# Damn Farm Countdown - babies on the ground!!!!



## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

And when I say first kids I mean first kids EVER. We've only had our goats for a year and are expecting twins out of my favorite doe Frida (a Sugar Moon Nigerian) and by our ****** (an OMF Nigerian). I badly want a daughter out of Frida - she is our herd queen and my first milking goat and I am extremely close to her. 

I'm very nervous about Frida because she's due in the dead of winter. She got pregnant a solid month+ early because ****** broke down a whole a** fence to get to her - he's a determined boy! Thank god we were able to successfully contain him for another month, so our younger doe Maria isn't due until mid-March. Maria is a first freshener and has got at least two in there visible on ultrasound, but our vet thinks she is hiding another one up front. 

We are building a loose box for Frida in the garage so she'll have a warm place to have the babies if it's super cold outside. But I am still so nervous! I'm really grateful to have this forum to read as I do all my research to prepare for the births.


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

There are several post on birthing kits..which suggest what you might need for kidding. Also watch for the doe wanting to distance herself. There are you tube videos how to check for ligaments softening. Its a wonderful nerve wrecking fun time. We ard here for.you with.any questions you may have. Good luck & happy kidding


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Good luck!


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## Gooseberry Creek (Jun 3, 2020)

I have 3 FFs kidding in early March through late April. Its also my first time with goats having kids lol.
I think my Kunekune sow may also be preggo..first time for her and me on that one too.
I will be totally watching this thread lol.
I need to start my birthing kit as well. We are currently building a few kidding stalls in a metal barn.


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## Jasmine E Degroat (Dec 17, 2020)

Gooseberry Creek said:


> I have 3 FFs kidding in early March through late April. Its also my first time with goats having kids lol.
> I think my Kunekune sow may also be preggo..first time for her and me on that one too.
> I will be totally watching this thread lol.
> I need to start my birthing kit as well. We are currently building a few kidding stalls in a metal barn.


i have girls due starting march


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

One thing that really helped me was to watch YouTube videos of goat births. Blue Cactus Dairy goats has some good ones. Last year was my first year of kidding, and I loved it! It was such fun! I am already impatiently waiting for my next kid crop, which will be coming in the spring / summer of this year.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Happy kidding.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Well, Frida is only about 27 days out. She is definitely not where I would like her to be in body condition, so we are supplementing her with grain and snacks. Ketones looking good so far but I'm going to check her again tomorrow. I am so excited to meet her babies. (Checking her ketones is a hilarious process... she gets really suspicious when I start following her around with a pee cup.)

I was also able to secure a backup vet to call in case there are any shenanigans and my beloved Dr. Steve from down the street can't attend. The backup is 45 minutes away, and I'm really grateful she agreed and didn't tell me I was out of her range. That really put my mind at ease. Next step: building the winter kidding pen inside the garage.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

"Look mom. I look good. I did good right?" What a beautiful girl


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Sounds like you are doing a GREAT JOB! I know she appreciates it.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Maria sure looks cozy. She has about 50 days left but she is already so round.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

She is in good hands.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Our vet was here this morning. Both girls got their CDT. Maria's body condition is good (which was not surprising as I am pretty sure she is secretly a pig/nigerian cross), but Frida is still underweight. I just can't seem to get her to gain body condition and the vet doesn't want to worm her until the babies come out. I look forward to when she gives birth and is back on the milking stand so she can eat as much grain as she wants. At this point I'm close to just giving her bowls of animal crackers free choice. 

We have over a foot of snow on the ground so the does look like they are swimming in it. I'm glad they're getting a bit of exercise. We also finished building a lovely brightly lit 10x10 kidding pen in one of our garage bays because it's getting awfully cold here. This waiting is so hard and I'm so ready for the next three weeks to pass!


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

Sounds like you're doing great! What kind of hay are you feeding? You might try mixing in a higher-quality hay, like alfalfa, if you aren't already, and make sure she's good on all her minerals. Frida is probably putting everything she's got into making those babies! 
For the record, I know a lot of people who prefer to kid when it's cold outside. There are fewer parasite issues in the winter time. They say that the kids are healthier, and grow faster.


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

good luck!!


