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Is your goat overdue and you're wondering how to safely encourage labor to begin? In this video, we cover 7 gentle, natural methods to help support your doe’s body as she gets ready to kid. https://ehomeremedies.com/how-to-naturally-induce-goat-labor/
No drugs. No stress. Just practical, safe farm-tested tips.
#Goats #Homesteading #KiddingSeason #FarmLife #GoatBirth #NaturalGoatCare
What You’ll Learn:
Signs your goat is truly ready to kid
Safe ways to stimulate natural labor hormones
Herbal support options and when to use them
The importance of calm environment & movement
When NOT to intervene
When to call a vet
Important: These methods support the body — they do not force labor.
If your doe shows distress, abnormal discharge, or is more than 5+ days overdue with no progression, consult a vet immediately.
OUTLINE:
00:00:00 When Your Doe is Overdue
00:01:20 Red Raspberry Leaf and Nettle
00:02:54 Brewing Tea and Adding Nettle
00:03:59 Boosting with Vitamins and Minerals
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0:00
Hello friends. Well, welcome back to the
0:03
homestead. Today we're going to talk
0:06
about something that can cause a bit of
0:07
worry for any goat keeper. Whether
0:10
you're new to this or have been at it
0:11
for years, we're talking about an
0:13
overdue dough. You've marked the
0:16
calendar. You've prepared the kidding
0:18
stall. You've been watching her like a
0:20
hawk, but her due date has come and
0:23
gone, and still no babies. It can be a
0:26
stressful time, but I want to talk you
0:29
through some gentle, natural ways you
0:31
might be able to encourage things along.
0:34
These methods are designed to support
0:35
her body, not force it, making the
0:38
process as smooth as possible.
0:41
The final days of a goat's pregnancy can
0:43
feel like the longest ones. The normal
0:46
gestation period for a goat is around
0:49
145 days,
0:52
155 days. So, there is a bit of a
0:55
window. It's not uncommon for a dough,
0:58
especially a first-time mother, to go a
1:00
few days past that 150day mark. Before
1:04
we even think about intervening, we must
1:06
be sure of our dates and give her body a
1:09
chance to do its job. The natural
1:11
methods we will discuss today are not
1:13
about inducing labor in the medical
1:15
sense. Instead, they are about providing
1:18
her with herbs and nutrients that can
1:21
tone her uterus, balance her hormones,
1:24
give her the strength she needs for the
1:26
hard work of kidding. These tips are
1:29
meant to be gentle supports. Think of
1:32
them as giving your doe's body the best
1:34
possible toolkit for the job ahead. A
1:37
well-nourished and strong dough is often
1:39
a dough that has a more efficient and
1:41
straightforward labor. We are aiming to
1:43
prepare her uterine muscles and ensure
1:46
she has all the mineral and vitamin
1:48
reserves she needs. Many of these
1:50
suggestions are things you can start
1:52
incorporating into her routine in the
1:54
last couple of weeks of her pregnancy,
1:56
which helps her body get ready in a slow
1:58
and steady way. This is not about
2:01
forcing an emergency, but about
2:03
nurturing a natural process. It is so
2:06
important to approach this with a calm
2:08
and patient heart. Our animals can sense
2:12
our stress, and the last thing a dough
2:14
in late pregnancy needs is a nervous
2:16
owner hovering over her. So, take a deep
2:20
breath. The tips I'm about to share are
2:23
simple, rooted in traditional
2:25
homesteading wisdom, and are things I
2:27
have used here on my own place. They are
2:30
meant to work with her body's natural
2:32
rhythms. We will walk through each one
2:35
step by step, keeping it simple and
2:38
straightforward, just the way we like it
2:40
here on the prairie. Let's get into how
2:42
we can gently help our mamas out. Let's
2:45
start with one of the most well-known
2:46
herbal helpers for pregnancy, for
2:48
people, for animals, red raspberry leaf.
