This year as we head into our third kidding season, we are also anxiously awaiting our first lambing with our Icelandic ewes. With the addition of these expectant mothers (and their babies) it has come time to knock out a new project: building a lambing jug!
Lambing jugs are simply small enclosures for the ewe to lamb in, and spend the next few days to have a safe space to bond with their babies. This will allow mom and babies to still be seen by and interact with the rest of the herd, but be physically separated. These jugs can certainly be used for kidding, and I was planning on putting one up for our does. But, with the addition of Reykja and Stimpla it went to the top of the to do list.
Building a lambing jug doesn’t have to be a monumental undertaking. You want simple! They typically are intended to be portable and temporary, allowing for easy set up and tear down. They can be put up anywhere, whether it be in the pasture or the barn. It’s 100% dependent on your set up. For ours, I am utilizing the third stall (5′ x 4′) of our mini barn and essentially creating a run off of it. This will give them the use of the stall, and I can shut them in at night for safety. But, they will also have access to under the overhang to stretch their legs, get fresh air, and socialize. Not only will this serve as our kidding and lambing jug, but it will be where we can separate baby goats at night for morning milking.
Construct Your Fencing
These jugs can truly be made out of anything! Use whatever scrap fencing you may have around – it doesn’t need to cost anything to construct. I have random pieces of woven wire netting, cattle panels, etc, leftover from other fencing projects I keep on hand for these exact circumstances. One thing to keep in mind is the size of the babies you will be containing. Larger goats/sheep for instance are just born bigger, and won’t slip through larger holes in fencing as easily. Smaller goats however, such as Nigerian Dwarfs can be teeny tiny when born, so the smallest square possible is extremely important so they can’t slip out. Because we have a range in sizes from Nigerian Dwarf, to Nubian, to Icelandic, I based my fencing off of the smallest animal and used fencing with 2″ x 2″ squares.
Just like for the fencing, use whatever you can for a gate! That is of course if you need one. Because ours will double as a place to separate kids at night, I want there to be access to the jug from the outside as well as inside the barn. We have a random stock pile of panels that I pulled from. I affixed it to the corner beam with carabiner clips to secure it as well as be the “open side” and the other side fastened to a T post with loose zip ties to create a hinge. Low tech, easy peezy.
What's In the Jug
Inside the “jug” you just need to provide the basic necessities. A barn camera for stalking (oh that’s just me? :D) food, water, and if needed, warmth. We have a hay feeder built into the wall of the third stall where we provide free choice hay, and a bucket of water high enough that it’s out of reach of kids/lambs. They don’t need it! Those first few days they are particularly bumbly and fumbly, and accidental drowning is a real possibility. So, play it safe and keep it high enough it’s out of their reach. Fresh water is essential however for mom, and hydration is so important in milk production.
More water = more milk = happy and healthy babies.
Depending on the climate you live in and the conditions, supplemental heat may be necessary. Especially during those first few days, babies need calories and should not be wasting them shivering to keep warm! Due to the constant fear of the danger of heat lamps, last year we made the switch to Premier 1 Prima Heat Lamps due to their safety features for all of our needs.
We are anxiously awaiting for kidding season to start as well as experiencing our first lambing this year. With this lambing jug set up, we will be able to give moms and their babies the best start possible to bond in a safe and undisturbed place, while allowing us to monitor their health and progress as well. Wishing everyone a healthy and successful lambing/kidding season!
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