Baby goat help!

[MaryZoe]

Sorry for posting here. I know about Backyardherds, but I find this site to be more responsive. Chicken people are the best! Anyway, my goat twins were born 2 weeks ago. Their first-time mom took a while to get used to nursing them, but she finally allowed them to feed on one side. The other side was sore and engorged. No way she’d let them near it. I’ve been milking that side to relieve the enforcement, hoping she’d let them feed off both sides if it didn’t hurt her. For the past couple days we haven’t seen the kids nurse at all. She walks away and stomps when they try to eat. The kids still seem healthy and fine. They nibble the hay and plants in the goat enclosure and even sip at the water bucket. My question is whether they probably are eating from mom but we just don’t see it, or do some moms stop feeding their kids after a couple weeks?
And would the kids bleat non-stop if they were really hungry, or just lie down and languish? I’ve tried supplementing with a bottle (using mom’s milk), but they won’t take the bottle.
Suggestions appreciated!!

 

[Cyprus]

I've never really worked with goat kids, but I've worked with lambs who've been with neglectful ewes. I'd imagine it isn't much different.
I have checked the feel of their nose when looking for nursing activity. If their nose is warm they are likely nursing. If it is cold, they probably are not.
I've also noticed that lambs who aren't nursing just lie down and languish.

Getting a baby to take a bottle is tough work. You *might* be able to bucket break them.

I would stop milking mom so pressure builds (but don't let mastitis set in) and get her on a milk stand then try to attach the kids. You might have to tie her legs so she doesn't kick them.

I would corner ewes who didn't nurse and gently start stripping milk from their teats then bring the lamb over and let them suckle. Usually she would stand for about a minute at a time.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Generally goat kids nurse quickly in short spurts. If you observe them long enough you should see it. If you blink you could miss it. Some moms are more indulgent with nursing and others get annoyed by it. If the kids are growing and they aren't gaunt they are probably nursing. They may never nurse on the one side now as often kids pick something teat and only nurse from that one, but hopefully someone is working on the one. Watch for mastitis, which would be chunks, and possibly blood, as well as hard swelling that doesn't go down after that first week or two.

 

[MaryZoe]

Thank you. I chickened out and bottle fed the kids tonight. They sucked it down as if they had not eaten in a week. I also milked mom, who was tight and full on both sides. I’ll leave the kids with mom and watch for any signs of feeding. Hopefully they’ll figure it out, but if not we’ll have bottle babies.

 

[Al Capon]

Can you put momma in a head-gate and see if the babies rush in to eat? Never had any goats..

 

[FishMtFarm]

You can tell if they are nursing even without seeing them nurse by what moms udder looks like. If she is hard and full on both sides then they are not. If she is soft on one or both sides and looks like she is been milked down then they are nursing.

 

[MaryZoe]

You can tell if they are nursing even without seeing them nurse by what moms udder looks like. If she is hard and full on both sides then they are not. If she is soft on one or both sides and looks like she is been milked down then they are nursing.

Yes, that was my concern. Mama's udders were both hard and full. We gave the kiddos a bottle last night, then this morning, while I was milking mom to put in a bottle for babies, one of the littles hopped up onto the stanchion and latched right on! Mama fussed for a second and then let him feed. So we put the other on, and they both got a nice meal. I'll do that four times a day for a while and see if mom decides to just start feeding again nicely. Fingers crossed!

 

[MaryZoe]

You can tell if they are nursing even without seeing them nurse by what moms udder looks like. If she is hard and full on both sides then they are not. If she is soft on one or both sides and looks like she is been milked down then they are nursing.

Yes, that was my concern. Mama's udders were both hard and full. We gave the kiddos a bottle last night, then this morning, while I was milking mom to put in a bottle for babies, one of the littles hopped up onto the stanchion and latched right on! Mama fussed for a second and then let him feed. So we put the other on, and they both got a nice meal. I'll do that four times a day for a while and see if mom decides to just start feeding again nicely. Fingers crossed!