2:52
Not the fruit, the leaf. Used for
2:55
centuries as a uterine tonic. It helps
2:58
strengthen and tone uterine muscles. A
3:00
toned uterus leads to more effective
3:02
contractions. It won't start labor, but
3:05
it prepares the body. Best offered as a
3:08
simple tea for your dough. Measure 1 2
3:11
tablespoons of dried red raspberry
3:13
leaves. Steep in a cup of hot water. Let
3:16
the tea cool completely to room
3:18
temperature. Never give a hot liquid to
3:20
your goat. Offer about half a cup of the
3:22
cooled tea. Some does drink it right up.
3:25
Others may be picky. If picky, mix the
3:28
cooled tea into her grain ration. Start
3:30
offering once a day about 2 weeks before
3:32
the due date. Another great herb, nettle
3:36
leaf. Stinging nettle loses its sting
3:38
when dried. Dried nettle becomes a
3:41
nutritional powerhouse. It's packed with
3:43
minerals, iron, calcium. Nettle may also
3:47
support uterine strength. It boosts
3:49
essential nutrients for labor. Add dried
3:52
nettle directly to daily feed. about one
3:54
teaspoon of dried crushed leaf per day.
3:57
Sprinkle on top and mix into the grain.
4:00
Start in the last couple of weeks of
4:01
pregnancy. It's not a quick fix. It's
4:04
building strength over time. These herbs
4:07
help prepare her for healthier labor and
4:09
quicker recovery. Beyond herbs, we can
4:12
also look at specific vitamins and
4:14
minerals that play a key role in muscle
4:16
function and overall health. One of the
4:19
most important of these is vitamin E.
4:22
This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant
4:24
and is crucial for proper muscle tone
4:26
and function. That includes the uterine
4:29
muscles that need to do all the hard
4:31
work during labor. A deficiency in
4:33
vitamin E can sometimes be linked to
4:35
slower or stalled labors. So, ensuring
4:38
your DO has an adequate supply is a wise
4:41
preparatory step. Vitamin E comes in a
4:44
powder form, very easy to add to her
4:47
feed.
4:48
Sprinkle about 1,000 IU of vitamin E
4:51
powder onto her grain once a day. This
4:54
is a common safe dosage for a standard
4:57
sized goat. Start this in the final
5:00
weeks of pregnancy to build reserves.
5:02
This simple addition can support the
5:04
efficiency of her contractions. It's a
5:07
proactive measure supporting her
5:08
muscular system, helping things move
5:10
along smoothly once labor begins.
5:14
Another critical mineral for goats is
5:16
selenium. Selenium and vitamin E work
5:19
together a deficiency in one affects the
5:21
other. Selenium supports muscle health
5:24
and tissue repair. A lack of selenium
5:26
can cause white muscle disease in
5:28
newborns and weaken the doe's labor.
5:30
Supplementing selenium is standard
5:32
husbandry, especially in low soil
5:34
selenium areas. Use a gel made
5:37
specifically for goats. It's easiest and
5:40
safest. Always use goat formulated
5:43
selenium gel to ensure correct dosage
5:46
and to avoid toxicity. Follow the
5:48
product's dosage instructions carefully.
5:51
You might give a dose orally every other
5:53
day or once a week in the last month
5:56
depending on product and local levels.
5:58
This supplement requires a vet consult
6:00
too much selenium is harmful. Used
6:03
correctly, it's essential for tissue
6:05
elasticity and muscle strength to help
6:07
start a timely kiditting. Section four,
6:10
feed-based support. Alfalfa, fennel, and
6:13
kelp. Sometimes the answer to supporting
6:16
your dough can be found right in her
6:18
feed bucket. Let's talk about alalfa.
6:20
During the final stage of pregnancy, a
6:23
dough's nutritional needs increase
6:24
significantly. Alfalfa pellets are an
6:27
excellent source of extra calcium and
6:29
protein, both of which are critical for
6:32
late term pregnancy and the onset of
6:34
lactation.
6:36
The increased calcium is particularly
6:38
important as it plays a direct role in
6:40
muscle contractions. A dough with low
6:42
calcium levels may have weak or
6:44
ineffective contractions leading to a
6:46
long and difficult labor. So, a gentle
6:50
increase in alalfa can be a big help.
