March Kidding--Anyone due and want to wait with me??

Here is my ND, Star, due at the end of march. Can someone give me an honest opinion on her condition.. is she too fat, keep in mind her fur is thick and puffed out too, it's about 15 degrees out!

SillyChicken said:

Here is my ND, Star, due at the end of march. Can someone give me an honest opinion on her condition.. is she too fat, keep in mind her fur is thick and puffed out too, it's about 15 degrees out!

Click to expand...

You don't have a picture.

@SillyChicken, its hard to tell from a photo, especially if they are fluffy. Body condition score her and you will have your answer.

thanks Sheepgirl

SillyChicken said:

thanks Sheepgirl

Click to expand...

Sheep Girl is right. But she looks like a well loved pregnant goat to me. I'd prefer one that's a little over conditioned when pregnant. Don't get me wrong, there are the risks of complications during pregnancy if one is obese. I can't score your animal from a pic, but she is not obese. But, in my opinion "chubby" mom's make good moms.

My girl Ginger has been dry for a while, and she is a bit over conditioned too. This picture was taken on Dec 8th, and she was bred around Oct 19th, so she is due in March too. She is just a "wide" Nigerian too, she packs her rumen full of hay. But, she is a very thrifty animal, and is my best milker.



But, this is her 7 months into lactation. Can you believe this is the same goat?

SillyChicken said:

Here is my ND, Star, due at the end of march. Can someone give me an honest opinion on her condition.. is she too fat, keep in mind her fur is thick and puffed out too, it's about 15 degrees out!

Click to expand...

How old is she, and how many times has she freshened?

Cute doe. The pics below are of our pregnant NDs - sorry they aren't the best; I'll try to get more. Any of you breeders out there have opinions on if they're too big? We feed them a ration of grain, they get hay everyday and are on pasture. The pasture isn't very impressive this time of year, though. Sometimes I wonder if they are too plump, but like others in this thread have indicated, they currently have their winter fluff, so it can be hard to tell.

HoneyDreameMomma said:

Cute doe. The pics below are of our pregnant NDs - sorry they aren't the best; I'll try to get more. Any of you breeders out there have opinions on if they're too big? We feed them a ration of grain, they get hay everyday and are on pasture. The pasture isn't very impressive this time of year, though. Sometimes I wonder if they are too plump, but like others in this thread have indicated, they currently have their winter fluff, so it can be hard to tell.

View attachment 695

View attachment 694

Click to expand...

I think they look fine.

This is the first time she's been bred, she's a year old. I thought she was too small when I got her last year for breeding. But that may be my lack of experience in knowing what size is ok! lol! I don't want to cause undue stress or cause growth development in my live stock by breeding to early.

We cut down on their grain/pellets a little, but they still get free access to hay. The Buck will be moved out in March and she will remain with the wethers.. (once I get more doe, the wethers will be kept with the buck).

Starting in March, I'm going to pull her out everyday to put on the stand so she gets used to the activity and handeling. She isn't unfriendly, but was dam raised and a bit skittish at first. She's good about getting in the stand for trimming, but I will be moving it closer to the house into a shed where I have more room to work. (and out of the weather will be a plus). So I also want her to be comfortable being farther away from the other goats.

What do you guys do with the kids? Do you find it easier sell/manage the kids if they are dam raised or bottle fed?

Since it'll still going to be cold here in March/April, I'm thinking about putting a 55 gal barrel in the pen and running a heat lamp in the top, and cut a hole in the side. Has anyone else tried this? Is it going to be necessary? What else could I do to make sure the kids stay warm at night? Would just a wall of straw bails and a (secured) heat lamp work? I hate the thought of using a heat lamp because I know what happens in a chicken coop. Is that an issue with a goat? (I was going to have DH wire in a fixture in the barrel for the light vs a hanging lamp).

I appreciate the comments... thank you.

if you have a place in the barn I would move them in there, I am going to make a kid box with a heat lamp just in case they want it. will be cold here too when my kid. I am going to let mine be Dam raised to 2 mths then move them to a bottle to get them used to being handled and will sell at 3 mths. but that is just me. I can wait to get the milk, I don't have to get it right away. But if you do pull them off please wait till the have gotten their colusturm ( don't know how to spell it nor does my spell check lol ) I have lost too many kids from the farmers taking them away too soon and them not getting it.