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

I for one have all my girls kidd in winter! No parasites..easier on the Does. With cooler weather they have less blood loss. Easier to warm them..than to cool them off. Already feeding for winter .so babies are healthier..Moms are too. For my area..its a win win situation.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good luck.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Welp. Frida has pregnancy toxemia and I'm beside myself. Thankfully I think we caught it in very early stages. She is up, around, bright, interested in things, and picking at hay. I started worrying when she was skeptical about her grain yesterday, but thought it might be because I had added goat balancer on the advice of our vet as she is under condition for sure, and she is SO picky. But this morning she basically ate two crumbs of her sweet feed and called it a day, and she also just seemed a wee bit spaced out, and I knew something was up. Thank god our magnificent vet practice was able to send someone out. She has had calcium, thiamine, and banamine, and her first dose of PG drench. The vet (our first time meeting this vet, as my beloved Steve who knows my anal retentive tendencies was off today,) was very impressed that I had Keto-Nia drench on hand! So that was a good moment for me. If there is anyone else in far northern Vermont, I seriously can't recommend Large Animal Medical Associates enough.

I will be drenching her with 1oz of PG drench 2 times a day for the next 3 days, as well as offering electrolyte water (and drenching if necessary), corn syrup/molasses, and as many cookies as she wants. The vet said the name of the game is not really improvement, but basically to prevent any further deterioration. If she decompensates any further she will receive an IV. She is 134 days pregnant right now and if she really can't cope the vet will induce her, but she said it's best to wait a little longer before doing that. She said we caught her at a good time, and it's good that I spend so much time with the does and know their routines so well as the worst outcomes are when the vet isn't called until the doe is already down. 

Frida is so important to me and I am terrified. I am going to do my best to take care of her but I know even human women can die of this and I just don't know how to make it through the next two weeks. I'm going to do my best to take care of her! I am letting her chill for a little while right now since she is a bit upset from the shots and drench, but pretty soon I'm going to take her some electrolyte water and some animal crackers with Karo syrup smeared on them. And she's picking at her hay, which gives me hope. If I can manage to get a urine sample I will start checking her on the ketone strips to see how we're doing. Please send good vibes!


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Oh Im so thankful you have a good vet. It sounds as though you are a good working team. Good luck with that precious doe..and hopefully we will.be seeing baby pics later!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:great:


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Sending good vibes to you and Frida. With so much support she will make it, I am sure!!! :bighug:


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

If you are dealing with ketosis, 1. Offer a balanced electrolytes for animals in water - but make sure they contain dextrose!

@HoosierShadow posted about a ketosis recipe for a doe; I saw the recipe and I modified it a bit with some of my own knowledge, and I have now seen it help 2 early toxemia situations very well!! Keeping the does on it daily is incredibly helpful.

Mix 1 can of creamed corn with 1 can of pureed pumpkin.
2x daily, feed this:
6oz of creamed corn pumpkin mixture, or 3oz for dwarf goats
10cc molasses
1 TBSP raw honey
Probiotics (average goat dose is 5cc)
And if concerned about hypocalcemia as well, I recommend adding 5-10cc CMPK calcium drench.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

We're getting close! Frida had another negative ketone test this morning so I think we are past the worst danger, but we're keeping up with the Dyne for extra calories. She's laying down, clearly uncomfortable, grinding her teeth some and taking a lot of naps. She is on day 144 today and her udder started getting fuller and tighter a few hours ago!


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

How is Frida today? How are you guys doing? Any wee ones?


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Best wishes - it's so stressful when these things happen.... BREATHE


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Moers kiko boars said:


> How is Frida today? How are you guys doing? Any wee ones?


Yesterday Frida was laying down a lot, gritting her teeth, looking very uncomfortable, and making some progress on developing her bag so I thought we were close. Of course today she is standing up and acting as though absolutely nothing is out of the ordinary! No more toxemia symptoms thank god, but I am on pins and needles waiting for these twins!


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Its that darn Ol DOE CODE! I swear they drive us :crazy:!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yep.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Frida is determined to drive us all crazy. She seems like she got over her bout with toxemia, amazingly - her ketones have been totally negative and she has completely regained her appetite for grain. My guess is that the kids just started growing really fast and it was also so cold (single digits and lower) that she just couldn't intake food fast enough during that period. Since we moved her into a kidding stall where it's warm, she appears completely recovered.

That being said... she's on day 149 and I can still feel ligaments. And she's acting perfectly normal like "Babies? What babies?" (headsmash)


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Oh, so good to hear!
As long as it’s just you, not her being like this :imok:!


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Day 150. She is acting normal and her udder hasn't changed appreciably since starting to fill a few days ago. No discharge. Back end maybe a BIT puffy. I'm starting to get really squirrelly.


