Goat Kidding Kit, Essential Supplies You Need on Hand

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Kidding season is upon us, and here at Red Feather Farm, it starts in January with the Boer goats and trickles sporadically into July with the Alpines.  I have a basket that I call my “Kidding Go-Box” that has everything I would need in an emergency.  No scrambling to find what I need, it’s all right there.  

Most years, I never need any of it outside of iodine and the ear tagger for the kids, but I never like to be unprepared!  The more prepared you are, the better you are set up to succeed.  It has always paid off to be overprepared because when there’s an emergency with goats, there’s an emergency that needs to be treated and dealt with LIKE YESTERDAYYYY.  Vitamin or mineral deficiencies can be fatal and when treated and treated quickly, your outcomes will be more positive.  

As with any livestock, things can go south, and quickly, and if you’re a seasoned caretaker like myself, you know it pays off in a big way to know your stuff and have what you need to fix it.  For this kidding kit and as a goat owner, you really need to have a VCPR with a veterinarian, as some of these things are Rx only.  Yes, you can get products over the counter that contain it, but the Rx stuff is more potent and will work faster and better in an emergency.  

I will link where I purchase the products I use and if it is an Rx, I will link products you can get OTC that work but generally aren’t as helpful in an emergency.  If you can’t get Rx drugs, it will be smart of you to really pay attention to your herd, catch things quickly, and also take preventative measures.  Most of my herd care is holistic in nature which can take a bit to kick in and take over, so anticipating and taking preventative measures is always a good thing.  

Do you understand that I think you need to be prepared yet??  It is the responsibility of the livestock owner to be prepared and take good care of your herd as stewards of the land and God’s creation, so let me help you out and get a birth kit together!

a reminder

This post is for educational purposes only.  While I am a very experienced goat and livestock owner and breeder, I am not a veterinarian, so what I say is from personal experience and should be taken as education only and not medical advice for your herd.  Have a relationship with a veterinarian and feel free to talk about what I say in this post with them to see if they agree it’s right for your herd to be prepared with.  They are the ones that will know the proper dosages and be able to prescribe some of this stuff, not me!

Importance of Genetics

Strong kids start with strong parents.  Taking care to have healthy bucks with good genetics and a healthy does prior to breeding is the foundation to a successful kidding season and healthy kids.  Breeding with bucks that show strong parasite resistance, good condition without much intervention, and good conformation and strength are what I look for.  I sure don’t want to continue wimpy genetics and I really don’t care how pretty the buck is.  

If he can’t be out on pasture without dying of a parasite load, that’s not fit for my herd.  Does should be in good condition, not over conditioned (a fat doe = a difficult labor), good milk producers and mothers because we don’t want to bottle feed anything here, and have good body and udder conformation.  You’ll see a lot of blown teats in some breeds that make it impossible for the kids to be dam raised and latch onto the doe’s teats and that’s not genetics that should EVER be passed on, in my opinion.  Don’t be afraid to cull ’til you cry.  If you’re not, you’re not doing it right!  

Any of my dairy does that don’t have desirable conformation but are good producers and healthy are bred to my Boer buck for kids to be raised for meat.  An Alpine-Boer cross produces really nice, meaty kids!  I call this a soft cull, meaning I keep the doe, but I don’t pass on her genetics.  If you start with strong genetics, you’re getting going on the right foot, which is something a lot of goat owners miss out on when they’re blinded by the blue eyes and the moon spots and the pretty colors.  I can say that because I was one of them!

Vitamin & Mineral Supplements

Another gigantic change for my herd has been the mineral buffet.  I was strongly against this because I feel it’s improperly used and by throwing everything in front of our goats that they need and not allowing them to actually be goats and eat the black raspberry brambles and the nettle and all the crazy weeds they love is wrong. We should be allowing them to find what they need in nature.  BUT.  I was wrong.  When used in conjunction with pasture grazing and foraging, I have found that the health of my herd has done a complete 180.  

Unfortunately, our soil here where I live in Ohio is rather deficient in a lot of things and my goats are missing out on copper, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, molybdenum, and a few more things.  Once I put the mineral buffet in front of them, they went for exactly what they needed and I’ve never seen more shiny coats, better milk production with thicker cream, and improved parasite resistance.  I shared on social media last spring when I was in the thick of a really bad deficiency with one of my does, Rori, who lost weight, became susceptible to parasites, and had a rough and reddish tinged coat (she’s solid black).  

