# Kidding cameras



## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

Last year I lost plenty of sleep around the time Bree was due, and this year I have potentially three does due within a 10 day span. I had an audio only monitor out there, and some folks may remember the goshed awful sounding recording I posted last year of sounds my doe was making through the monitor. Just her resting, not birthing or being mauled or anything like that. I want to get some kind of video monitor I can put out there and keep an eye on them without having to bundle up and go out in the cold frequently. 

I suck at giving distances, so I will include a picture from the closest end of my house to the barn. We have an extension cord running out to the barn, but that is it. Next summer I am going to have my dad help me run electricity down to the barn. With that maybe I will consider running a cable for better video. 

In the mean time, has anyone got recommendations for a camera that can be hooked up (I can power it via the extension cord for this year, but will need to have the video feed to a monitor)? I don't want to spend a fortune, but I also value my sleep.


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## crosscandyboers (Jun 1, 2014)

This is the camera we have. It is connected to our wifi and as long as we are home we can view it. You can set it up where you can view it where ever you are say like at the grocery store. There is always someone home during kidding so we chose not to do it that way and just have it on our internet. Also set up was super easy.

http://www.amazon.com/Foscam-FI8910...d=1421088547&sr=8-2&keywords=foscam+ip+camera

We did try this and it worked nice and the audio was not to bad it was just our barn was to far away and the box had to be right next to a window. The box is not to big either, just like 8 inches tall or so and like a foot long.

http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Infant...08&sr=8-40&keywords=summer+infant+baby+camera

Hope this helps!


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

How technology saavy are you? I use a cheap HooToo camera at about the same range as what it look like you have. I had to put an after market extra antenna on both the modem and the camera to get it to reach.
http://www.hootoo.com/hootoo-ht-ip210-indoor-wireless-network-camera-with-ir-cut-white.html
You might have to cut a small hole in your shed and run an antenna from the outside of your shed to the inside of your shed where the camera is.
http://www.amazon.com/Asus-WL-ANT-1...UTF8&qid=1421088817&sr=8-1&keywords=wl-ant191


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

The Foscam camera that Crosscandy has might be better. I'm not sure about that. I had a difficult time setting up my wireless network to work with the HooToo. I'm not all that tech saavy though.


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## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

I have the foscam camera also. It was awesome last season. I had moved a doe to the kidding pen and kept an eye on her with my laptop. It was March, midnight and 6 degrees when she started kidding. I was able to watch her from my house and bundle up and head to the barn when she was starting to push. No 20 minute checks or thoughts of missing it  There's also a phone app for it


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

We just got a wireless cam set.. Still trying to get it set up wireless.. I thought k my cousin is gonna have to come do that for us lol!

But it came with a DVR and an app for multiple devices  has great picture and great infer red too! I'll have to go find the name of it in a bit


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## michaelhannaster (May 30, 2012)

I use dropcam for my set up it has great video and has 2 way audio. It's about 150 bucks for 1 they are super easy to set up, has a free iPhone or android app for your phone or you can view from a pc. Also dropcam will give you a 14 day trial on cloud dvr service.

I know a few folks who use foscam which is also a great camera but personally like the dropcams ease of set up and wide view range.

From the picture.. range might be an issue with either camera but if you get your router near that window there doesn't seem to be many obstructions. Just be mindful wireless signal has problems going through metal buildings. RF signal like a baby monitor tends to work a bit better but doesn't have the nice bells and whistles like a foscam or dropcam.

Bellow is a pic from my dropcam... Looks like I need to refill hay









Sent from my iPad using Goat Forum


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

I have one on the camera now too. Just started discharge. Day 149.


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## burtfarms (Apr 4, 2013)

iso needtoget one of these too.definetly on my want list! I am doing the every hour baby check right now.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

burtfarms said:


> iso needtoget one of these too.definetly on my want list! I am doing the every hour baby check right now.


Not only is it way handier, I think the does would prefer to be left alone. And the observations you can make watching the camera are more telling than what you see after you disturb them.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

Decisions, decisions! The router is in a different room, though I could hook it up to a different DSL line that is longer and get it closer to a window that has a similar view, just a little longer to go. I have a hole bored in the bottom of the wall going into the kidding stall, so if I need to boost from that end with an antenna I can (I will run the extension cord and any other necessary cords through that hole and into a section of PVC or similar pipe used for electrical stuff, to keep goats from eating at it). 

Kidding stall starts about six feet from the right end of the barn. Stall is not huge 6ft x 12 ft, though with three girls due on the 19, 20, and 26, I may have to aim it towards the main area of the barn or oust the boy out of his stall (there is still shelter out there for him, just not in the barn itself) and use both stalls for girls. At most I have a 12x 12 area to view. I have Christmas lights strung up on the ceiling that I use near kidding, that aren't super bright and would give some extra light for the camera.

