Kidding 101
Here is a step-by-step textbook delivery of goat kids. The doe seen here is Lexus which is one of my brood does. This is for educational purposes and delivery can vary greatly if problems arise. If a goat is pushing and not making any progress or if a goat pushes out all of the fluids and sacks around the kids and no kids appear contact a professional immediately. It is possible for goats to push out the sacks, fluids, and afterbirth around a kid that is stuck in the birth canal. If you feel something is wrong get help immediately to reduce the risks of infection or death to your brood does.
****Please Note: Some of these photos are graphic VIEWER DESECRATION IS ADVISED.
Here you can see Lexus that is pregnant with twins. You can notice how the kids have dropped to the underside of her belly getting into position to start into the birth canal. Goats begin "dropping" a couple days before they kid and normally will hollow out even more just before kidding.
You can see how the tail has lifted from the hips unpinning to widen the birth canal. On either side of the tail bone, the area will feel mushy when you push on it.
Here you can see the thick whitish colored discharge about a half hour before kidding begins. It is also possible for a doe to have a similar whitish or yellowish colored discharge as much as a week ahead of time.
You can see the whitish discharge get longer until it disappears.
Lexus has layed down and begins to push. Goats like to be tight against a wall when they begin to push.
Here you can see a red colored sack that contains her water (this will break and sometimes if you are too close when it breaks you will get a bath in this fluid because it gushes out).
Here you can see Lexus cleaning her utter and removing the plugs from her teats getting them prepared for the kids to begin nursing when they are born.
Here you can see the yellowish colored sack with the veins running through it. This sack contains the kid. If this sack breaks, get the kids out as soon as possible because it is likely that when the sack breaks the umbilical cord will also detach and the kid will be unable to breathe if it is left in the birth canal.
Here you can see the sack has broke on the kid and the front feet are pointed downward as it comes out. The normal position of a kid is with its front feet pointed downward with its head resting between the front legs.
Here you can see that Lexus is licking the kid to get it clean and dry.
And there you have it a normal delivery.
Shown her is a picture of the afterbirth. Afterbirth will be a long, thick, bloody discharge that will have several small sacks of fluid contained in it. This is normal and the afterbirth will come out on its own, do not pull on it. When the afterbirth is completely out and laying on the ground, the doe may try to eat it. If she wants to eat it, allow her to because it is believed that the eating of the afterbirth helps with colostrum (mother's first milk) production. If she doesn't show any interest in eating it, remove it and dispose of it properly immediately to prevent predators or flies from being attracted to the newborn kids.
*Spray newborn kids umbilical cords with iodine to prevent naval ill and also to help them dry up quickly which will prevent sickness or disease from entering their bodies.
*Some newborn kids will have trouble finding the teat. Help the kids to eat for the first time. After the first dose of colostrum, kids will normally have enough energy to find the teat again on their own.
*It is normal for kids to spend the first couple days after birth eating and sleeping. Normally after about three days they will become active and start running and playing.
*Brood does will have another bloody discharge in about 1 to 2 weeks following kidding. This is completely normal.