Upon introducing the mineral buffet, she was the first to be all over it and hit several things pretty hard.  Within 6 weeks, she had gained weight back, her coat was a gorgeous shiny solid black, something she’d never been, and she regained her strength and resilience to parasites.  It was absolutely amazing!  So, if you’re dealing with deficiencies and don’t know what it is, I would wholeheartedly recommend investing in your herd and setting this up.  It saved mine!  And running the numbers, once I got my herd back to their health and the buffet refilled, they really don’t eat much and it isn’t expensive to maintain once it’s up and running.  I store all the refill bags in an old cat litter bucket and add more as needed.  Easy peasy!

Nutrition for Your Pregnant Doe & Labor Preparedness

A couple weeks leading up to kidding, I start with the doe’s nutrition.  I make sure she’s eating well, her coat is smooth and shiny, and her weight is good; this is something I observe daily for every goat.  I normally separate does that are starting to “bag up” or fill their udder, unless it’s a first freshener.  First freshener’s can start getting an udder 6-8 weeks before kidding sometimes.  Last year, Lemon, my first freshener Boer cross bagged up over 2 months prior to her kidding date.  I was so worried I had the date wrong!  Once separated from the herd when kidding is close, I do give the does a little grain or kelp meal so I can mix in supportive herbs, like raspberry leaf.  The pregnant does get alfalfa hay for the last week or two of their pregnancy as I’ve found alfalfa helps promote good milk production in my herd.  It also does contain calcium which can be helpful in milk fever prevention. 

When Your Doe Is In Labor

During labor, I watch my does and give them space.  I let them tell me when they need help, per se.  If you spend any amount of time with your goats, you begin to pick up on personalities and behaviors and can pick out when your goat isn’t behaving normally.  When in labor, does will grit their teeth, yawn, talk to their sides, be restless and paw at the ground and get up and down, and will also stand or lay with their back ends pointed to a wall.  This is all normal behavior.  

By my choice, I put the doe in a pen separated from the herd by a small gate in a comfy kidding area, where she can still see her herd, but they can’t mingle with her.  Some folks let their goats labor wherever they choose and I’ve done that too, but for my peace of mind, I prefer them slightly separated so I can guarantee a good bonding between mom & kid and more easily spot any changes in behavior that require my intervention.  I also have a doe who thinks she is super mama goat and thinks all the kids are hers.  She’s a wonderful mother, but I’d prefer she not try to nurse and feed 12 kids, so I separate to promote bonding to their actual dam before octo mom Raquel dives in and takes them as her own.

We jokingly call her the community milk bag because she will feed any baby that asks!  This really is something you just have to learn by experience and varies from herd to herd.  Yes, reading books can help a bit, but hands-on experience is the best.  I’ve been raising goats longer than I haven’t, starting out with pygmy goats, so I really know my way around labor that can go wrong.  Pygmies are the worst goats to kid because of how they’ve been bred; the does simply cannot have their babies normally and I can’t stand that.  Why would we desire that trait in a breed, I’ll never know.

