# Water Bucket Safety



## Sallie Mayer (May 15, 2019)

I am a first time goat mom with two pregnant does who will be kidding next month. We have the new stalls ready, but I want to be sure I am putting the water buckets in properly to be safe for new babies.
These are Nigerian Dwarfs and I bought 8qt flat sided buckets and bucket hangers (see pic)
How high should thy be installed?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

High enough for mama to get a drink.
It really depends on the goats height.

However, I do not put any water in there stalls until after they kid.
She may have her kids standing up and drop them right into the bucket, then they will drown.


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## sydneet (Apr 10, 2020)

It’s hard to put an exact measurement on it, but probably not more than a foot or two?


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## Sallie Mayer (May 15, 2019)

toth boer goats said:


> High enough for mama to get a drink.
> It really depends on the goats height.
> 
> However, I do not put any water in there stalls until after they kid.
> She may have her kids standing up and drop them right into the bucket, then they will drown.


I thought I was supposed to start putting the mamma in her kidding stall several days before her due date so she would feel safe, etc. How do I manage the water like that? Should I just leave the kidding stall door open during the day when I can supervise and let the mamma come and go as she pleases, then close her up without water at night?
Or should I close her up and offer water several time throughout the day?

I have two pregnant does and four yearling does. They all share the same indoor penned area. The kidding stalls (2 separate) are in that pen.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

I don't shut my expecting mamas up in stalls during the day because I feel that too much solitary confinement is stressful for them. When they are ready to kid they actually separate themselves, and the other goats respect their distance. That said, if your goats are at all wild or mistrustful you may need to lock them in round the clock if you want any hope of attending their births. When I believe a mama is eminent, I lock her in the kidding shed at night so I can watch her through my camera. I leave one of those 8 qt. buckets in the stall with her. I don't really worry about her birthing into the bucket. It's honestly not something I've thought of. I have full-sized goats so it would be unlikely for a kid to drown in something that size. The bucket would be mostly empty if a full-sized kid splashed into it! 

I'm sure you can leave the bucket in the stall if you hang it low enough for mama to drink but high enough she couldn't plop a kid into it. It's never a good idea to leave her without water. Once the kids are bouncing, put the bucket on the ground so they can see over the top. They won't jump in if they know it's water, but if they can't see over the top they'll try to jump on it like a platform and fall in.


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## Trin (Apr 12, 2020)

would a small flatish bucket work


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I leave my does out during the day and watch them. 
They get water while they are out and about.

Only if I see they are showing birthing signs of getting really close, I will leave them in. Not pre-labor.

When the does are within a week prior to kidding, I start watching them. At that time, I will stall them at night. 

During the night, they do not get water in their stalls. Before kidding. Never. So, they do not accidentally drop a kid in the bucket, when she is giving birth.

After they kid, I then put the bucket of water in the stall for her, high enough so the kids cannot get in it.


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## Calistar (Jan 16, 2017)

I give my does water in their kidding stalls but I hang the buckets above tail height and put a cinderblock underneath so the doe can step up to drink.

I used to lock my does in a kidding stall a day or two before they were due to kid, but it stressed them out being away from the herd. I even had one permanently injure her leg trying to jump out of her stall the day before she kidded. This year I just let them all kid out in the yard and moved them into the stalls immediately after. It worked much better for me, BUT i was home to watch them (and have retired parents home to watch them when I couldn't) and I know my does and could tell when they were within 12-24 hours of kidding. If you'd be leaving them unsupervised for long periods of time, I'd probably feel safer locking them up.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Yep, cinder blocks to make steps up to the bucket!


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## Sallie Mayer (May 15, 2019)

Calistar said:


> I give my does water in their kidding stalls but I hang the buckets above tail height and put a cinderblock underneath so the doe can step up to drink.
> 
> I used to lock my does in a kidding stall a day or two before they were due to kid, but it stressed them out being away from the herd. I even had one permanently injure her leg trying to jump out of her stall the day before she kidded. This year I just let them all kid out in the yard and moved them into the stalls immediately after. It worked much better for me, BUT i was home to watch them (and have retired parents home to watch them when I couldn't) and I know my does and could tell when they were within 12-24 hours of kidding. If you'd be leaving them unsupervised for long periods of time, I'd probably feel safer locking them up.


Fortunately I am home all day. I will hold off putting them in their stalls until bedtime and watch them carefully during the day. I like the idea of high buckets and cinderblock steps! 
Thank you all for your input. It is so helpful!


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Thanks everyone for answering that. I had the same predicament.
Cinder block! Right on!


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## Sallie Mayer (May 15, 2019)

Ok, one more quick question. If one of my does starts to go into labor and she is out of the stall, can I move her in or just let her stay where she is?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Either is fine.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I used to force my moms who started kidding, into the kidding stalls..where I had cleaned and laid fresh bedding..but it was stressful for us both. I now allow them to choose where they want to kid and once all is said and done we move mama and babies to clean stall. What I learned too is all that hard work to lay bedding down and be clean was for nothing if they dig the whole pen up pawing lol. 
We also hang water buckets and dont give water until mom kids.


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## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

Damfino, I always respect your posts and think you are very knowledgeable, but I have to say about this one, please reconsider leaving buckets in the kidding stalls unattended. Since you have cameras it makes it safer since you are watching(I do that too) but if you ever can’t watch I highly recommend you don’t leave those buckets in there. It certainly can/does happen, even with the smaller buckets and bigger does.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Either way, although, it really depends on the weather. 
If it is too cold and windy, they go into the stall regardless.


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## Sallie Mayer (May 15, 2019)

Thank you all! As an inexperienced goat owner, I don’t know what I would do without this forum and your expert advice!!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:bighug:


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