# Extreme cold weather



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I know many of us are probably about to deal with some of the coldest weather in over a decade. I figured this would be a good place to talk about keeping babies warm.

What are ways you keep the babies warm if you can't depend on a heat lamp? We do not feel safe leaving a heat lamp on and don't have warming barrels. 

We do use sweaters for the babies. 

Would it be good to get some kind of a box and put bedding in it for them, if so what's the best kind to use? 

I haven't slept more than a couple of hours since yesterday morning, so I just haven't been able to get my tired mind wrapped around a plan yet.

I do know if babies get too cold and can't handle it, that we need to bring them in. 
But.. what's the best way to make sure they get their milk, and how do you take them from warm house back out to a cold barn? 

BTW, we have Boer/percentages.

We had quads born this morning, so hopefully they might be able to handle the cold on Monday that is being predicted. 
But we have 2 does due, and one isn't due until Sunday. I think she may go tomorrow or Saturday, but still... she's a first timer.

They are saying a high of 12 and low could be -2 or more.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Premier 1 has those safer heat lamps.

Also pet warming pads. Both electric and the ones that use the animal's body heat.

I have used a plastic box that I cut a door into. Put duct tape around the edges of the door. Than I put a self pet warming pad in a garbage bag and then in a flannel pillow case and have that for them to sleep on in the box. I put it in the garbage bag so it doesn't get soaked with pee. I bought the flannel pillow cases at Goodwill so I could change them out quickly when peed on.

Also have the lid on the box and make sure the box is sturdy enough when they jump on top.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Yeah those cheap totes make great boxes to sleep in when turned on the side. After a few days they jump on them.
I don't trust heat lamps.


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## Darlaj (Dec 10, 2013)

I use an oil radiant heater .... Love it


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Candice, do you have any large cat carriers? I've taken the door off, put a heavy bath sheet in the bottom of it, draped another heavy towel or bath sheet over the top to close off the ventilation holes and it traps the kids warmth and keeps them toasty warm. Mom doesn't always like it, but the kids come out to nurse and make a beeline right back into it when done. The large ones will comfortably accommodate 4 kids with no risk of suffocation, too. Another option would be a medium wire dog kennel with towels on the bottom and draped with a quilt or comforter tucked around the bottom to hold heat.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Yep, used the plastic dog carriers too.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

HoosierShadow said:


> But.. what's the best way to make sure they get their milk, and how do you take them from warm house back out to a cold barn?


I use a towel lined laundry basket to transport kids back out to the shed. I just drape a 2nd towel over the top of the basket and the kids. As far as making sure they get their milk, I make sure they nurse when I take them back out then I trust my does. I know there are people who think I cull poor mothers too quickly, but this is exactly why I am ruthless about it. Her job is to raise kids and if I can't trust her to take care of her kids, then she is fired - end of discussion.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

ksalvagno said:


> Yep, used the plastic dog carriers too.


Yes, those would work very nicely, too! I've got to make a run to the thrift store and see if I can find a few more of either one.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks for the ideas everyone! You all are awesome! I don't have a pet carrier, the wire dog cage I have is really big, wouldn't give mom and babies much room. Tomorrow I'll look in the shed and see if there is anything in there, if not I'll go to the store and see if I can find a strong tote box or something I can use. 

Those self warming pads, do they sell those at most pet stores? 

Now I just pray my daughters doe doesn't decide to kid tomorrow so I can go get the stuff we need. 

If I can I will go over to the Goodwill, and I'll check Craigslist now too.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I bought all mine online so not sure.


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

Extremely cold is right! And this was a few hours ago!!! All mine are locked in horse stalls the pregos have heat lamps the non pregos are in with a calf to help with heat!









Sent from my iPhone using GoatSpot


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

jennnaragsdale said:


> Extremely cold is right! And this was a few hours ago!!! All mine are locked in horse stalls the pregos have heat lamps the non pregos are in with a calf to help with heat!
> 
> View attachment 51637
> 
> ...