I have looked at baby monitors, and the biggest thing I need is to be able to see what is going on. I have an audio baby monitor that works just fine, too well when Bree starts her "I am preggo, hear me attempt to breathe" stuff in late pregnancy. Audio didn't help me much last year, as she and the other girls get into grunting matches when at rest. 

Also, I am a Mac user here. I use either my iPad or my Mac computer. Are any of these NOT Mac friendly (that you know, anyway?)? I can move my old Mac into my bedroom near kidding time (had to retire it after several years and two owners, because part of its screen is slightly dimming and I didn't want to lose files on it if it gave out in some grand fashion, but it works well otherwise).

My husband mentioned a wifi signal booster, which I would love anyway so that I could listen to Pandora or get on here when outside.


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## Sether55 (Dec 5, 2014)

There probably isn't a monitor that spans about a football field?


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

I am going to guess it is at most 150 feet. I am horrid with distance. Probably closer from that window where I took the picture. It looks further since it is downhill from our house.


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## michaelhannaster (May 30, 2012)

Cactus_Acres said:


> Decisions, decisions! The router is in a different room, though I could hook it up to a different DSL line that is longer and get it closer to a window that has a similar view, just a little longer to go. I have a hole bored in the bottom of the wall going into the kidding stall, so if I need to boost from that end with an antenna I can (I will run the extension cord and any other necessary cords through that hole and into a section of PVC or similar pipe used for electrical stuff, to keep goats from eating at it).
> 
> Kidding stall starts about six feet from the right end of the barn. Stall is not huge 6ft x 12 ft, though with three girls due on the 19, 20, and 26, I may have to aim it towards the main area of the barn or oust the boy out of his stall (there is still shelter out there for him, just not in the barn itself) and use both stalls for girls. At most I have a 12x 12 area to view. I have Christmas lights strung up on the ceiling that I use near kidding, that aren't super bright and would give some extra light for the camera.
> 
> ...


I also am a fellow Mac and Ipad user..If i were you..I would keep your dsl modem/router where it is, get a airport express (you can find them cheap on craigslist or pay 100 bucks for a new one) and plug it in that room that faces your barn which will give you the extra WiFi range. Install the app on your Ipad or log into the site with your Mac and presto!

the new airport expresses utilize wireless "N" so does the dropcam which will give you a little extra boost on range and quality...either which way i would recommend a 5Ghz wireless N capable camera with a Wireless "N" router.


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## Sether55 (Dec 5, 2014)

Does the camera have to have internet too? Our barn doesn't.


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## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

My foscam camera is plugged into an internet cable but it can be used wireless. You would need some type of internet for this type of camera. I'm not sure about the others


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## crosscandyboers (Jun 1, 2014)

Our foscam is wireless. Because our barn is quite far from our house we have a wireless extender box in the barn right by the door and that goes to the main box in the house. It could go without an extender but it is not nearly as reliable that way.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

I had made a post awhile back about what I do here http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f193/working-keeping-goats-172941/ it does require internet and power though.

What I do is I have a wifi booster sitting in the window of my barn and that gives a great signal in the barn. Then I can access the live feed from my phone/ipad/computer. I plan on setting up at least 3 more if I ever get to it, so I have all areas of the barn covered. The goats kid in a 30 x 20 ish area for inside, and I just keep decreasing the kidding side to make room for the kid side lol.

By looking at the distance between your house and barn I bet you could get a signal to a camera if you hade your router sitting in a window. The only trouble I see is that you have a tin building which doesn't let signals go through it.

I have the same trouble, hence why I have to keep my booster in the window. But once the booster gets a signal inside the barn, the whole inside of the barn will have a nice signal.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

Are there boosters that are essentially glorified antennas that can handle weather? Like I said, I had to bore a hole in the baseboard of that stall, facing the House, when I needed to run an extension cord to the barn. If I can have that outside the barn, I can help boost a signal. I guess I ought to pick the camera I want, and see what, if any, signal it get before getting any boosters. My router is hanging on an interior wall across from this window (the router is in the center of the house). 

Btw, the side of the barn facing my house is the north side, so I would like to not add windows with the winds we get here. Maybe when we add on to the back of the barn, but not yet.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

we bought cameras from http://www.lorextechnology.com/ we got an 8 camera system for like 300.00 last year. Its been awesome. No audio but I dont need audio and I rather not listen to goat sounds. We have it hooked up for home security as well hence the 8 cameras.


