Kidding

Kidding is a term with at least two common meanings in English. As a verb, to kid means to joke, tease, or pretend; the present participle “kidding” appears in phrases such as “Are you kidding?” or “We were just kidding.” As a noun in animal husbandry, kidding refers to the birth of young goats, or more rarely other small ruminants, by their dams.

In agriculture, kidding describes the process of a doe giving birth to kids. Goats have a gestation of about 145 to 155 days, typically around five months. Litter size ranges from one to three, with twins most common; triplets occur occasionally. Signs of impending kidding include restlessness, udder development, and nesting behavior; labor progresses through three stages, culminating in the delivery of the kids and the subsequent expulsion of the placenta. After birth, kids should receive colostrum promptly; newborn care includes ensuring warmth, drying, and monitoring for feeding. Producers often prepare a clean, quiet kidding area and may assist with difficult births (dystocia) or call a veterinarian if needed. Adequate supervision and timely intervention reduce neonatal mortality and production losses.

Additionally, the word “kidding” is used in everyday speech to describe joking or playful deception, as in “We were only kidding.” The term “lambing” is typically used for sheep births. In both senses, context is essential to interpretation, and the two uses are not etymologically related beyond a common association with the idea of offspring or play.