# How cold is too cold for kidds?



## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

I know it has been asked but we have been getting down into the low thirties at night. Tonight we are suppose to be 23 then we head up into the 40's at night. So do I need heat lamps or is sweaters enough or needed at all? They will be in a barn at night. I haven't had kidos this early in the year before and she hasn't even delivered them yet (due in the next week) but I don't want to make a stupid mistake.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Kids can endure really cold temps ...if being fed well...they also snuggle up to one another for warmth...if you feel you have to put a sweater on them or put out a heat lamp...that is up to you...... never hesitate... if your heart is saying ...they need more heat.... it is your babies....use your best judgment.... :wink:


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## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

Okay great! Thank you! The 20's make me nervous but 40's seem doable. I bought some little dog sweaters on clearance at Walmart yesterday just in case. A heat lamp makes me a little nervouse especially with goats.


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## Bit of Everything (Jan 28, 2011)

We had some really cold nights when we were kidding and mine all did fine. I don't use heat lamps but did give the kids a dog house to climb in and snuggle up in. They loved sleeping in there. Just give them as draft free of an area as you can and lots of bedding and they should be fine. I bought some dog sweaters on sale also for next year's kids. We only used 1 for a few days this year, it was pretty short on them so I got longer ones on sale.


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## Rev144 (Jan 22, 2011)

My kids were born in Dec and it was down in the teens. I put a heat lamp in their pen in the corner, and put a piece of plywood across , to make a triangle , to protect the lamp. Then put alot of hay down for them to lay on... As Bit of everything said, they love dog crates.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Nubians2...how old are these kids? I do not use heat lamps and the only time I will sweater kids is when they are newborn...any time after the first week of age, a healthy kid can regulate their temp enough to keep warm as well as snuggle up with siblings and mamas.
Yes, it's been pretty cold here at night with temps in the upper 20's low 30's and all my kids are fluffed out to keep warm, once they hit the sun and run around, they're all toasty and happy. My kids range in age from 4 weeks to 8 weeks


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Okay great! Thank you! The 20's make me nervous but 40's seem doable. I bought some little dog sweaters on clearance at Walmart yesterday just in case. A heat lamp makes me a little nervouse especially with goats.


 :thumbup: I know.. this weather has been so crazy..... :hug:


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## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

Liz that is the funny part because they aren't even born yet! I, of course worry about everything and since my last doe to kid, also my first was last June I am not sure about cold weather. When I heard the forecast for tonight that it was going to be only 23 it got me thinking that I really don't know what they can or cannot tolerate. I thought I read that they could regulate their temperature and I knew if I used sweaters that they were only needed for a couple of days. Just wasn't sure about a temp specifically. I think this may be our last really cold night being everything else I can see til the end of the month is in the 40's.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Not being born yet...thats just a good goat mama doing what we all do! Worry about being prepared!

If it's chilly out at their birth, be present and dry them off as fast as you can....you'll need alot of towels, I use a minimum of 2 bath size towels per Nigerian kid so I would imagine that a Nubian kid will likely use up at least 4.

Once they are all fluffy and dry, get them to nurse, full bellies help keep them warm. I have used puppy sweaters when kids are born here into the teens and single digits...never have used a heat lamp, if kids are shivering be sure they are totally dry before you put the sweaters on them, you don't want to trap moisture between the body and the sweater. I take sweaters off kids during the day and only put them back on if they need them.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I had kids born in November last year. In the middle of the night, of course. Mama was not being good to them. (She still had a dead kid inside but we did not know that at the time.)
I had to put the babies alone in a stall. I was out there checking on them every hour or two and they stayed toasty warm snuggled together.


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## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

Ok Great that sounds like a plan. Thank you! I thought with having one kidding down I would be a little less stressed but this doe hasn't kidded with me so I am not sure what to expect from her. She had her first trips by herself at night. They were really good goat owners and didn't see any signs that she was going to kid and the next morning there they were. So that tells me she will go fast once she gets the ball rolling. Well that is what I am telling myself! lol We will see soon.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I give the babies ...3 days and nights ...with the heat lamp if it the weather is cold out... after being born....I will give babies longer with the heat lamp ...if they are weak or momma is having issues..... :wink:


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