# Why?



## Cedar Point Kikos (Oct 16, 2013)

Just wondering, why do so many people kid in winter? Why not in the spring? 
(Again, I'm in Canada :wave: ;-) )


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

I think it's because the kids need to be a certain age and weight for market, showing and breeding. I'm pretty sure anyways...
And I'm with you on this one, spring/summer babies are so much easier to deal with! I breed for May-June kids


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## Everfree (Nov 15, 2013)

It's easier to prevent internal parasites in winter, since kids aren't on pasture. Around here, winter kidding inside the barn helps prevent eagle predation, too.


Everfree Farm
Kiko and Nubian


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

We breed for winter with our full size goats because of 4H market show. The animal can't be over a year old and has to be old enough to reach market (meaning butcher) size at time of show. My minis are bred for spring because that is such a nicer time to have kids and since they aren't eligible for market class they don't have to be born sooner! I'm going to guess that the purebred breeders try for a January kidding because that means that their kids are as big as possible for their age group in Breed shows (but I really don't know because I don't do that).


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Yep I have alsway had very healthy herd and all my babies are born January-February. Never lost one to the cold either.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

That's a good point about the parasites and predators. I like spring babies because you don't have all those cold weather issues, and there's nice green grass and weeds growing for the mamas and babies to munch on. I pretty much have to breed for spring kids anyways, since we usually get fridgid winters here.

I guess kids born in the winter would be big enough to breed the next fall, versus spring and summer kids, which is an advantage.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

canyontrailgoats said:


> I guess kids born in the winter would be big enough to breed the next fall, versus spring and summer kids, which is an advantage.


But it wouldn't matter if you were breeding for spring and summer kids anyway. By the time you are ready to breed for your time period, they should be big enough.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Yep, we market goat breeders breed for the show we sell for. Mine is late July and Late August, the kids must be registered in the exhibitors name by the first weekend in May. So if we have January kids, they wean at 12 weeks and are banded, it makes that May deadline just right and the goats are the right weight for the fairs.

Same thing with ABGA goats- want them at a nice size for all the spring and summer shows.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Oh yeah, that's true kccjer! I don't know why I didn't think of that.....


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

I usually just can't wait!!!!


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## Cedar Point Kikos (Oct 16, 2013)

I see....markets are important to meet!


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I have mine due this march because last year I had them kid in May and it seemed harder to sell since a lot of people had already had kids to sell.So this year I am seeing if March is better...but I would not do before March because of the cold for one, and I am not breeding for market, so it is not necessary to have them born so early.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I do it for 4H and parasites. I like my girls kidding in February. The worst of the cold is usually over and the kids are old enough come spring that coccidia is less of an issue.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Different strokes for different folks. My kids were born in June last year and I'm shooting for May/June again this year. It was -20 degrees out there last night. I can't imagine having babies right now! Parasites aren't a problem in my arid mountain region, but cold is, and predators are a bigger problem in winter around here because wildlife is scarce. 

My June babies were dam raised and were easily big enough to breed at six months. They were almost as big at three months as most goats are at six, and people kept asking me why I was showing senior kids in the junior class. Those babies were bred at seven months and are due in June. I like that by late spring/early summer, it is not only warm outside, but there is an abundance of fresh green browse for mammas and babies. I think this was a major contributor to their unusually fast, healthy growth. I've rarely seen such sleek, fat babies. I'm really proud of how they turned out, and I don't want to mess with success.


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## ryder225912 (Dec 25, 2013)

In Canada also. We use to breed for Jan/Feb kiddings in order to have the buck kids ready for Easter meat sale. Now however we're just breeding a handful of does and honestly... The benefit for us to kid in April outweighs the hassle of midwinter kidding. And the volume of buck kids we currently produce doesn't make the extra Easter $ worth while. With the temps this year we are very happy to have spring kiddings! Lol!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I try to breed for March -April kids, but I had a buck that didn't cooperate (he turned out to have a physical 
problem and is almost certainly sterile) - so I'll have a bunch of June kids. I hope the heat doesn't 
cause a problem. (too hot and humid can be as bad if not worse than too cold on critters).


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## eqstrnathlete (Mar 16, 2013)

I just breed for home milking. My does kid from April until June. No having to worry about frozen kidscicles.


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## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

I usually have Feb-March kiddings for two reasons. #1 cause the buck got to the does without permission  and #2 because I want some of the kids to be breeding age by fall/early winter


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## HouseElfLamanchas (Apr 12, 2013)

Most people that kid during winter are boers but alot of people are dairy breeders as well 

For boer kids born before march can be put up for sale as 4-h purpose goats. As well as meat during the winter if bredders prefer not to wait too long for their meat goats to season for butchering. 

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## DesertRose (Apr 12, 2013)

I have two different breeding times for my girls. 

I breed the older, experienced milkers for early as possible. This year the first doe kidded on January 18th.

The younger does who will be first freshners will start kidding late Feb. thru the end of March.

I do this so I have extra colostrum in the freezer and lots of extra milk, incase a young doe doesn't milk enough for her kids.

And, last year by the end of April it was already way over 90+, the flies were out and it is just miserable for the does and the kids.

The only year I nearly lost  a set of twins was when the doe kidded in June and it was 114 that day. When I went to check on the kids they were both out cold. Grabbed them up and ran for the house. We ran lukewarm water in the tub and held their heads up out of the water. It was awhile before we knew if we were going to save them or not. They ended up doing fine but had to stay in the house for about a week until they got their temps regulated and could handle the heat again. 

