10 Kidding Season Must Haves! Are you prepared?
Breeding season is upon us! Don't wait until the last minute to get your kidding kit in order. Here's my list of 10 kidding season must haves!
1. If you get as chilly in winter as we do here in southern Arizona, you may want to stock up on adorable tiny sweaters to help keep babies warm! Last year, I loved this affordable 4-pack I found on Amazon. I'm planning to grab one or two more for the upcoming season! Click the image for a direct link!
2. Heat lamps are a must have for kidding season. This Premier 1 heat lamp is excellent quality, and much safer than traditional metal heat lamps. The bulbs are further up in the casing, and the thick plastic guard twists into place to help protect against burns and fires. Well worth the investment!
3. Kidding is a messy affair. Cleaning baby goats and the mess that the doe's make is important to keep the stalls sanitary and to help babies get dry and warm. Some people use old towels, some prefer disposable puppy pads. I personally prefer pads. For me, kidding season is busy enough without having to worry about doing tons of extra laundry!
4. Whether you decide to dam raise or bottle feed, you should always have a way to bottle feed on hand, just in case. I really like these Pritchard nipples because they are affordable and you can attach them to a regular plastic soda bottle!
5. A thermometer is one of the most important tools to have in your kidding kit. I like to make sure I have a couple on hand just in case one stops working. These digital thermometers from Amazon are a nice option and very affordable.
6. Baby nasal aspirators are another one of those items that I like to have multiples of in my kit. It's important to be able to clear fluid from the bay goats mouth if they can't easily clear it themselves, and if you have a doe with multiples or more than one doe kidding at a time, you may not have time to wash them right away. This two pack is a great option!
7. I keep Jump-Start in my kit to provide energy to exhausted mamas after they kid, and for baby goats that need a boost of energy. The blend of vitamins, minerals, and microorganisms give much needed support when their bodies are under stress.
8. Disposable gloves are a kidding kit necessity! You want to keep everything as clean as you can for the health of your goats. I keep a box at the ready, and usually get one or two extra just in case!
9. Keeping everything clean is important for your goats and their kids. I keep iodine swabs in my kidding kit to clean the umbilical cord after it's trimmed. I really like this brand, the swabs are presoaked and individually wrapped.Iodine sprays are another option, just be sure to get the right concentration! I keep alcohol prep pads handy to sanitize umbilical scissors before and after I cut the baby's cords, and to sanitize the area if I need to give any
injections.
10. After my girls give birth, I like to give them warm water with organic molasses for a boost of energy. They love the sweet treat and usually drink it right down. I also like to keep Bluelite electrolytes on hand to make sure the mamas stay hydrated so that they can produce plenty of milk for their kids without issue.
I hope this list helps you put together you kidding kit for the coming season! Come connect with us on social media and share your kidding kit must haves! https://www.instagram.com/dreamstarfarms/
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