Baby goats not thriving...*HELP*

ZykloniaDark-GothikRanchr

Songster
11 Years
Mar 7, 2008
394
0
139
Saint Cloud Florida
I got a new goat with twins yesterday, they are all kinda scrawny, that is why I took them... Mom isn't really taking good care of them, she is too busy trying to eat. I thought they were newborn, they are so tiny, but I looked in their mouth and they have TEETH!!! So they have to be about 3 week old...now I am worried, I took them inside to see if I could get them to take some extra milk w/ a bottle, and they clammed right up. Won't take it. What can I do?? I don't want to lose these little darlings!! All my goats take care of their babies on their own, so I don't really know what to do for them. They also look like they have some sort of little bugs on their legs, like mites or something...how do I get rid of them? I think I bit off alot when I took these ladies in!!!
 
Maybe they are nursing just a few minutes at a time and you don't see it. I wouldn't separate the mother and kids. If they are 3 weeks old, are they starting to nibble on hay? Do you have alfalfa or orchard mix hay for them to nibble? Are they starting to graze around mama?

My goats are 4 weeks old and look skinny, too, but that's ok. They are bouncing around and running everywhere. Check out this goat website: www.thegoatspot.net
Good Luck!

Here are the twins, Jack & Jill at 4 days old.

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I put them back out with mom, gave her a break to get some eating done. The babies didn't take the milk from the bottle at all, maybe I should try it in a dish? They do nurse a little bit when mom will stand still for them. I was more concerned because she leaves them for long periods of time to get her own food {she was pretty skinny her self} I just have to keep going outside, when I do, she goes back to the babies. I will take pics of them tomorrow, they are just so tiny. I was thinking of making them some oatmeal with the milk replacer, think that would work? but yes, I do have alfalfa pellets for my bunny, I can try those. They don't seem to be grazing with mom, from the looks of her, she didn't do much grazing before....I don't know....so confused!!!!!!
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BTW yours are adorable, but at 4 days, they are like twice the size of mine at 3 wks! mine are TINY, itty bitty.
 
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here are some pics of mom and babies. keep in mind these twins are at least 3 wks old!!

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is it possible their dad was a pygmy? they at least seem to be doing better, they look like they are putting on some weight finally! I am just concerned about their incredibly tiny size!!!
 
I would just bump up Mom's feed- supplement with good hay and goat feed. Those babies made it this long, that is a good sign they will survive. Babies just grab a quick sip many times a day and Mom leaves them to graze so sounds like everything is normal other than low weight.
Good Luck!!!
 
Thanx for the reassurance! I was feeling like that was the case, but it is always better to have some other opinions. I was so worried bout my little girls. Tomorrow I will take a photo of me holding them so you can see just how tiny they are!
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They look wormy to me. I think I'd worm them up real good. Its hard to tell whats growing in the field, but it looks green, so hopefully there is something good out there. If the babies have teeth, they will probably nibble on the young plants coming up. I sure hope you can pull them out of this. Its a shame when you find animals in such poor condition. You might try offering the babies a pan of milk. If you aren't seeing them nurse at all, I would still have some slight concerns, particularly if they were penned with other nannies at the old home. Goats will nurse pretty nondiscrimanently sometimes. They could have been nursing from a different nanny to get them this far. How do your nanny's utters look?
 
They look good, and I do see them nurse occasionally, but mom will only allow it for a few moments before she walks away. They nibbled a bit on the grass this mourning, and I can worm them...The only thing I haven't done yet! here is a picture of one of the twins, close up

Fauna
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this is how tiny she is! Flora is the same size
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Thanx for the worming suggestion! I will get them medicated. I have liquid fenbendazole, will that work?
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I agree with Gwen. I would try and supplement with milk in a pan, they need the extra nurishment. Worming is a good thing too. At 3 weeks of age they should be trying to graze just like momma is I would offer them alfalfa hay and goat feed. Goodluck with them.
 

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