IF you have several mare due at the same time

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RJRMINIS

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Just curious, if you have several mares due in the same time-frame, how do you decide who you put under camera? With my camera I can watch 2 stalls at once. But have several mares due, 4 of which are making bags.....do you go by udder size? Or how do you determine which ones to watch.

I have decided to buy another camera system with 4 cameras, and I am hoping to be able to place them to cover several stalls each........we just built 6 new stalls....so I have 8 total for the horses.

I know several of you with mare stare have many due at the same time, how do you decide.

Last year it worked out, I went by udder size, or they foaled during the day during turnout, then I could put ones that hadn't foaled on camera for the night.
 
Before we moved, in my old barn I had my camera hooked to the rafters and pointing down at an angle and was able to get 3 stalls with one camera. My other camera was able to get 2 and 1/2 stalls.

If your stalls are all enclosed, maybe you could do something like that.
 
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You buy a cot and sleep in the barn.
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Get a few nice warm blankets a TV and a radio.
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Make sure and keep your cell phone handy and charged up, so you can call your friend (Susan) in the morning (after 6:30am) and tell her about your mare that delivered a cute foal for you during the night.
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Last year I had 7 foals due. I added cameras, divided stalls, and even set up a cam outside in the little broodmare paddock and kept the others outside. I don't trust myself to do it alone so I made sure I had the extra eyes that a webcam can provide.

So the answer is, I didn't "decide" because I put them ALL under camera!
 
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You buy a cot and sleep in the barn.
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Get a few nice warm blankets a TV and a radio.
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Make sure and keep your cell phone handy and charged up, so you can call your friend (Susan) in the morning (after 6:30am) and tell her about your mare that delivered a cute foal for you during the night.
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It's so good of you to be so specific Susan-- she sure can't say you didn't tell her, ROFLOL! (after 6:30 am, even!
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)

Anyway.... have you ever tried milk test strips? Or barring that, I would compare whatever milk you can get from each mare, and the thickest, stickiest (or going-white, getting-oh-so-close) would go under camera. I've had the same issues with the stalls that have the radiant heaters, I want the imminent mares in those because with weather like this-- 17 degrees last night, ugh!-- I want foals born in the stalls that have heat. I think it's very wise of you to have decided to get more cameras. I just bought another radiant heater, so now three of my four stalls with cameras have heaters. I make sure to space out the breeding of my mares too, so I don't have a "rush hour" problem come foaling season, lol! Good luck!
 
I have 3 foaling stalls and 2 cameras. One camera watches 2 stalls and the other camera one stall. I try to determine who's going to foal first going by udder development. I normally try to breed my mares so they don't all come due at the same time too. However, this year I have two mares that I bought in the fall who were pasture bred and trying to determine when they are due is just a guessing game!
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We have four cameras.........and we check EVERY possible physical sign (morning and night). We also use milk test strips. When things start getting THAT close with more than one mare, we do the test strips morning and night too. Signs and the tests can change very quickly.

However, even with doing all that, a mare can surprise you! :DOH!
 
I'm a barn sitter - no cameras I'm afraid. Usually there are two of us, one can sleep and one can barn sit. A chair, a good book etc. I love being out there listening to them eating their hay, or puffing away when laying down sleeping. Dogs by my side, cats visiting when they feel so inclind. The best bit is seeing the dawn break over the distant hills and listening to the dawn chorus of birds. Also there is the chance to keep buckets filled and droppings picked, so all is clean and tidy should a little one decide to make an appearance! It is a magical time. Also as my mare normally 'live out' most of the year, it is my chance to love and fuss over them. They come in (for the nights) from soon after they start to show a bag and stay in until their foals are at least 2 weeks old (out by day) depending upon the weather.

Of course I get extremely tired - dont we all at foaling time! - but I wouldn't miss this special time for anything.

Anna
 
Thanks for the replies.... I will feel better when I get the other cams this week and get them set up.......right now I am going by udder development, and I also have the ones that are not on cam by a stall outside my bedroom window so I can just look out and shine my light on them.........and let me tell you they love me for that.........I get the deer in the head light looks.....
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Replies have been right on!

If you have halter alerts you could put them on all mares, even if not on cam....we all know how often they are just sleeping better than us, until we decide not to look :DOH! but, it would get us up to look.

I've actually taken a halter alert off of a mare who foaled at about 9PM & put it on another mare who was so close I had to flip a coin to decide "who" got that one first. Mare 2 foaled at about 12:30 same night!

I have 4 cams & 4 alerts (don't breed but one or two, some years none, anymore). There was a time when all four cams & alerts were being used at once on VERY ready mares.
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Mare stare has been long and busy in my past. I've slowed it down.
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