Kidding Supplies for the Doe

• #1 Herbal Worming Blend from Molly’s Herbals (not affiliated, just love their products): I give it postpartum for 3 days to the doe.  Mine eat it mixed with grain but you can drench or mix into treat balls, as well.
• Molasses:  I buy this by the gallon and put it in warm water for the doe to drink after kidding.  It contains really great vitamins and minerals, tastes good to them, and helps prevent milk fever.
• Power Punch: I don’t use this much, unless the doe needs a boost for energy and nutrient levels.
• Nutri-drench: tastes good to my does, contains nutrients and vitamins, but is really only given as a treat for them.
• Replamin gel: contains copper, vitamins, and minerals goats need.  I don’t use this very much unless the doe had a rough labor and needs a boost in her recovery.
• Dyne: high calorie supplement and is very thick.  I only use this for does that go down and need the calories to keep their rumen going and their bodies.  I whisk some together with goat milk and tube it straight into their stomach.  It’s very thick and sticky and not my favorite to work with but it’s effective.
• Penicillin G: if you have to intervene and go in to reposition and/or pull kids, under veterinarian guidance, it is sometimes advisable to prevent uterine infection.
• Injectable Thiamine (Rx only): for polio or down animals that aren’t eating much.  The rumen produces thiamine, so if the doe isn’t eating well or seems weak or is down, I give thiamine to prevent polio or to treat it.  This is much more effective than using the Vitamin B Complex injection as it’s concentrated to JUST thiamine, which is what you need.
• Injectable Vitamin B Complex:  if you don’t have or cannot get thiamine.  This is better than nothing, you just have to give a bunch of it.
• BoSE, Injectable Selenium & Vitamin E (Rx only):  for emergency selenium deficiencies (contracted tendons, white muscle disease).  This needs to be carefully dosed and not overdosed as toxicity can cause even bigger problems.  It needs to be prescribed and given under the direction of a veterinarian.
• Selenium & Vitamin E Gel:  if Rx BoSE isn’t available, this paste contains what you need, it just doesn’t work as quickly but is much safer to give for non-emergent deficiencies and prevent toxicity from giving too much.
• 20 gauge 1/2″ needles: for giving injections
• 3 & 6 cc luer lock syringes: for giving injections.  I like luer lock better than slip top because the needle twists on and stays on the syringe better
• latex gloves: for kidding and repositioning or pulling kids.  Use clean hands and gloves, please when coming into contact with body fluids.
• Calf tuber:  for tubing a doe that is down to keep rumen functioning and to get nutrition and meds in the stomach FAST.  A calf tuber with a stiff introducer makes it easy to tube adult goats.
• Drenching Syringe: to give herbs or meds when the doe won’t eat it willingly, has long metal end to be able to squirt it into the back of their mouth without losing fingers.
• CMPK gel:  to treat milk fever.  Give and call your vet!
• Bovine Probios:  can be given post kidding for boost and should also be given in the event of milk fever.
• Stainless Steel Milk Bucket or Jar for milking:  if you plan on milking by hand, you should use a stainless steel bucket with no seams as they clean well and don’t have nooks and crannies for bacteria to congregate.

For the Kids

• towels or puppy training pads: for drying kids off
• fleece kid coats:  I make these myself.  To cover kids to hold heat in during really cold weather.
• thermometer: check body temp
• thread & scissors: to tie off umbilical cords that didn’t separate or are really long
• Iodine:  to dip umbilical cords
• BoSE – injectable selenium & vitamin E (Rx):  for kids born with contracted tendons or white muscle disease.  This is more effective than the oral gel but is Rx only and needs to be given under the supervision of a vet.
• Oral Vitamin E & Selenium Gel: works in an emergency when you don’t have anything else or if no vet is available.
• Injectable Thiamine (Rx): for polio or weak kids.  I always just go ahead and give it to prevent issues.
• Injectable vitamin B complex (if no thiamine): to use for polio or weak kids, but isn’t as effective because it doesn’t contain concentrated thiamine.
• Kid tuber: to tube warm kids colostrum or nutrition when weak or struggling.
• 20 gauge 1/2″ needles
• 3 ml syringes: for injections
• frozen colostrum & goat milk
• Ear Tags for identification/scrapie:  to ID your kids if not using tattoos and registration.  To sell them here in Ohio, they have to have scrapie identification as well, which the ear tag provides.

Getting Newborn Kids Dry & Fed

Once the babies are on the ground, depending on the weather, I usually let the does clean them off.  I don’t really intervene with clean towels unless it appears Mama is having difficulty recovering or the kid looks weak or needs help.  I make sure nostrils are clear; you can do this by suctioning with a bulb syringe/nasal aspirator, or like me, I wipe their nose with straw and encourage the baby to sneeze by poking their nostrils with a piece of straw.  In my personal experience, the less intervention, the better as it promotes a good bond between your doe and her kids. (This doesn’t mean I don’t think you should intervene is something goes wrong, because you absolutely should. I disagree with the folks that “go out of town” during kidding or lambing season and encourage survival of the fittest.

That is disgusting behavior as stewards of livestock and should never be promoted.)  During colder temperatures, I will help the doe clean off the baby with clean towels.. this means CLEAN and not washed in some crazy fragranced detergent.  This CAN affect the bonding can cause the doe to reject her baby; I’ve seen it happen with my own eyeballs.  Wipe the baby off while letting the doe help.  It is absolutely vital you let the doe do at least some of it.  Bonding helps release oxytocin which aids in milk production and let down which feeds the baby.  I will wipe the kids down if it’s super cold and cover them with a fleece kidding coat I sewed, and get them standing and nursing ASAP.  When it is cold, worry less about heat lamps and worry more about holding the kids heat in and getting their belly full of colostrum by any means possible.  Read more about caring for newborn goat kids in extreme cold here!

