Goat Kidding
- Gail @happyhoovesandhens
I remember our first kidding and the advice that was given to me. As I was nervously studying kid presentations and birthing, I was told by the instructor: “don't worry, goats will wait until the minute you leave and then they will deliver.” She went on to say that they had never seen or assisted any deliveries. They raised Oberhasli, so maybe they are more independent than my Nigerians. But I can tell you that my experience was quite the opposite!
The first kid presented head first, visible in the sac hanging out of a doe who was trying to rub her backside on the wall! This being her first birth, I imagine she did not know what was happening to her! She was screaming and we tried to help but were really unsure of how much help we could or should give. Thank goodness we had an experienced neighbor to consult and who we finally reached on our fourth attempt! Before long, spunky little triplets were bouncing around the stall!
Since that experience, I have had a passion to help people prepare for kidding and it starts long before the doe is pushing at three a.m. on a cold, rainy night. Here are some basic tips:
Know your due date!!
Put your does in with bucks for short periods
Document each exposure!
calendar (I keep a calendar in my milking barn so I can quickly jot down heat days, breeding days, vaccinations, etc.)
photo- snap a picture on your phone so you have a time stamp
A full size goat gestation is 150 days, while for mini breeds it is about 145 days. There are apps that can do the calculation for you. There is nothing worse than figuring out that a doe is pregnant with no idea when she is due. You will save yourself a lot of sleepless nights checking to see if she is in labor.