Notes on Goat Labor

(List of Notes at bottom of post)

So we've been watching this gal for weeks.

And we've noticed many of the signs of impending labor:

Her udder bagged up about two weeks ago.

(They can "bag up" or fill up with milk anywhere from a month to seconds before labor)

Her belly started dropping.

(They carry the kids up high for most of the pregnancy, then drop 'em lower a couple days before labor. You know this has happened when you start to see a sunken area above the baby bulge.)

Her ligaments were loosening.

(Any guide to goat labor will tell you ALLLL about how the tail ligaments disappear.)

But nothing happened. For days.

When I checked on her and all the other goats this morning, it was business as usual. Grazing, resting in the shade, no babies. Darn. Maybe tomorrow?

Around noontime we get a call from our uncle who was doing some work from us.

There's a baby in our pasture!!! Yay!!!

I immediately run outside, straight for the pasture. Barefoot, through the bee-filled clover, up over the fence, through the sticker weeds. Yup. I should've thought that through. But I was so excited to meet the new baby.

When I first came upon the two, I was a bit worried. I didn't realize she had just had this kid. He was still slimy, his cord wrapped around his back a little, and Dolly (mama) was barely cleaning up.

Last year, her first freshening, she wasn't the best of moms. She hardly let her twins nurse (one of them adopted a different doe as her mom. lol) and was awful on the milk stand. Last year, I had to help the kids to their first colostrum and even carry to her the kid that she walked off and left right after birth.

Ugh. First fresheners.

So, I was skeptical. …Okay, worried!

But instead, she was amazing. Fabulous. Redeemed.

Upon my arrival, Dolly immediately went about chewing away the cord and eating the rest of the slime. She talked to little Felix the whole time. It's really sweet the way the mumble and chatter to the kids.

Silly Felix, though. Within the first few hours of his life, as we observed him, Felix has already shown a great deal of personality! He's a bold little dude, if a bit confused. He spent a good five minutes pecking at his mom's chest and trying to nurse her collar before he found her teat. He hobbles around, but is sturdier at this point than any other kid we've had.

About an hour after first finding him, I went back out to see how he was doing. We like to give mom and kid plenty of bonding time, so we check up periodically and try not to get in the way too much. Which is hard to do. I mean, really, really hard.

When I went out this second time, I sat criss-cross-applesauce beside the two. Felix was already hobbling to and fro, learning how to use his legs. He comes up to me and I pet his little head. Next thing I know, he climbs into my lap and starts trying to nurse my fingers, my shirt, whatever he can get his little mouth on!

Such silly goats.

So, about those notes, right?

1. You may have noticed I never mentioned dipping the cord, wiping down the kid, or helping him find the teat. At Heart of the King farm, we "assist" as little as possible and only as much as necessary. We feel it only makes sense to allow nature to do as nature does, and it is in the doe's nature to take care of her baby in all those ways. Granted, if a kid or mom does have issues, we will address them. We aren't negligent.
2. Waiting for your goat to kid is painful. You can't wait to see it, hold it, pet it's little nose. But you have to, and it's hard.
3. And it's only made worse by all the differentiating signs of labor. Some are obvious and mean within a couple  day (those I wrote out at the top). Those that mean very soon can be a lot harder to understand. Some goats get super friendly or noisy as they go into labor. Others get quiet and go off to themselves. Some never give any distinguishable sign. 
4. That means you may walk outside to a new set kids, or sit and wait while your goat tells you all about what's going on, but at least you're there and can help if things go awry.
5. If things do go awry, this link explains basically any version of awry and can help.
6. Once the kid(s) are born, all you really need to do is make sure their cord isn't dragging on the ground as they walk, and make sure they get milk. You'll know if anything else is wrong. It will be obvious.

So, that's it! 

-Katie

A Guide to Rabbit Tractors

We've raised rabbits for a couple years now, and it's a wonder why we haven't tried rabbit tractors sooner. They've become a bit of a miracle for us, cutting down on feed costs… and simply being awesome! The rabbits are happier, lounging in the sun and nibbling on grass all day. We love to go out and play with them, and they are always running up to the side of the tractor, excited to see us.

For those who not familiar with them, rabbit tractors are like chicken tractors plus a bottom. They are larger cages with a wire (or wood slat) floor. They are kept outside where grass can poke up into the cage as rabbit food. And the rabbits love it much more than boring pellets.

The Cages

Rabbit tractors come in a variety of types and sizes, and the more creative you get, the more options you have.

All tractors, though, have a few simple requirements: small enough wire the rabbits don't get out, larger wire on bottom (not too large!) to allow more grass to poke through, and at least a partial roof to allow shade during the afternoon.

The simplest rabbit tractors are a large square cube made from cage wire. The roof is made to flip up, and a piece of old plywood is kept on top with a brick. Ours are 4 foot by 4 foot.

We like to get crazy with the extra wire and tin we have on hand and create tractors of different shapes and sizes. We've experimented with triangular cages, domed cages, and anything else we can come up with.

The easiest way to have rabbit tractors is to buy them. You can probably find somewhere that sells them, but chicken tractors are much more popular and readily available. Just add wire to the bottom so that the rabbits don't dig out.

Large dog crates or bird cages bought at garage sales or auctions make for good tractors as well. Make sure that there are no large openings for rabbits to escape out of. If they can get their head through, they can probably get their body through!

When sizing your tractor, try to keep about 4 sq.ft per rabbit. Don't overcrowd your tractor or they can run out of grass too quickly and starve or become competitive and fight.

How They Work

When your rabbits are in their tractors, you'll need to move them from spot to spot every time they run low on grass. If you start to see bare spots, move it immediately. Rabbits constantly need grass; they will quickly lose weight and even starve without it.

We move our tractors twice a day, every morning and every night at the same time we water. We have to move them more often when the grass is sparse or the cages more densely populated.

Rabbits tractors can be a great way to feed out rabbits being raised for meat. They do need to be supplemented with pellet, but it definitely reduces feed costs!

Accessorizing 

Other than grass, your rabbits need a few things to keep happy and healthy in their tractors.

The most important is water. Rabbits constantly need water, no matter the season. A simple dish or bottle will work, just the same thing you use for regularly caged rabbits. In the tractors holding a larger population, we like to use 1 gallon gravity waterers by Little Giant.

Rabbits also love and need cubby holes. A small place to huddle in and hide makes them feel safe and happy, especially during the night. A cheap bucket, pail, or small box will suit this purpose. I like to make plywood huts by hand. They just need to be large enough for a rabbit or two to crawl in. 

Really, I only do this for tractors holding a single or pair of rabbits. Larger groups are fine huddling together. (And it would be unreasonable to supply each rabbit with a cubby hole.)

Also, make sure the rabbits can get out of the weather. If their roof is not rain-proof, their cubby hole needs to be. Make the tractor light enough to move, but heavy enough not to be carried away in the wind. With enough shade and water, rabbits can usually hold out in the summer, but they need to be brought inside during the winter.

So Basically…

Rabbit tractors are a great way to cut feed costs and get your rabbits a little closer to their natural habitat. With some care and attention, they can be a great addition to any farm or homestead.

We love experimenting and are always learning new things.

-Katie

Also, some further notes:

Dog crates make nice rabbit tractors. Fun cubby holes and weeds as treats make it home.

Rabbits love to climb in anything. Anything! Old buckets or stained tubs are just fine.

Although a bucket that hangs on the side is added fun and allows for more grass space on bottom.