Kidding Part II

Once the baby was visible, Roni was pushing hard and not making much progress, so I pulled one hoof forward to help her.

In the second picture, both legs are pulled forward to narrow the shoulders & make birth easier. The little white “booties” on the bottom of the hooves help to protect the doe's uterus from the hooves. It is very soft and will rub off as the kid begins to walk.

The grain bag provides a clean surface for the kid and helps to contain the birth fluids.

Kidding

Here are photos of a very normal birth, in which a small amount of assistance was provided. We use clean, empty grain bags to catch the kids and as much of the birth fluids as possible to try to keep the stalls clean.

Roni was shorn a few weeks before this kidding. Shearing prior to kidding helps with visualizing the udder to try to gauge kidding time, and makes the teats more obvious to newborn kids. Mohair ringlets can easily be mistaken for teats by newborn kids who may look like they are drinking, but not be getting colostrum.

Roni in early labor showing a vaginal discharge string and the typical “pump handle” angle of her tail that signals readiness for labor.

This kid is presented in the classic, easiest to deliver position, nose and both hooves forward (sometimes called the “diving” position). One hoof and the nose are visible here; the other hoof is hidden by the nose. The amniotic sack had already popped, making it easy to visualize the presenting parts.