# Kidding Pen Ideas for Nigerian Goats



## canningmom

Hello,

I was wondering what you all do for birthing/kidding pens for Nigerian goats? Do you make separate stalls or do you make one large room and let the birthing moms and babies roam together? If you do separate penning stalls what size to do you make them? Like 4x4 ect?? We are preparing for out first birth in February and would love advice!


----------



## KW Farms

Here's my set up.


----------



## ksalvagno

If you are in a cold climate, you will definitely want to separate them. My kidding stalls were 3x9 because of the corral panels that I used.


----------



## canningmom

Thank you for your replies. We are going to build the pens inside the barn, it's very cold during Feb and March. How long do you keep the doe and her babies separated from the herd?


----------



## IHEARTGOATS

I have 4 permanent stalls and we can put a another temp one. We like to leave mom and babies in these for a week.
Then I have nursery pens we transfer to


----------



## Jessica84

Gosh KW I'm a bit in love with your pens! 
I don't have nigis but my stalls are made out of plyboards that way there's no fighting between neighbors, most of my does are super protective over their kids. I only leave mine away from the herd for maybe 24 hours depending on if kids are up moving well and they seem to have it together and then they are moved to a pen with other moms.......this is all if the weather is cold or they kid out in the field and then once they are up and moving then they get moved to the pen with other moms.


----------



## KW Farms

Thanks! It works great for us since we're in the desert part of WA and the weather is pretty mild during the springtime when my does kid. I also like these pens since they're movable and easy to take down if needed. We do get some cold or rainy days, but I keep the shelters well bedded and everyone does great.  I can imagine it wouldn't be as good of a set up for those in a really rainy climate or if kidding out during winter.


----------



## groovyoldlady

Kidding stalls? Wow...you folks are fancy! 

OK, Ok, so I would definitely have one if I could talk the hubby into building it. As it is, when we notice one of the girls in labor, we lock her into our only stall (no barn here. Just one stall. ) and keep the other gals away. This is going to get to get trickier this year when I hope to have 4 does kidding in April. We take the kids at birth and they live in a puppy pen in the garage for a week or two (Longer if they are weak or the weather is blustery) and then they live in the cage my hubby built for our trailer

I do have a friend who built a barn with a nice open inside.  He made moveable walls out of pallets and uses those to make stalls.


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler

Ok, nobody agrees with this, but I let my does kid wherever they want. Yes. In the herd. They know where the best spot is. A dairy goat book I read said that no matter how clean the barn is, the place on the mountainside a doe would choose herself is gonna be cleaner. The book gave some pointers on having the cleanest barn possible, but I say let them kid on the mountainside. If there are any problems I separate mama and babies for a few days and then let them go back into the herd. I have a small herd though, only three does. Well, currently I have 11 goats total :lol:


----------



## Jessica84

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> Ok, nobody agrees with this, but I let my does kid wherever they want. Yes. In the herd. They know where the best spot is. A dairy goat book I read said that no matter how clean the barn is, the place on the mountainside a doe would choose herself is gonna be cleaner. The book gave some pointers on having the cleanest barn possible, but I say let them kid on the mountainside. If there are any problems I separate mama and babies for a few days and then let them go back into the herd. I have a small herd though, only three does. Well, currently I have 11 goats total :lol:


Nope I agree 100% that's how most of mine kid. Some if I know they are going to go in the middle of the night I'll lock them up, but I have 6 stalls and 70 does so yeah not everyone gets put in a stall lol i agree it's clean, plus I don't have to clean anything lol and it's less stressful. The only time I ever had a issue was when two does kidded at the same time and one of them was a baby thief! She realized it wasn't hers and didn't want it in the end but it already smelled like her so the real mom didn't want her either. But that's one out of many many many kiddings.
Kw I one day will have something like this! I love the open fields but am so annoyed with the lack of pens I have. Not just kidding time but other times as well. If I have one that needs extras, or this or that it would be nice to have something like this. What are the shelters? They look like fruit bins or did you make them up?


----------



## KW Farms

There are benefits to keeping does separated for kidding. Here are some good reasons to separate: 

1) Multiple does kidding on the same day. If you have a large herd, this can be problematic. Sometimes the does get the kids mixed together, sometimes does will steal all the kids, etc. This can be especially annoying if you're raising registered goats, if you don't see the kids born and go out and find two or more does kidded while you were away, it can be challenging if not impossible to know for sure which kid belongs to who. It's happened to me before!

2) Keeping track of the kids and making sure they're off to the best start. Does often don't pick the cleanest or safest area to give birth. Being born on poopy ground or near a water source, on a hill, near the fenceline, or out in the open, can all be risky for the kids. I've had to worry about hawks, crows, and even magpies coming down and bothering or even killing kids. Weather can be concerning as well as a new kid born on a cold day out in the open is not good. I've also had does give birth to multiple kids and sometimes take care of the stronger kids and leave any weaker or slower kids behind. 

3) Cleanliness. Having birthing fluids all around the pen can spread germs and attract predators. Having it in a small area where it can be cleaned up easily in one area and where other goats can't get to it is best. 

4) Monitoring the doe and babies. Having the mom and kids in a small area to themselves works very well for easily accessing and keeping an eye on them. If mom needs a little extra food or looking after, the other goats don't have access to special food or get in the way of any extra care you need to provide. It's also a great way for babies to get a chance to bond with mama (if dam raising) and not having other herd members push them around or even try to steal the babies. Giving them time to find their feet and gain some strength before joining the herd, helps ensure the best start. 

If you have a small herd, kidding altogether may work just fine. For those with larger herds, I wouldn't recommend it. I've had does kid out with the herd and many kid in individual "kidding pens." The kidding pens, in my opinion, are by far the best way to go. I couldn't be without them!


----------



## KW Farms

Jessica84 said:


> Kw I one day will have something like this! I love the open fields but am so annoyed with the lack of pens I have. Not just kidding time but other times as well. If I have one that needs extras, or this or that it would be nice to have something like this. What are the shelters? They look like fruit bins or did you make them up?


They are apple bins!  Work great for the Nigerians, just the perfect size and easy to handle and move around as I have bin trailers. Super cozy on cold days and cool enough for warm days.


----------



## MilknHoneyFarm

We made a nursery and cleaned it up and all ready for our ND to birth and before we could get her in the stall she decided she wanted her sleeping pen and had her kids. The next two goats did the same. 
So we let them decide and all goes fine.


----------