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## fanov8 (Dec 2, 2014)

I have the cheapest Baby Video monitor from Walmart. The brand is Summers. We had the first one for 3 years and then it just got wore out. The second one we got this year is also a Summers but I bought it used for $30 from a facebook kids sale sight. It works fantastic! Our Building is metal building just like yours and our bedroom window seems nearly identical to the distance you have. I put the monitor on a table right by the window. It is fantastic! I mounted the camera in the rafters pointing down into the kidding stall. I absolutley love it! For ease of use and the price it just can't be beat! I will see if I can find a picture of the last doe I had in there.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

Okay, I have determined one this is a necessary - something that will work in cold temps. Duh, forgot that qualifier. So I have decided that I probably ought to go with an outdoor wireless camera (if it turns out it needs to be wired, I can handle that this summer along with burying a power line down to the barn).

We get down into the negatives by quite a bit off and on throughout winter. Talking possibly, though not every winter, into the -30s. It will be mounted inside the two kidding stalls, on a north wall, but it will be inside where it tends to stay a bit warmer. Cannot install a weather case for it until the summer, when I can run power to the barn and actually have more juice down there than an extension cord would give.

Any good cameras for cold weather? 

We are on an 802.11n wifi setup already, btw.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

So, anyone have any ideas for extending the range on a baby monitor? The kidding shed isn't that far away but there's a number of walls, and all I'm getting is static. Can't set the webcam up cuz my mom can't remember her login for the router :hair:


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## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

The foscam works great and we've been down to -10 some nights here


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

For the router, look up the factory login for your model. I was on mine last night, changing the name of my router since my parents have the same one, which defaults to the same network name (which means no saving the password from one to the other, which is a pain). Your ISP may be able to help you with your router if that doesn't work.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

I "measured" the distance from house to barn doing the heel-toe method of measurement, it was 180 "boots" from house to barn, on a hill (so it may measure long compared to waves traveling through the air). My boots are 11 inches long, so the second window pictured (middle of my house, near the router) is about 165 feet. Have another window closer, and my bedroom window which is further away (but heck, I can sleep in the living room or the great room during kidding time if need be, there is a good couch in each of those rooms).


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

It's not the default, she changed it when she bought it but can't remember what she used, and doesn't want to reset it.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

Went with a Foscam, and bought a 14dbi antenna on a 3 meter cable, which I will be mounting outside the barn shortly. Here is one of the images from it. Shot of Shady boy in his stall (which will be vacated shortly for the girls to use).


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

That weird thing in the front is a Christmas light that I use to light the stalls in the barn when babies are due.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

For any contemplating a camera, here is what it looks like at night out in the barn (pitch black aside from the IR on the camera).


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Would you mind sharing the model of Foscam and the name of the antenna, Elissa?


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## SerenitySquare (Jun 28, 2014)

Cactus_Acres said:


> Went with a Foscam, and bought a 14dbi antenna on a 3 meter cable, which I will be mounting outside the barn shortly. Here is one of the images from it. Shot of Shady boy in his stall (which will be vacated shortly for the girls to use).


very nice, could you please put what model it isor the specs. I looked on amazon and there seems to be several models. Thanks


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

Camera is an Foscam, f19821w v2. Antenna, I will have to look it up. I got it on amazon.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G2G61E0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Cactus_Acres said:


> Camera is an Foscam, f19821w v2. Antenna, I will have to look it up. I got it on amazon.


Thanks!


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## browervillegoats (Oct 29, 2014)

fanov8 said:


> I have the cheapest Baby Video monitor from Walmart. The brand is Summers. We had the first one for 3 years and then it just got wore out. The second one we got this year is also a Summers but I bought it used for $30 from a facebook kids sale sight. It works fantastic! Our Building is metal building just like yours and our bedroom window seems nearly identical to the distance you have. I put the monitor on a table right by the window. It is fantastic! I mounted the camera in the rafters pointing down into the kidding stall. I absolutley love it! For ease of use and the price it just can't be beat! I will see if I can find a picture of the last doe I had in there.


I just went and bought a summer baby monitor today and tried it out.....no reception . The small waged is about 250ft away and the monitor is rated for 600ft.... It's a metal shed but no luck. Any thoughts on what I can do? Return it and buy a different one?? Thanks.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Getting through metal is the problem. You may as well take it back. There is some type of receptor or something that you need to override the metal.


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## janecb (Sep 23, 2014)

I use the same model of Foscam and love it, but even with the extra 9dbi antenna it has problems reaching the house. It's about 150-200 feet from the wifi box, (admittedly the wifi isn't the greatest) and the barn is wood. When it IS running, however, I can connect to it from my phone anywhere, which is helpful for checking in on babies at school or while traveling. I'm not sure about a metal barn though; that may be tricky.


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