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

She might be one of those does that balloons up last minute..darn doe code strikes again....


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## LisaCan89 (Sep 21, 2016)

wheel-bear-o said:


> Day 150. She is acting normal and her udder hasn't changed appreciably since starting to fill a few days ago. No discharge. Back end maybe a BIT puffy. I'm starting to get really squirrelly.
> View attachment 197963


I'm feeling this right now too. I have one who should be day 145 today and her udder is a joke. I'm pretty positive I only had my buck in there for two weeks so she shouldn't have cycled again but I guess if I'm wrong she's not due until March 7th. I'm tired honestly. I feel like I'm not the heavily pregnant one and shouldn't complain but I hate feeling this out of control and crazy lol. I'm hoping you get a baby by late today or early tomorrow.


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Ive had a doe go to 160 days. I took her to the vet at 150 days. and he said they have up to 5 days to ovulate & breed. Going to 160 is ok. After that..he would check her. Chevy delivered twins on day 160. This year..she delivered on day 150.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

She is on day 154 today. When do I start worrying? :/


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

The doe go to 160 days.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

I can't believe this, but I think I've been had. Or as my gamer husband says, "Frida deked us."

We were 100% sure of her due date - she was hand bred two times. First on September 16th, and the second day on October 12th -one day after her stallmate. I read that it was common for goats to have a weak heat the month after they were bred, so didn't think anything of the second breeding. Then when both girls were ultrasounded on the same day, our vet said Frida was much more pregnant than Maria, and it was much easier for him to see the babies so we assumed it had to be the first breeding that had caught. But it's currently day 156 and she's not showing any signs of anything, so we are pretty certain she isn't due until the first week of March! I don't call this place Damn Farm for nothing!


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

:imokrives you crazy, doesn't it! And she is as calm as can be!?!? Well, that’s better than her being crazy. Now you get to enjoy waiting for another, what? 10-12 days? :waiting: mg:


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

On a sonogram. They are usually 35 to 45 days prego to be able to see the wee ones. After or before that time its a 50\50 guess.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

The day it was done, I THOUGHT Frida was day 55 and Maria was around day 35, but it turns out they were both closer to 35. Ah well. It's a good lesson! I totally got fooled, even though the vet said she took on the earlier date.

Meanwhile check out how nicely Maria's udder is coming along! With 13-18 days to go, it looks and feels very nice for a FF to me. (It isn't a great pic because she is a very squirmy little girl, lol).


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## Coffee&Chickens (Jan 21, 2021)

My first ever doe will be 145 days on March 5th or 6th depending on which day I go by. I witnessed breeding on both. She has a nice little udder going on too and is also a FF. We can sit here and twiddle our thumbs together lol. We're 2 weeks away and I feel like I have so much to do, but also think the time is going to drag on and on.

We are in central IL so we got hit with the below zero temps and dumped on by nearly a foot of snow. At least we are equipped to deal with the weather and everyone took it in stride. The kicker of it all is that I need to get stuff ready for the arrival of little ones. The cold really kept me from completing some last minute task that need taken care of like adding chicken wire to the bottom of our cattle panels to keep the little ones in. Setting up what I hope to be the official kidding area. I have two options for this, one will be in the main area of the goats, but sectioned off with pallets and/or a cattle panel, the other is on the back side of the barn in the other little add-on that's back there. The goats would be able to hear each other, but not see each other, so Im not sure that this route is the best since I only have the two of them down there right now. The "herd" queen is due second, so I have concerns about how she will treat the other mama and the babies when they get here. We have a new ND goat in QT that's 3.5 months old, and she was trying to charge her through the fence yesterday. Makes me nervous for the arrival of babies.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Coffee&Chickens said:


> We can sit here and twiddle our thumbs together lol. We're 2 weeks away and I feel like I have so much to do, but also think the time is going to drag on and on


Oh I'm so happy to wait and twiddle my thumbs with you! Pallets is exactly what I used to block off part of my kidding pen - my two pregnant ones are best buddies and Maria CAN NOT tolerate being away from Frida, so I used pallets specifically so she would at least be able to see her while they are separated. I hope it's going to be enough to keep her calm - she has a history of going absolutely ballistic and rushing the electric fence when Frida goes into the milking parlor.

How long does your other goat have to stay in isolation?


