Kidding Time Part 1 Getting the Barn Ready.

52 MORE DAYS until i start to kid, i am finding myself constantly looking, checking, and feeling for movement. I am excited for this to get underway. Not sure how excited i'll be when i am only half way through my herd. We will be kidding out ( assisting in delivering ) about 32 does, If you do the math that is A LOT of kids !!

In the mean time i am getting my Kidding Barn ready and gathering  my Kidding Supplies

FENCING  was made of 5ft and 4 ft. hog panels pieced together with tarp bungee cords, i have also seen this done with duck tape and others made of wood

HEAT SOURCE word of caution here, i use heat lamps cus I can afford them, make sure they are not too low that the will burn the doe, , many of them come with clamps DO NOT RELY ON THE CLAMPS, get baling wire and tie them securely on to something solid. I also have one hog heat pad, kind of pricey, you do not put bedding on this and the babies will lay on top, this is my first year using it, so no further comment given yet. Some people use warming boxes and i have some available if i feel they are needed. and goat/dog sweaters, I have a few on hand just in case. I however do not like using this sort of stuff, I do not like pampering them too much I feel that doing so makes it harder for them to adjust, but I will use them if I need to.

BEDDING I like to use straw bedding, for a couple of reasons, first is pine chips will stick to everything, and if you happen to miss the birth the chip bedding could cause the kid to smother, and also the air in the straw shafts hold heat and there fore the straw bedding is warmer.  old feed sacks are use to clean up the after birth and any soiled betting to help keep the pen clean and dry.

BARN YARD LIME It is a good idea to have this on hand to be used after cleaning out the kidding pen between kiddings this will help keep oder down but most importantly helps keep the pen dry.

IN THE CORNER of my kidding barn I have a stack of hay and straw and grain so that i don't have to go out to find it in the dark or bad weather

FEEDERS/WATERS  still working on improving this...I am going to use 5 gallon buckets to put hay in per doe per pen. i use the rectangle feed pans that fit on a 2X4 for horses for water and hang them high it holds may a gallon of water, have to be really careful with the waterer placement and the kids trying out their new legs could accidentally fall in. i use a round dish pan to feed the goats grain at this point, they wont yet get going to the milk stand for a few more days.

BABY MONITOR if you can't afford a barn cam then the way to go is baby monitor, You usually can find these in almost every garage sale you visit keep your eyes open. and gather a supply, great gifts for your goat friends or a new customer that bought a bred doe etc, You can hear any movement or sound that the does make, and the cry of a new born and often the cry of a doe giving birth, you can hear a doe talking to her unborn, or one that is restless and is up and down and digging a nest, this will save on a few trips to the barn. Others in the house can help listen while you get a short nap.

COT / SLEEPING BAG / RADIO  / AND OTHER CREATURE COMFORTS FOR ME

There the barn is ready 

to be continued with kidding supplies.....................