Uhh.....no thanks LOL I couldn't handle that kind of cold!


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

jennnaragsdale said:


> Extremely cold is right! And this was a few hours ago!!! All mine are locked in horse stalls the pregos have heat lamps the non pregos are in with a calf to help with heat!


Damn, Jenna, you must be in that snowstorm that is hammering the east coast. Sounds like your guys are tucked in safe and warm!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Ok, I think I have an idea!

I'll try to use the tote box! We use those large, round corner horse feed tubs in our stalls as hay feeders, we just tie them up with twine <so we can move them around as needed, has worked great>. 
I can put the hay feeder over the tote to keep them from climbing on it and I could rig the tote so it's secure against the wall so mama doesn't paw at it when she wants the babies out.

I'd need a big one for the quads lol

I'll work on it first thing in the morning!


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

A deep cardboard box layed on its side with towels in the bottom and a heavy sheet or blanket partially draped over it works well, too.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

We use the dog crates as well..work great..lotsof extra bedding and as goat crazy said...a blanket or something over the top to seal in the warmth...draft free always a good idea....we have used old water troughs, laid on its side as well..since the galvanized steal can be cold on its own..lay an old blanket or towels then a ton of straw...a blanket over the top and drapped down a bitover the opening..

Good will offers lots of old blankets, quilts and comforters, as well as curtains, old jackets, T shirts for sweaters...ectt...


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

No now snow storm just flipped freezing, they never cancel school up here and the have canceled it statewide for Monday were in the pink on the map, meaning with wind chills -50 to -70


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Jenna please stay safe! I just saw the forecast on weather.com and that is some seriously dangerous temperatures!!!

We are going to get it Sunday night into Tuesday. I am so worried! We have 2 does due and I really do think we may have newborns on the ground right before or during. 

We are going to make boxes using scrap wood in each stall, and have a light or heat lamp set up. We did it tonight for Snow White's babies and it works very well. The problem is, since we're using a heavy duty extension cord from the house I don't want to overload it! So we may have to use regular light bulbs unless some are struggling too much.

I am really dreading it


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

jennnaragsdale said:


> No now snow storm just flipped freezing, they never cancel school up here and the have canceled it statewide for Monday were in the pink on the map, meaning with wind chills -50 to -70


Holy cow, that is brutal! :shocked: Stay safe and try to keep warm. I hope all your animals are ok. ray:


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

Worst case you bring them in and have bottle babies,but the should be fine, my girls are doing well for now, just extra hay and a but more grain...I just have a help your self box of alfalfa pellets for the ones that are pregnant


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

You are exactly right! Since I had no idea when my does finally settled, I was afraid I was going to have a basement full of does and kids. So far the weather is cooperating pretty good, though. I wish you the best with your does and kids.


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

You too!,,


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## sassy (Nov 29, 2013)

Freezing here too 0 degrees right now. My 2does were shivering this morning. I can't use heat lamps. I don't trust them and I jackets they tear off each other. Got lots of hay in barn. I hope they are ok ;( I feel so bad they are outside


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

Find jackets that have cinches around the waist!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

We're having a new roll bale delivered tomorrow, we put it in a cattle panel shelter, so at least during the day they will have full access to it. But the girls who aren't in kidding stalls/with kids stay outside in those temps. They can get on the west side of the shelter and be out of the wind, etc. but I will most likely lock them in the sleeping area instead. We have had the sleeping area closed off because the doorway allows too much draft into the barn <only thing that seperates kidding stalls from the sleeping area is pallet walls and OSB that goes about 1/2 way up>.


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## sassy (Nov 29, 2013)

jennnaragsdale said:


> Find jackets that have cinches around the waist!


