Goat leaving her babies

[chels23]

One of my goats had her babies yesterday. They are nursing fine and moving around. I noticed that all she does is feed them. The other goats protect them and lick them. They follow her outside, but then she decideds that she wants to go to the pasture. She brings them back into the shed and leaves them. When she sees me she comes back and takes care of them. I have had other goats have babies, but they stayed with them. Is it common for a goat to leave her babies and have others help her, or is she just lazy? How often do they need to eat?

 

[FarmerChick]

They are fine. As long as they are nursing she is taking care of them. They do not need to eat every minute, so her going off into the pasture and coming back to feed them is normal.

My goats leave their kids sleeping in the barn all the time and go out into a big pasture. if a kid cries, or if a doe starts to look for them, they hook back up......perfectly normal.

 

[chels23]

That makes me feel better. Thanks

 

[rebecca100]

My baby goats are 3 wks old and their mother is just now starting to take them with her. Before they just stayed in the same corner of the barn. Don't worry they'll be fine!!

 

[FarmerChick]

yea just think about baby deer that hide in tall grass and lie there and don't move while the momma deer goes off and grazes.

it is nature normal.

 

[Chatychick]

She sounds normal to me...as long as she is feeding and watching over them sounds normal...its safer for them in the barn anyway and out of the weather...