# First kidding was not fun



## jennyjane (Feb 27, 2014)

We had our first kidding a week ago. First for me and first for my 16 month old Nigerian Dwarf, Marigold.
My kids got home from school and checked on her right away. Came running in that Marigold's water had broken. I was very excited, and barely noticed the "water" under her bottom before I directed her into the kidding stall. By the time I thought it might be important to check if her water had actually broken and examine the evidence, the other goats had stirred up the straw there and there was nothing to see. She progressed the way I expected (from reading countless sources), except that it lasted longer than I thought, especially since her water might have broken. Throughout the afternoon and all night long, she seemed relaxed, would turn her head and look a little pained when a contraction came on. But it was the same all night long. Finally decided something must be wrong, and she was starting to seem more tired. Called a neighbor friend to come check her at 6am, as I'm not comfortable sticking my hands up inside her. They said the kid was diving feet first but the head was down and back to the side. They couldn't get their hand in far enough to help her so we ended up calling the vet that is 20 minutes away. He was able to use all his tricks to reach in and pull the kid (buck) out. We were both surprised that he was alive. It took 2 days for the momma to stand up enough to feed him, so I milked her out to bottle feed while she laid down. Even after that, I would have to stand him up next to her to feed, as he wasn't quite steady on his feet. The fifth night I finally felt comfortable leaving them to do everything themselves, and all is well now. Mom and baby are doing great. Thank goodness! That was quite the introduction to goat kidding for me. Hoping for normal births from now on. ray:
We named him Cisco.


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## WitchHazel (May 5, 2015)

Wow! Glad everybody's okay!


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## goatylisa (Dec 29, 2012)

Oh sheash that was no fun. I was a wreck my first three kiddings. I had to pull the babies using only books and my friend who was in another state. 

A few things that may or may not help..
I don't grain my does until after they kid, they get fat (not good for births) and kids heads grow big too. 
BoSe shots are important for momma too
During delivery I offer fresh molasses water for extra energy. 
These are just a few suggestions after having to pull so many kids. I would rather drink coffee and watch! Sorry your experience was scary.


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## goatylisa (Dec 29, 2012)

I also want to add a quick note, some moms just aren't good kidders (is that the right word?). I did unfortunately have to cull a few horrible kidders for various reasons.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I'm sorry it was a bad first go  mine still gives me nightmares and I don't wish a bad first kidding on anyone!!! But on a good note they are doing well!!!  I HATE that position that you had, the only thing I hate worse is walking out and there's just a head, which was how my first kidding was so I just get sick when I see that!


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Okay I was so terrified the way you told that story that the spot where her water broke and then you noted that the other goats had stirred up that you were going to say was actually a first kid still in the amniotic sac! I'm so glad that was not true! 

Congrats that both dam and buckling are alive and well!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Glad everyone is doing ok. You have that first birth out of the way! Now, you will be prepared 
for anything! Prepare for the worst and hope for the best!


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

I experienced my first kiddings this year, too, also with Nigerian Dwarves. Nothing as bad as what you went through though, fortunately. The first kid, though, was a big buckling and I had to pull him out. The second doe had twins without needing my help. She kept me guessing, though; I camped out a few nights in the barn thinking she was due soon.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Glad all is OK, good work and congrats.


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## cheyenne (Aug 21, 2011)

Congrats!!!


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

It took 2 years for me not to feel quite sick following kidding...it was all the stress. Now it's no big deal


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## scubacoz22 (Nov 27, 2013)

Congrats! Kidding is fun but stressing if it is your first time. I am a retired labor and delivery nurse and really enjoy birthing these kids. I have a new doe kid that is a week old. And have several due before April. We are leaving on a pilgrimage to the holy land and wanted all the kids born at least 3 weeks before we left so my sister in law didn't have to deal with it. I have to decide what to do with the mons and kids before I leave sine my sil is new at this and has no idea how to to deal with new babies. She lives with us but does have a full time job.


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## Chopsgoats (Aug 20, 2013)

Our first kidding was quite amazing, came home at 3:00 pm from work went to check on the goats and noticed some white stuff coming out of Kezi. Hmmm what is that, hey her udders look kinda big and filling up.... (Never new she was prego bought her in late February and she never showed and wasn't told a buck jumped the fence) well we all panicked and didn't know what to do and def wasn't ready at ALL!! She started screaming pretty constant and would get up and lay back down . This went on through the night and we had to quick make up a seperate kidding area in our open barn. Stayed up with her all night and still nothing. Called our vet in morning absolutely freaking out. Decided to throw her in the truck to drive her to the vet office for an ultrasound .. And sure enough there was a baby in there. She said by noon if there is no kid I'm doing a c-section!!! More freaking out she was only 11 months old and I was getting a little upset at this breeder I bought her from. But by a miracle at 12:00 noon she delivered completely unassisted a beautiful little doe. So yes our first kidding was a little crazy but it was over in 20 hours


