain and a good quality hay.

A FF varies dramatically with the lines. How much she'll produce will depend on her, her dam's production, and her sire's dams' production, to give you an idea.

I milk in the morning and at night.

Early in lactations, I try to get it as close to 12hrs apart as possible. Later in lactation it can be more flexible, an hour or two late is doable.

GET HER USED TO THE MILKSTAND NOW. Every day, feed her a little grain and rub the udder like you're cleaning her udder. The sit next to her and play with her teats, 'pretending' to milk. I promise if you do this, you will have a WAY easier time at first milking. They do NOT 'naturally' want to be milked, they must be trained to allow you to milk. They'd much rather just take care of their babies than share with you. Train them NOW to accept milking and your life will go much smoother. Continue feeding her in the milkstand even after she kids and keep playing with her udder.

GoatGirl123 · #4 05/10/14, 05:13 PM

We were just as scared the first time we had a pregnant goat due to give birth. I wish you luck! And, if this helps you at all, the actual birth part was fine. She gave birth without any help, but she did appreciate us being with her (however, it's different for every goat!)
When do you seperate the kids for the night?
Since we haven't started milking our does yet, only once they will be rehomed and taken away from their moms in a couple of weeks.
How do you do that? We'll probably do it for the first time tonight, but we have a divider in the barn so that the whether-ling can sleep on one side with some does other than his mom.
What time? We usually put the goats to bed when it gets dark, and we'll separate them when we put them to bed.
Do you need to feed them at night? Nope.
How much milk will a first freshener give daily? Depends on the doe.
Whats your milking routine? Sorry, but I can't help with that. Never done it before.
Milking supplies? We have a milking stand and we'll milk her by hand.
Alternatives to commercial feeds that help your doe keep her weight and milk production up? We don't usually do anything except during the pregnancy, but grain and black oil sunflower seeds while pregnant.
Again, I wish you luck!

EosRisingFarm · #5 05/11/14, 10:41 PM

Thanks! I am sooooo nervous. My doe is a lamancha from a cheese maker. Her dam gives a bit over 1 gallon a day...

Thank you to the other links. I am an urban farmer and do not have a barn exactly so seperating the kids is a little more difficult. i have a shed i think i will put a temp stall in.

we have been practicing the stand. she peacefully lets me touch her udder now while eating her alfalfa and beet pellets mixed with carrots, banana peels, and other random veggie stuffs. I will start soaking and 3 day sprouting grain for her like i do the chickens