Where would I get those? They see something new they are like little kids they tear it up! I'm so nervous for them. It's below 0 wind chill tonight too


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

HoosierShadow said:


> We're having a new roll bale delivered tomorrow, we put it in a cattle panel shelter, so at least during the day they will have full access to it. But the girls who aren't in kidding stalls/with kids stay outside in those temps. They can get on the west side of the shelter and be out of the wind, etc. but I will most likely lock them in the sleeping area instead. We have had the sleeping area closed off because the doorway allows too much draft into the barn <only thing that seperates kidding stalls from the sleeping area is pallet walls and OSB that goes about 1/2 way up>.


This weather isn't typical though for you is it?


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

Army surplus store should have them but any sweatshirt with an adjustable waist. Or you can get large doge clothes that have the leg hooks those are the ones I buy the new kids


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## sassy (Nov 29, 2013)

Oh sweat shirts good idea!!!! Thanks. I'm gonna try that in the morning. I felt so bad they were shivering. Soon as the sun came out they were in the sun. The bucks have thick fur but the does seem not as thick this year ;(. I also have 5 chicks and a rooster. I hope they survive too.


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

My birds have been hardy but I did loose a few I think it was do to worms though. Since they were wormed we've been good


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## sassy (Nov 29, 2013)

Oh that's good. I'm glad they are doing ok. This weather isn't supposed to break for a couple of days ;(


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

HoosierShadow said:


> We're having a new roll bale delivered tomorrow, we put it in a cattle panel shelter, so at least during the day they will have full access to it. But the girls who aren't in kidding stalls/with kids stay outside in those temps. They can get on the west side of the shelter and be out of the wind, etc. but I will most likely lock them in the sleeping area instead. We have had the sleeping area closed off because the doorway allows too much draft into the barn <only thing that seperates kidding stalls from the sleeping area is pallet walls and OSB that goes about 1/2 way up>.


Candice, how many goats are we talking here? If around 10 or so, what about putting up a hoop house that butts up against the west side of your shelter? It's cheap, easy and, if you allow the tarp to fall about 1/2 way down the front of it, it will go a long ways towards trapping heat and keeping snow and rain out.


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)




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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


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## BillieJoeHoofstrong (Mar 16, 2013)

Mine aren't kids they are all 1 year and one 2 year but our barn is really old and gets really cold. They have free choice hay and a decent amount of shavings. I have no access to straw right now and it is supposed to be - 40 windchill at some points Monday and Tuesday. They also all have dog coats and safety heat lamps (which don't seem to warm very much) and I know it is a lot but they still get pretty cold is there anything else that I can do?


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

But they won't be in the wind


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

BillieJoeHoofstrong said:


> Mine aren't kids they are all 1 year and one 2 year but our barn is really old and gets really cold. They have free choice hay and a decent amount of shavings. I have no access to straw right now and it is supposed to be - 40 windchill at some points Monday and Tuesday. They also all have dog coats and safety heat lamps (which don't seem to warm very much) and I know it is a lot but they still get pretty cold is there anything else that I can do?


Can you add another couple of bags of shavings? Is there any old hay to be had around you? Are your goats all penned together? If your goats are all penned together, they will snuggle up together and keep each other warm. Give them some extra hay - maybe 1/3 over what you usually feed. The coats will also help. A little here, and a little help there, and a little help somewhere else adds up and they should be ok. Unfortunately, when it gets down to -40 wind chill, a heat lamp can only do so much.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

OMG, Jenna, that is too funny but it is also my worst nightmare! So far I've been lucky and we haven't been hit with any blizzards or even bad snow storms. I know that day is coming, though, and I dread it.


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## Darlaj (Dec 10, 2013)

GoatCrazy said:


> Candice, how many goats are we talking here? If around 10 or so, what about putting up a hoop house that butts up against the west side of your shelter? It's cheap, easy and, if you allow the tarp to fall about 1/2 way down the front of it, it will go a long ways towards trapping heat and keeping snow and rain out.


Hoop house?


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

LOL!!!! That picture is hilarious!!!! poor goats!

We definitely aren't used to cold temps like this. They said the storm that's coming is the coldest air we've had in around 20 years! Yikes!