6:52
Gradually increase her alfalfa pellets
6:54
to about 1 to two cups per day. Do this
6:57
carefully to avoid upsetting her
6:59
digestive system. This boost in
7:01
high-quality forage gives her the energy
7:03
and the building blocks her body needs.
7:06
Think of it as fueling her up for a
7:07
marathon. Protein and calcium work
7:10
together to get her body into peak
7:12
condition for labor and for producing
7:14
rich colostrum, a simple feed-based way
7:17
to be ready for kidding day. Next,
7:20
fennel. Fennel seeds are a gentle
7:22
digestive aid that can relax muscles and
7:25
support mild hormonal shifts. It's
7:27
believed to be a mild phytoistrogen that
7:30
may encourage the hormonal cascade
7:32
initiating labor. A mild safe addition
7:35
that can give a little nudge. Grind the
7:37
seeds to release aromatic oils. Use
7:39
about half a teaspoon. Grind with a
7:42
mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder.
7:44
Mix into her evening feed. Start about 1
7:47
week before her due date or if she's a
7:49
few days overdue. The aroma appeals to
7:52
goats, so they usually eat it willingly.
7:55
a gentle fragrant suggestion rather than
7:58
a strong inducement. Finally, kelp meal.
8:02
Kelp supplies a wide range of trace
8:05
minerals and is especially valued for
8:07
iodine. Iodine is essential for healthy
8:10
thyroid function. The thyroid regulates
8:13
metabolism and hormones. A healthy
8:16
thyroid helps labor signals happen on
8:18
schedule. Low thyroid function can
8:21
contribute to delayed labor. Add about 1
8:24
tsp of kelp meal to her daily loose
8:26
minerals or mix into her grain. This
8:29
provides trace elements possibly missing
8:31
from forage. A supportive supplement
8:34
throughout pregnancy that becomes even
8:36
more important in final weeks.
8:38
Support the thyroid to support the
8:40
endocrine system and help ensure her
8:42
internal clock for kidding is set
8:44
correctly. Section five, a word on
8:47
safety. When to wait, when to call the
8:50
vet. While these natural methods are
8:52
gentle, use them with wisdom and
8:54
caution. They are not a replacement for
8:56
veterinary care. Only consider boosters
8:59
if a dough is at least 5 days past due.
9:02
And after you've talked with your
9:03
veterinarian, your vet can confirm the
9:06
pregnancy is progressing normally and
9:08
rule out underlying issues causing
9:10
delay. Never rush a dough within her
9:13
normal gestation window. Patience is a
9:16
homesteader's greatest virtue. Be a
9:19
vigilant observer while you wait. No
9:21
signs of a dough in distress versus a
9:24
dough in normal labor. Strange smelling
9:27
discharge, oddly colored discharge,
9:30
heavy bleeding, extreme lethargy,
9:32
weakness, crying out in pain without
9:34
progress. If she is pushing hard for
9:37
more than 30 minutes with nothing to
9:39
show for it, something is likely wrong.
9:43
Trust your gut. If something feels off,
9:46
get professional help immediately.
9:49
Active labor signs start the clock.
9:51
Strong, regular contractions,
9:53
restlessness pushing. Healthy labor
9:56
shows steady progress. If active labor
9:58
lasts 12 hours with no babies or labor
10:01
stops completely, you must call your
10:03
vet. Do not wait. Timely intervention
10:06
can be life-saving. Keep your vets's
10:09
number handy and be ready to act. A note
10:11
of encouragement. Most goat births go
10:14
smoothly. Gentle, natural support sets
10:17
her up for success. Trust in the
10:20
process. Trust your do. Trust your
10:23
intuition. Calm, measured steps make
10:26
kidding season joyful. With patience and
10:29
gentle care, your goat can deliver her
10:32
kids safely and joyfully. Don't forget
10:35
to like and subscribe for more homestead
10:37
animal tips. Thanks for joining. Like
10:41
and subscribe. Written by Jill Winger.
10:45
The Prairie Homestead.
#Pets