Best case scenario, newborn goats are standing within 30 minutes of birth and are able to nurse.  Worst case scenario, you milk an ounce of colostrum into your kid tuber and place it directly into their stomach to give them a jump start.  Tubing is a very vital skill I teach as a goat mentor to every single new goat owner I help.  Once you get milk in their bellies, you can move onto getting the kid completely dry and working on latching and nursing on their own.  I use a hair dryer on a low to medium setting (we’re not trying to cook baby goats here) and most of my does will continue to clean the baby while I dry them.

 Once dry, I cover them back up with a clean fleece kidding coat, and leave them with mom.  One thing to remember with tubing kids is to NEVER, under any circumstance, tube anything into the stomach of a kid that is hypothermic.  Only give milk to kids that are warm.  This is because during hypothermia, or below normal body temperature, their bodies are shutting down to preserve vital organs and their stomachs are not functioning as normal.  Give sugar, warm them up, then give food. 

Iodine for the Kid’s Umbilical Cord

The second most important step to do after a kid is born is to dip their navel in iodine.  You can use a cup made for teat dip, spray it, or whatever you want to do as long as the entire umbilical cord up to where it touches their abdomen is dunked or covered in iodine.  This is an easy and cheap insurance policy to clean the area and not allow bacteria in.  Bacteria can sneak in through umbilical cords and settle in joints causing pain and swelling, called “joint ill”, that’s entirely preventable by this simple step.

​Immediately After Delivery

After the does has started to clean the kids and everyone is doing well, I give her a couple pumps of Nutri-drench.  I don’t really think the stuff is that great or helpful, but my girls absolutely love it and go bonkers when they see the pump bottle, so it’s a nice little treat after all the hard work they just did.  I also offer a bucket of warm water with molasses in it, which is also helpful in preventing milk fever and they enjoy how it tastes to help rehydrate and encourage them to take fluids.  If the doe had a difficult delivery and I had to manually pull kids, I will consider giving them a shot of Penicillin G to prevent infection, as instructed by my vet.  I go off of my gut here with this one, as antibiotics don’t really excite me and are so hard on their bodies, although I know they’re rather helpful.

​Post Partum Care of the Doe

For 3 days post delivery, I keep the doe in the separated pen so I can give her 3 days worth of Molly’s Herbal Deworming Blend #1 to help boost her immunity and prevent parasites from taking hold.  Post partum is a hard time for their body, and if you’ve had kids like me you already know, so they need any boost to help heal and start producing milk for their kids.  I feed her alfalfa hay free choice and give some grain for the herbs as well as offer kelp meal mixed with the deworming herbs, extra garlic, and oregano mixed in.  Most of them eat it all and ask for more!

Post Partum Care of the Kids

IF you need to bottle feed kids, I do not recommend milk replacer.  Goat milk replacer is terrible.  Either use goat milk you milked from the dam, purchase it from another goat owner, or use whole cow milk.  There’s great options on the internet that kids will thrive on that don’t involve the God awful powdered replacer.  If they will take it, a pop or soda bottle with a Pritchard teat is cheap, but I prefer these nipples from Caprine supply which will pop onto the same bottles, are easier to latch kids onto, and are much more durable!  I do NOT encourage bottle feeding kids.  

They are difficult to raise if you’re inexperienced and definitely not as easy as bottle calves.  They act like they are constantly dying of hunger which leads to over feeding which is more detrimental than under feeding.  I won’t go into this here, but do your research.  I feed them just enough to make their belly feel like a water balloon, squishy and filled but not hard as a rock.  This has worked well for me over the years and is easier than trying to figure out a hard and fast rule of how many ounces to give them by weight of the kid.  It becomes rather confusing.  I also think that bottle raised kids have terrible behavior… you should meet my bottle raised doe, Avera.  She’s a bird but I sure love her :D

Hopefully my incessant yammering on this post has given you the push to put together a kit of essential things you may need and to be a little more prepared for kidding season!  Most of all, enjoy it because baby goats are THE BEST!!

Stay tuned for more things on holistic goat and livestock care!