# Kidding Stall



## mamatomany (Aug 7, 2008)

I have a doe due to freshen on Sunday (day 150)...she has gone early and a few days late before. That being said, I'm not sure if I should put her up at night with her Spring kid in the nice clean stall already. She is my best doe and I want her to be in a clean environment, but not to contaminate the kidding stall if in fact she does not freshen until Sunday. Make any sense? She is five and an excellent mother and has never had issues in the past. Just wondering if 4 days is too much in advance?


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## swgoats (May 21, 2010)

I put mine in 5 days before the earliest breeding date (I pen breed). Often I toss a little extra bedding then there when they are in early labor. One goat shouldn't trash a stall in 4 days.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

I don't put mine in until they are in labor, usually, but if you just want to play it safe and have her inside if it's cold, or if you are going somewhere, you could do that too. If you are only putting her in when you can't supervise her, I wouldn't think she would mess it up too bad.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Ideally we would all like to be there when our does kid but we know sometimes its unavoidable. If it makes YOU feel better then do it...but what I do is night barn checks. 
Tam


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

We start pulling does 2 weeks before their due date when they come in at night from pasture into private quarters. 
This way they know they have a quiet safe private space where they do not compete for food to kid in. There is also a box for the kids with a heat lamp in the top which they find within minutes of being born. It is simple in our set up with divided corrals and large barn area with wooden kidding stalls inside but I just fluff the stalls each morning after turning them out by taking a pitchfork to the bedding hay to lift clean hay to the top. Once labor starts I spend part of my watch time putting down a fresh layer of bedding. Our hay guy saves damaged bales or less than perfect cuttings for us to use for bedding. It all goes in the garden so I don't mind using a lot. The doe then stays in this stall with kids for 3 days or until the kids can follow well enough not to get lost since we dam raise. This lets me monitor udder health and how well the kids are feeding and just how everyone is progressing better than if they are all milling around together trying to keep their kids from wandering off. When they come back from pasture in evening since they know their stall locations from prekidding lounging there I can just open the main gate and they all file in and dash to their own stall with kids in tow and we do it all again the next day for about 2 weeks adding bedding as needed or not. The only problem I have is once the kids get more adventuresome they want to explore the main barn and won't dash in behind mom...time to rejoin the herd at that point. At 2 weeks old the kids graduate to the baby safe where they spend the night in a group eating cocci pellets while mom saves up milk for me to harvest in the morning. I have just got to get a photo of the little munchies lined up at the trough! Good luck Linda!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I keep a clean 10x10 stall for emergencies, but I haven't used a kidding pen in years. My does hate them, pine and cry for their friends, I think it's a lot more stressful than kidding in the main barn. I am there for most of the kiddings so even if a doe chooses to kid outside, a open feedsack is the perfect clean area for kids to be on when they come out. I also get so much help from the older does if my dog doesn't come right out to help. Vicki


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

I've got a couple of stalls for birthing. Usually, I'll bring them in at night on day 148 and will usually bring in the one that's due plus a buddy. I've found, when they're ready to kid, they don't mind being in there alone.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Most of our does kid outside in the fresh air anyway. I like it cause I can use feed sacks or fresh straw. If they are in the barn they always use one corner which I ALWAYS keep up with clean straw and wood chips. But then I also put down wood pellets too. I do not worry as much as I used to about the other does messing around, they are general gathered in a group away from the expectant Momma. Must just be my herd.
Tam


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## Tim Pruitt (Oct 26, 2007)

We start penning our does up at night when they approach their kidding date. I always check them in the morning and decide if they can go out for the day. I check for udder changes and ligaments and if I don't think they are close they get to go out with the other does. They are checked again in the early afternoon and i decide then if they need to be penned or can stay out until night. But they are always penned at night until they kid.


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

I make kidding stalls within the main doe pen. That way the doe is surrounded by her buddies and the others can sniff the kid and see whats going on. I use pallets to make the temporary kidding pens


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Tim Pruitt said:


> We start penning our does up at night when they approach their kidding date. I always check them in the morning and decide if they can go out for the day. I check for udder changes and ligaments and if I don't think they are close they get to go out with the other does. They are checked again in the early afternoon and i decide then if they need to be penned or can stay out until night. But they are always penned at night until they kid.


