# How long in the kidding pen



## flatmountain (Aug 14, 2010)

My goats are all separated for kidding, but all kids have been born now. One set twins is a week old and doing well becoming escape artists, but the other mom is in the main yard with her kid who is 3 days old. He is bigger and stronger than the two were at that age and I think the kids would do okay with each other. I am worried about the moms though. They are both super protective and worried they will hurt each other's kids. When can I start thinking about putting everybody back together? Eventually I am going to start separating the kids at night but I will wait a few more weeks.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Well, it all depends on your set up and what kind of does you have. I waited at least a week with new moms and their babies before I put them all together. It gives the mamma time to be able to develop her 'parenting' skills and helps her in making her kids listen well to her. The babies all will desire to play together and this will help the mammas be able to get back into the herd government with each other. I would think a week to be enough time unless the younger ones are not eating well or the mamma still is needing some rebound time with health. I like keeping them separate for a week and sometimes more if the mamma needs attention as it helps me give individual attention to each mamma, but I have a small operation, and I have the small separate pens to do this. If you have a lot of goats.. let them all be together sooner. Herd government is so interesting to observe. I love watching this all play out with the mamma goats when they are all together with their young ones. We have a hill area. The mammas don't really want their babies going too far down that hill when they are young and will wait until the kids are sleeping for a nap before they wander out down the hill. There is an appointed babysitter Doe to stay up with the babies to keep an eye on them all while the others go down the hill to eat. I find that so interesting. Last kidding season, it was the same Doe that ended up staying with the babies everytime. She was the only one that had given birth to just one baby so I guess she was supposed to watch all the other's kids. So funny. One year.. it was this one other Doe- she also was the only one that year to have one baby and she would yell and yell for the others to come back up the hill and relieve her babysitting duty. Goat herd government is something that you can watch and see if your does are ready to be altogether. I am sure they can even work at 3 days old if you decide to put them all together. If it is your does first year kidding, keep her in a week.


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