We have 8 does and 4 babies right now. 3 does are in stalls in the barn, 1 with the quads that were born yesterday morning, and 2 more that can kid any time now. The others have been sleeping in the hay shelter in the pic below. I put tarps around the sides on the left, and on the ends, but have just enough space for them to get in/out. They can get over next to that wall and sleep without draft. We put a roll bale on a pallet in the middle and wrap a cattle panel around it, so they like sleeping up against the roll bale, well what's left of it lol










We are used to cold being highs in the 30s/lows 20s, but the occasional 20s and 10s.

Everything except Mon/Tues is 'normal' for us


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

You could wrap the sides with plastic


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## LaurieW (Sep 24, 2013)

I was worried about the cold with our newborns and their mama, even with our heat lamps. Hubby suggested taking some of the hay and straw we already had on hand and making a wall in one area for the mom to lay against and the babies are in the warming box. We stacked the hay on the other side of a cattle panel. Sure they might decide to eat some, but hey I don't care if it keeps them warm. I have hay in a feeder, and they don't appear to be eating at the bales. I was amazed at how well that worked holding in body heat.

In a shelter book I have, they actually had that as a suggestion, stacking bales for a shelter, sort of like a Hay House.








Ours don't do so well with tarps, or I would suggest that. They like to nibble at them too much.

For the babies (born 1-2-14) I bought some footed sleepers for $2 at Wal-Mart, cut off the feet and sewed elastic (not too tight) around the 'waist' I was going to buy a doggie sweater, but they were $5 and thought the fleece might be warmer.


Fleece footed Sleepers modified for kids (goats) by LaurieESW, on Flickr

Good luck everyone with these cold temps. We are going to get it starting Sunday, single digits is not something we are used to, could never handle negative temps - Yikes.

Just found this - How to make custom goat coat http://www.dairygoatjournal.com/85-1/maxine_kinne/


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Darlaj said:


> Hoop house?


A hoop house is made by taking a standard 16' cattle panel, bending it into a half circle, then securing it either to a wooden frame, using steel posts driven into the ground and wiring the cattle panel to the posts, or by securing to an existing fence. Then you secure a tarp over the top by wiring or using zip ties on the vertical sides of the cattle pan to form a shelter that the goats can get under.


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## BillieJoeHoofstrong (Mar 16, 2013)

GoatCrazy said:


> Can you add another couple of bags of shavings? Is there any old hay to be had around you? Are your goats all penned together? If your goats are all penned together, they will snuggle up together and keep each other warm. Give them some extra hay - maybe 1/3 over what you usually feed. The coats will also help. A little here, and a little help there, and a little help somewhere else adds up and they should be ok. Unfortunately, when it gets down to -40 wind chill, a heat lamp can only do so much.


Yeah I picked up 3 more bags of shavings and they have 4 full hay bag for 4 goats. They are all penned together. I didn't even think about them snuggling.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

GoatCrazy said:


> A hoop house is made by taking a standard 16' cattle panel, bending it into a half circle, then securing it either to a wooden frame, using steel posts driven into the ground and wiring the cattle panel to the posts, or by securing to an existing fence. Then you secure a tarp over the top by wiring or using zip ties on the vertical sides of the cattle pan to form a shelter that the goats can get under.


 I just posted a picture of one on the previous page  They work great! We use ours as additional shelter and it's also a 'hay shelter' so that we can keep a roll bale of hay in it for them 24/7. They do waste a lot, BUT they sleep on what they waste, so I don't have to worry about putting down bedding, they do it themselves lol

I will get a picture of it today to show how I did the tarps. The top is heavy canvas billboard sign that a friend gave me, I've seen similarly heavy tarps at TSC for about $60. For the sides I used cheapo blue tarps.