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## Coffee&Chickens (Jan 21, 2021)

It will be 2 weeks on Tuesday. She's a little bitty thing compared to the other 2 girls, so I am nervous about putting them together. What I think I'm going to do is put the 10x10 dog pen in the goat pen or at least a bit closer to the main pen, add the igloo house, and give her another couple weeks near them. This is what I planned to do anyways, but after seeing the fence charging response, it just reinforced my plan. By this point the babies should start arriving and I can see how Zeppy is going to behave with them. That will help me to decide if I pull her for time-out until after she kids, or let everyone integrate. I know that some bit of pushing and shoving and head butting will happen because of herd hierarchy, but I won't allow for full on abuse.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Nice udder,Maria!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Nice udder going on there.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

I love Frida's udder so much. I believe she has 12-17 days left and it is already looking and feeling great. This will be her second freshening and I'm really excited to see what she can do. She was bred to my buck whose dam has the prettiest udder I've personally ever seen (https://www.oldmountainfarm.com/sweet-goat-farm-violet-crawley) so I have very high hopes for any doelings.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Omg omg omg. This was Maria earlier and now her ligaments are very mushy, if present at all. She's day 144. It is really hard to tell when she's getting ready because she's had a puffy vulva and discharge for over a month now.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Happy kidding! I hope all goes well!


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Looking good! Gettin there


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## Coffee&Chickens (Jan 21, 2021)

wheel-bear-o said:


> Omg omg omg. This was Maria earlier and now her ligaments are very mushy, if present at all. She's day 144. It is really hard to tell when she's getting ready because she's had a puffy vulva and discharge for over a month now.
> View attachment 200359


We're day 144/145 and this was last night at 9:30ish.... and she's still holding them hostage lol. Looks like were on kid watch together


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

How’s Maria doing this morning?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Happy kidding.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Maria is acting like nothing is out of the ordinary. :Eyeroll: She ate her breakfast and wanted to be scratched. Ligaments seem very jiggly but maybe not completely gone? My spouse keeps telling her "I want my doelings!"

The only out of the ordinary behavioral thing we've seen is a couple of incidents of her squatting to pee, but not peeing. She's done this a few times last night and a few times this morning. She also acted a bit restless last night but no progression yet. 

And lol, coffee&chickens! We are definitely in the same boat!


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## Coffee&Chickens (Jan 21, 2021)

@wheel-bear-o why, oh why, must these goats do this to us lol. We're definitely in the same boat. Happy kidding to you. Hope everything goes smoothly and the doe fairy grants all your wishes.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Any news?


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Still absolutely nothing. Frida's bag is HUGE however.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Frida's holding her tail funny, didn't want her grain, seems distracted, and is mumbling to her tummy. No discharge yet (and I'm not worried about a return of her bout with toxemia because she had a pure negative ketone test yesterday afternoon). I can still feel ligaments but I think we are approaching go time.


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Sounds promising!
Good luck


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good luck.


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

I WENT IN THE HOUSE TO GET A CUP OF COFFEE AND CAME DIRECTLY BACK AND THERE WAS A KID HALFWAY OUT.

Literally the easiest kidding ever. She plopped all three out within 20 minutes, expelled ate the placenta, and hardly made a noise. All bucklings of course, but we are so happy she survived the toxemia that we aren't too mad!

The two white ones nursed a bit but the black one is having a bit of trouble finding a teat. How long should I let him try before I give him a bottle?


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

She was hiding a third one in there even though the ultrasound said 2. Just our luck that she was hiding a third and it was another buckling, lmao. 

Also I'm so sorry it's displaying pictures multiple times!


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Congratulations! 3 bucklings
So Awesome..they look healthy and happy! :goodjob:


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Yay!!! Here they are! Congratulations on successful kidding, Frida!
I had one that took a little longer finding the teat at my first kidding. I milked some into a container, sucked it into a big syringe, put a tube on it and was going to tube him, but he started sucking and then found the teat right away. 
You can try and guide him there. Once he gets a taste of it, he will be on it.


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Aw, what handsome little guys! Keep encouraging the little man to the teat and he’ll get it once he learns that’s where the good stuff is
Congratulations


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## wheel-bear-o (Jul 6, 2020)

Frida is pretty proud of herself. Every time I go over there she's like "Look what I made!"


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Aww, so cute! Congratulations! Frida does look so proud of herself. :inlove:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Adorable.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

She looks so happy! Beautiful picture!


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Awwww shes a proud mama! Good.job! Thats an adorable picture!


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