To be more specific: :yeahthat

And Tam, not just your herd. When we had one doe kid outside because DH wasn't checking like he should, plus the doe that aborted, all the other does cleared out and left the kidding doe alone.


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## Trysta (Apr 5, 2011)

I only have two extra small pens and then two large doe pens. Most of the older does just kid in the large pen, I am in the barn several times a day and am usually there at kidding. If not: I am very picky in keeping bedding clean, so the does can find a good spot to kid and take care of the kids (but like I said: usually I am there, and then I do take the kids to the kid shed right away). The two pens I have are being used for younger does that are due (I put them in there a few days before due date) and that I am afraid feel intimidated kidding in the large pens, or for does I feed differently up to kidding. Right now actually one of the pens has three bucks since I don't want them in with the fresh does! 

I have a holding pen (beside my parlor) that is clean and bedded and that is my 'recovery room'. Most does get to at least spend the day/night (or a couple as needed) there so I can check if afterbirths come off, if the doe is staying alert and eating and that she can eat and drink her (warm) water in peace. 

We started building some smaller outdoor pens that I will use next year: three 46x24 pens and one about 3x that size. They will mainly be for bucks and kids, but the larger pen will be for dry does, so I can use an indoor large pen for close up does only.
Marion


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## mamatomany (Aug 7, 2008)

Well...said "doe" is in early labor...belly dropped, ligs are gone, and she is grinding her teeth and is quite stary eyed. At least I don't have to listen to everyone thru the baby monitor all night long! I generally call it goat singing, but last night...not. I had some interesting birthding dreams with the moaning in the background. My husband said he doesn't know how I differentiate who is who and what noise is what noise. You don't mistake pushing that only makes one noise I told him. Hopefully it will go smoothly, she is a pro as a 5 year old  Her udder is beautiful. Perhaps I will take some pics


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Let us know how she makes out, Linda.


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## mamatomany (Aug 7, 2008)

She did awesome...triplets...one buck, already sold and two doelings  everyone perfect presentation, nice full tummies


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Wonderful Linda! And to have the buckling sold is a big plus too!

Tam


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## AlaynaMay (May 12, 2012)

Congratulations!


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

I've never used a pen here. Trying to lock up just one or two does is absolutely out of the question as I couldn't take the yelling. If I locked up the whole herd, sure. Otherwise, it would be too much stress. When going into labor though, I do separate them out...making sure no cats or chickens can get in either as that is really what stresses the does in labor. And everyone else seems to stay away anyway....my alpines must be meaner than normal when going into labor.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

I mostly lock mine up so they stay inside and I can keep an eye on them on the kidding camera! Some of them appreciate it, some not as much. I guess the ones that like it most are the more independent does.


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## Liss (Jul 20, 2010)

interesting read. I have Nigerians, 3 years old, only 1 freshening in all that time cause I was using service buck. The doe that did kid, was doing alot of standing outside by herself at night - so it was at that point I started locking her up at night in a separate pen. She wasn't happy, but at the same time I could tell she wanted solitude. Wouldnt you know I missed it and got very lucky all went well and when I came out to check in the wee hours of the morning - two kids on the ground, one completedly dry. ;/ Thank Goodness! Second time around I have adjoining rooms in the barn - not totally see through - but there is a good space for peering through - I plan to put her in there at night or when I am not home. But at the same time, I still havent convinced myself. I have three does and they have never been separated, two sisters and a kid. The separate room will be my room for night separation for my kids also - when time comes for me to start taking milk. My kids are dam raised - so hopefully all will be fine and I will actually get a decent amount of milk this year. ^^ Prayin' for does. ;/


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## Liss (Jul 20, 2010)

I love that Alpine on your site page! I have looked at her before. ^&^


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Liss said:


> I love that Alpine on your site page! I have looked at her before. ^&^


Are you talking to me or someone else? I have several alpines.


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