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Kidding Schedule

Kidding Schedule

This is a quick start guide to kidding baby goats.

This is only a high level overview, so I highly recommend reading more detailed information from Erica Hopkins’ book The Goat Chick: How To Get Started Raising Goats and her website thegoatchick.com. This page is largely a summary of Erica’s content and meant as a summary for myself to learn. See additional resources at the end.

The Doe

4 Weeks Before Kidding

  1. Selenium supplement.
  2. Trim hooves.
  3. Watch for ketosis, especially if the doe has many kids or is very large.

Preparing For Birth

  1. The gestation period is 150 days for standard goats and 145 days for miniature breeds. Birth is usually within a day or two of that, but like humans can happen earlier or later.
  2. When getting close to the due date, check the ligaments and udder often, multiple times daily.
  3. Separate the doe from the herd once she goes into early labor.
  4. A normal delivery takes about 5 hours (4 for dilation and 1 to give birth)

First Stage - Early Labor

  1. The early stage of labor can last several hours, but a long first phase may indicate the kid is not positioned correctly (dystocia).
  2. Identifying labor:
    • The broad sacrotuberous ligaments on either side of her rump will soften and eventually disappear.
    • The udder fills and gets tight.
    • The doe will seek a safe space to birth away from other goats.
  3. She will be restless, vocal, paw the ground, stargaze, her back legs will get stiff/posty, and she will lick.
  4. Her tail will raise and her vulva will sink in during contractions and they will get stronger and closer together as birth approaches.
  5. If her water breaks in early labor, she should give birth within 30 minutes to an hour.

Second Stage - Active Labor

  1. Active labor starts when she begins to push.
    • If there are no signs of progress after 30 minutes, you need to go in and feel for the position of the kid.
    • See Kidding Issues (Dystocia) if you suspect the kid is not positioned correctly.
  2. Always assume there are more kids! Don’t leave her till the placenta passes.

Third Stage - Passing the Placenta

  1. The last stage happens when the doe passes the placenta.
    • This should happen 45-60 minutes after the last kid is born.
  2. DO NOT PULL THE PLACENTA
  3. You can allow the doe to eat the placenta to recover nutrients.
  4. If she doesn’t pass the placenta after 2 hours, it’s possible she has a retained placenta, but technically not for 12 hours.

Immediately After Birth

  1. In case of dystocia, administer antibiotics (Oxytetracycline) into the uterus through cervix.
  2. In case of swollen vulva, clean w/ warm soapy water and administer hemorrhoid cream.
  3. Deworm with Cydectin to prevent barberpole bloom.
  4. Milk out and freeze some colostrum for emergency.
  5. Cleanup - sponge bath, hooves, brush out, trim udder.

2 weeks after birth

  1. Can bleed up to 2 weeks after birth. Foul smelling discharge indicates infection.

The Kids

Immediately After Birth

  1. Make sure airway is clear and they’re breathing - they can suffocate easily as soon as the umbilical chord is cut.
  2. Cut the umbilical chord about an inch from the body and dip in iodine up to the belly.
  3. (Optional) Apply iodine to hooves.
  4. Feed colostrum - give teats a squeeze to clear any natural plugs first.
    • If the kid won’t eat within 30 minutes, check body temp - tongue should feel warm to your (clean) finger.
  5. Don’t leave before baby has a full belly.
    • If the kid can’t stand after 30 minutes, separate the kid and give Selenium. Feed warm black coffee or molasses for energy.
    • If the kid doesn’t eat within 2 hours, he needs to be tube fed.
    • If the kid doesn’t poop (meconium) within the first few hours, he needs an enema.
  6. If bottle feeding, the sooner the better that the babies are separated from the mother (immediately to within a few days).

First 24-48 hours

  1. If bottle feeding, feed as much as they’ll eat every 6 hours, 4 times a day.
    • Don’t force feed, but let them eat as much as they want.
  2. If dam feeding, let mom do the feeding.
  3. If there are more than 2 kids, consider using a lambar.

First Week

  1. If still strong after a day or two, feed 3 times a day, every 6 hours.
  2. Disbud as soon as horn buds can be felt.
    • Bucks usually immediately after birth to 3 days old.
    • Does usually about a week after birth.
  3. Introduce hay. They might nibble, but won’t necessarily eat.

3 Weeks

  1. Introduce grain.
  2. Cocci prevention.
  3. (Optional) CDT vaccine.

4 Weeks

  1. Drop feeding to twice a day.
  2. Introduce water. They will usually start drinking around 6-8 weeks, but give them early access to get used to it.

6 Weeks

  1. (Optional) CDT booster.

10-12 Weeks

  1. Can be weaned as early as 8 weeks.
  2. Don’t wean till they start drinking water and eating hay/grain regularly.
  3. To Wean:
    • Reduce bottle to once a day for 2 weeks.
    • Cut out bottle feeding after - they will complain.

12 Weeks

  1. Tattoo registered goats.
  2. Castrate bucks.

Additional Resources