They lived in the bathtub for that week unless they were out exploring the guest bath!! Heard a bunch of noise and went to see what they were up to. One was standing on the seat, the other in the sink looking at itself in the mirror!
My late husband told me then ... time for their return to the barn! LOL!:laugh:


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Oh man, I can just see that little guy standing in the sink trying to figure out who that goat looking back at him was! :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL:


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## Cedar Point Kikos (Oct 16, 2013)

Said it exactly, Goatcrazy!!!:ROFL:


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## fishin816 (Mar 4, 2011)

I try to kid in the Spring, but the bucks have different ideas, LOL, 

but yeah, so they can mature to breed and show. And also there are no flies and parasites in winter that can pester the babies.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Our kids are in 4-H and breed their own goats to show in the summer fairs.
We breed most of our does for January babies. One reason being, any extra kids they don't keep we can sell as market wethers or take to auction and sell before prices drop <which happens right after Easter>, $$ earned helps me finish getting things they will need in order to show their goats.

My kids start showing their market wethers in mid May, and their other goats in early June. So you want to have some time between weaning & first show in order for the kids to work on getting their goats ready


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Since I started school bus driving, next season I am going with April kidding hopefully 2 weeks apart;-) This is my first and last year of winter kidding...., too much hassle with winter kidding.


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## Cadence (Jul 20, 2013)

We have found that any kid born after April 1 in our herd tends to have a much higher chance of getting floppy-kid-syndrome.

We usually attribute it to the huge weather fluctuations we see in April/May. In the early months the weather is cold at night and cool during the day. In the later spring the weather is hot during the day and cold at night. (In the summer it is just hot, but summer kids do not show well). Inevitably at a week to 10 days, those april/may kids come down with fks. We don't get snow here, so we have the advantage of not having to deal with kiddings in the snow and can kid out in Jan. 

For us, senior kids show better, grow better, and generally stay healthier. The milkers have a longer time to start putting weight back on before show season. It doesn't mean the does and bucks always cooperate, but we try for the health and success of the kids.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

We always aim for mid to late February to start our kidding here. With most of our does kidding between March 1st to April 30th. Its still cold enough that the parasite/bacteria load is nil but typically over the freezing temps of the winter. We do find that kids born in May-June do not do as good or grow as well as the earlier kids cause they are dealing with a higher parasite/bacteria load. Not to mention the later the kid the longer you are feeding em. So kids born in June are being weaned in Sept. No thanks


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

Seasonal breeders with long winters. The early kids are sold easier, better market, plus the buck kids will be of market size for Easter.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

janeen128 said:


> Since I started school bus driving, next season I am going with April kidding hopefully 2 weeks apart;-) This is my first and last year of winter kidding...., too much hassle with winter kidding.


Never say never, Janeen! That is exactly what I said last January, but you notice I was kidding again this January. :laugh:


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

GoatCrazy said:


> Never say never, Janeen! That is exactly what I said last January, but you notice I was kidding again this January. :laugh:


Well, that is true, my bucks do have a different schedule then I do, but "hopefully" this year my juvenile delinquent will reverse the error of his pen escaping ways and turn into a fine young buck that will not see the grass greener on the other side of the fence, but notice he has plenty of green grass right in front of his face;-)


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

:ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: Yeah, right! I laughed out loud at that one! Are you familiar with the expression "boys will be boys"?


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Yeah I know...;-) It is wishful thinking.... My bucks will be wearing a bucks apron this year, so hoping that will help;-)


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

I know nothing about them, but I hope they help.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

I planned to kid Feb/March ... But nature had plans of her own! I'm all spread out from January till May 
Some does just didn't take the first or second or third times...


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Lol janeen! Hope the apron will make him less "macho" and he will lose the drive to impress the ladies :ROFL:


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

NyGoatMom said:


> Lol janeen! Hope the apron will make him less "macho" and he will lose the drive to impress the ladies :ROFL:


Probably not.... I am trying to create a plan, but having goats for only 2 years I'm learning quickly that my goats have other plans...LOL... He will try, but the flap is supposed to prevent him having success, I guess time will tell;-) They will be separated out tomorrow, for a few months until kidding season is over.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I normally like to have senior kids born (January through February), but as the seasons get further apart from what they should be, my does only start coming in heat in late September/early October, making for very late February early March kids, all the way through April, with a possible kidding in May.
But generally I like to have kids born early enough to breed them that fall for yearling FF's. Plus that gives you the added bonus, if you show, as you could potentiality get the champion title quicker.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

milk and honey said:


> I planned to kid Feb/March ... But nature had plans of her own! I'm all spread out from January till May
> Some does just didn't take the first or second or third times...


I hear ya! My does that just kidded in January were supposed to kid last October. I have no idea what went wrong - the only thing I can figure is the wet, cool summer messed up their heat cycles because once it warmed up they settled within a couple of weeks.


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## Ez-Feona (Feb 9, 2014)

Well I know the kids are less likely to get sick if they are born in the winter. But one of are goats kidded last June before we bought her and every thing was fine. It would probably be best to do it in the winter but who am I to be talking we are new to goats and our 2014 Jan twins are still in the house. LOL:lol:


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