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## Redbarngoatfarm (Jul 8, 2015)

The first year we had kids I had a ff who had triplets, watched her 10 times a day for 2 weeks thinking 'any day' now. Just minutes before I checked in on her in the morning -she was tending a tiny buck runt, but the other two larger doelings were all covered in sacks and not moving, over in the corner, still warm. I raced to clean their mouths, couldn't get them going and raced to the house to warm them and get hubby's help. Lost the beautifully marked does - so hard she delivered quick,with out me ,and didn't know what to do with them. Bought a baby monitor after that!!
A week later another ff was huge, hoping twins, but after 4 hours and no progression with cold baby hooves hanging out, had to have a C-section and lost the doeling -vet said although baby was not that big, mom had a very small birth canal and just couldn't pass her.

So hard loosing 3 of 4 little ones my first kidding season, even though you had a long labor count your blessings, and enjoy your kids!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Every delivery is different. Some are great and others are not so great! So sorry for the losses, but, most of the time, unless one is there 24 hrs. a day (or even have cameras) we can't save them all. And that is the hard part! 

Congratulations to the successful births- That black and white kid is adorable!


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## Terra Mia (Dec 21, 2011)

The fact that both are fine is excellent in my opinion. I always worry during kidding season that I will experience something I can not handle. My worse experience was when a doe had 3 legs coming out at a time. Her water had broke and both kids were all tangled up. Neither of the kids were born alive and the mom passed away as well. It was a nightmare. On the other hand, I have assisted with more than 60 births now and I have only lost maybe 6 and 2 of them were obviously gone way before labor. I have had a couple with the head backwards against their body and that was super difficult. Last year I had 28 births and only 1 had a difficult presentation. The year before I had 2 Lamanchas kid with one of the kids stuck with a hock coming out and the other foot was tucked forward. That one was tricky...glad I have small hands,.....


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

My first (and so far only) kidding was horrific! Twin bucklings, piled roughly on top of each other, presening only a single front leg each. When I reached in, the first little hoof was caught down under the rim of the vaginal opening...had to push back, lift up, pull out. Further in all I felt was a wall...a shoulder blade! Both little boys presented like this -- one leg with head turned back -- both had to be pulled, our phone was out, the road was impassable, and it was late at nite and seemed like no one was online!!! Lots of prayer. After the fact I got a lot of great advice, but during those middle of the nite crisis hours...wow! Never want to experience anything like that again! Amazingly and mercifully, both boys were born alive -- weak, but alive -- and with a lot of TLC survived (although Pashda is convinced that he is dying a slow and tortuous death every day I let the girls out and make him and his daddy stay in!) Mama had a rough recovery, but is now doing swimmingly. I'm so blessed! 

My next kidding concerns me: Lizzie is a FF, kinda small for her 18 months age. She looks great, and might be within 4-6 weeks of kidding as she's already producing small quantities of milk and springing. I'm praying daily she'll have an easy go of it!


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## cfish001 (Sep 1, 2015)

I am so sorry your first kidding was a challenge. It almost makes you expect problems on every kidding. I know because the 1st kidding we had 3 years ago went that way. Ours was a breached birth and the vet came out on an emergency farm call and arrived at midnight. She had twins but we lost the 1st kid. She would not nurse her kid and we had to bottle him. Since you don't really know what to expect, it makes it worse. Ever since, I am on pins and needles every time one of our does goes into labor. 

Ahead of kidding, we now start giving our goats coral calcium w/vitamin D the week prior to birthing to help them with labor. The reading I have been doing on it says it helps them with pain relief and helps the labor go better. They certainly cant tell me how they feel, but we do notice a difference when we give it to them versus when we dont.


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

cfish001 said:


> I am so sorry your first kidding was a challenge. It almost makes you expect problems on every kidding. I know because the 1st kidding we had 3 years ago went that way. Ours was a breached birth and the vet came out on an emergency farm call and arrived at midnight. She had twins but we lost the 1st kid. She would not nurse her kid and we had to bottle him. Since you don't really know what to expect, it makes it worse. Ever since, I am on pins and needles every time one of our does goes into labor.
> 
> Ahead of kidding, we now start giving our goats coral calcium w/vitamin D the week prior to birthing to help them with labor. The reading I have been doing on it says it helps them with pain relief and helps the labor go better. They certainly cant tell me how they feel, but we do notice a difference when we give it to them versus when we dont.


It was a challenge but I learned SO much! And -- fortunately -- we had a good outcome. But yeah...I'm just a bit tense anticipating Lizzie's kids! Thanks for the tip on the coral calcium. I'll try to research that.


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