baby goat emergency (she's a LOT better) - updated with pictures!

[BeardedChick]

I didn't think mama was due yet (2nd freshener), and tonight there were healthy triplets in her stall. She was hand milked before and not allowed to raise her previous set of babies, so she is not sure about letting them nurse. She kicks at them, though she licks them and obviously is interested. We held her and let all three get a belly-full of colostrum around 8:00, and are heading back out to do it again at 10:00.

How often do we need to feed them overnight?

I setup a nice warming area with a heat lamp that the little ones can get into.

Fun stuff: two bucklings and a doeling.
One white buckling, the other is tan and white. The doeling must be half zebra - black with white striping.

Pictures to follow in the morning.

 

[Cara]

Congratulations, and i'm sorry you're having problems. Fingers crossed she'll get used to them soon. I have Kassi's phone number if that will help.

 

[gaited horse]

well the babys have to have there pic put up so we can make sure they are fat

 

[BeardedChick]

Quote:
Thanks - I do have her number, but I hate to call this late... I'll look around online.

We just did the 10:00 feeding and they nursed some but weren't starving.

They definitely like the warming area!

 

[Cara]

I wouldn't be surprised if you go out to check on them and they're nursing

It's tough though, sometimes leaving them to figure it out will work, other times you risk losing them. I never asked her how often she bottle feeds the babies if she pulls them right away, but i'm sure she's not up every couple of hours through the night. Surely nobody would be crazy enough to do that by choice! I think i'd maybe check on them every four hours tonight, but that's a wild guess.

 

[bheila]

Are you wondering how often they need to nurse on mom or how often you need to bottle feed? What kind of goats are they?

 

[BeardedChick]

I ended up feeding again at 6 hours. However, the doeling did not suck.

I milked out a couple ounces and we tried to bottle feed, and she didn't take that well. Didn't get much in her.

We put her back under the heat lamp for an hour or two and will try again.

Any advice on bottle feeding the unwilling would be helpful. I do have a tube feeder and can call someone over to help me use it later in the morning.

 

[BeardedChick]

Quote:
I was wondering how often they need to nurse... I have to hold mom - she is not standing still for them, but it was a little better this morning.

They are Saanen/Nubian.

 

[BeardedChick]

Ok, I'm gonna tube feed the little doeling around 7. I read up on it, watched some You-Tubes, and it looks very do-able. I am feeling that it's urgent to get some milk in her little tummy before she flops.

WISH ME LUCK.

ps. I'm an EMT, IV certified. This will be my tiniest patient.

 

[dutchhollow]

When newborn goats are with their mom, they take short sips very frequently, the odds of you seeing them do it if you aren't out there 24/7 aren't very good. I go by feel, pick them up, how do their bellies feel? Compare the doeling to the bucklings if you have seen them nurse to learn what a full belly feels like, they won't look round as they drink very little at at a time.
She will take a bottle if she is hungry and you work at it, is she strong and have a strong suck reflex? What does she do if you put your finger in her mouth, or put her on the nipple? If she is trying to suck anything I would work on mom or the bottle if she isn't I would tube her (especially if her belly is empty). Is she strong otherwise, up walking around crying? A hungry baby goat that is healthy otherwise is a very loud baby. Is she holding her body temp or does she feel colder then the two boys?