WeatherBug has our high Monday as being 4 degrees, and low -4. Lord I hope they are wrong. 
Today it will be 40 and sunny. We're headed out in a few minutes to move things for the new roll bale, and try to figure out how to do things for tomorrow night. 
I am dreading it so much, and so worried about the babies especially. Plus, we have a doe that lost babies on New Years morning, and she is still very swollen <horrible birth getting those babies out>, and has a wet discharge that runs down her udder and legs. I hope that gets under control before tomorrow.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Candice, I wonder if it might be possible to fashion a goat bra for Star. Maybe flannel on the inside so it doesn't rub or chaff, and scotch-guarded or water-proofed something on the outside to shed the discharge and prevent frost-bite or it freezing on her udder? Perhaps with a kind of a pocket that a small rolled up towel would fit in so it sticks out far enough that it will drip off instead of running down her legs?


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## hallsthirdacrefarm (Mar 30, 2011)

from noaa...."Midwest
may linger in the negative 10s/20s with lows plummeting that night to near
-30 Fahrenheit. The broad pressure gradient setting up over the region
will allow gusty winds to persist which will lower wind chill temperatures
to very dangerous levels. Incredibly, it may feel as cold as -50 to -60 on
Sunday night over sections of the north-central states with the frigid air
remaining in place into early next week." ..holey moley!!!


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

I got a pic of my heat lamps though some of you may need some ideas












this one has more of the fasteners out of sight. The chicken coop idea can be done with a goat pen too


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Very neat Jen! We are going to rig up temporary box like area in each stall for a heat lamp if/when the other 2 does kid. We'll have to make sure the does can't touch the wires for sure as those 2 in particular can be brats.

My biggest worry is the fact, we are expecting new babies any time now from 2 does. While I do have enough heat lamps and bulbs now, I don't know about getting them plugged in since we use 2 extension cords hooked together that we run out to the barn.
they are the standard heavy duty kind. It's plugged into an outdoor power strip with 3 plug in's. I've had 2 strands of Christmas lights, a lamp w/60 watt bulb and 250 watt heat lamp plugged in with no issue, but never had anything more than that plugged in at once.
I'm going to see if we have any more extension cords, enough that maybe we can run them through the back door to an outlet that is on a different break perhaps? Then it wouldn't be as much of a worry. But I am not sure it's a good idea to run all 3 heat lamps from the same outlet/plugs.

Anyone have any idea? I thought about just using a regular bulb <60watt> like the one I have been using overhead for the older babies, but don't think it would be as safe as a heat lamp bulb. I'm so worried about the babies getting too cold


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## PantoneH (Nov 21, 2013)

My two 24hr old lamancha kids have dog sweaters on. My adult goats, though shaggy, have medium weight dog blankets. My horses have medium weight blankets ontop of a fleece cooler in case they get rain under them or they do sweat alittle it will get wicked away. Then i put aluminum on the east and west sides and north and south sides of my kidding and big barn. Then loaded it with hay. The more insulation the warmer theyll stay. I am also usig a safety heat lamp for my kids. But regardless i am going to go out and check on them around 4-5am. Its supposed to be 19 tonight in south alabama. Not counting the wind chill. D:


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

It got down to -2 a little while ago with wind chill -20. It's 0 currently, -7 wind chill. The girls cattle panel hay shelter felt okay, so I let them out, I think it's better they have free choice hay in there, than just a few flakes here and there. 
Snow White's 4 day old quads are doing fine, they were active, but a couple were shivering a bit, so I went ahead and turned their heat lamp on. I doubt I'll leave it on all day, if the temp gets about 5 degrees I'll turn it off and keep an eye on them. They were climbing over each other trying to get the best spot next to the wall under the lamp lol

I didn't put sweaters back on them, mostly because if our other 2 does kid before this cold snap is over, I will need those sweaters. 
So far neither doe is quite there yet, but my daughters doe is starting to act a bit psycho <like she's never been handled before>, she did this at the beginning of her pregnancy too which is how I knew she was bred, so I think she is very close now...

I really hope the girls don't go before tomorrow night. We'll be back in the low 30s on Wed, and it'll keep improving after that...


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