How to tell if kids are nursing?

[KellyHM]

I had twin doelings born 2.5 days ago. I saw them nursing about an hour after birth, but haven't seem them nurse since then. They're always just laying together under the heat lamp. They do jump up and run around when I poke them.

I'm assuming since they're acting normal that they're just nursing when I'm not looking? I put them up to the dam and they bumped her a couple times, then went and layed back down, so I'm hoping they just weren't hungry. Her udder just looks/feels SO full that it worries me. There's a hard ridge down the middle of the udder between the 2 halves...mastitis or normal? I know the milk (colostrum) is there b/c I've been milking some out to give to another kid I'm bottle feeding. I milked out 2 cups last night and wasn't even CLOSE to milking her out. Am I just worrying too much or should I pull the kids and feed them myself?

 

[Dar]

can you weigh them?

I know NOTHING ABOUT kids... this is just a suggestion

I know with puppies and kittens if there is a concern they get weighed daily..

can you offer the bottle to them? if they ravage it well then it may be they are not nursing

 

[halo]

All babies do is eat and sleep and play, so as long as they are sleeping and playing, I think you can assume they are eating. I dont know much about goats, but I would assume a good goat mom will produce a lot of milk. As they get a bit bigger they will eat even more. As long as they are bright and healthy, I wouldnt worry.

If she had mastitis, I would assume her bag would be very hot, painful, and would milk out some nasty milk, so if it looks like good milk (Id think the colostrum would be gone by now), I bet they are just fine.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

If they are still alive, they are nursing.

 

[Epona142]

Feel the belly. A flat belly means no food in it, a rounded squishy belly = eating.

Good luck with your kiddos!

 

[Hound]

If they're not complaining, they're eating.

You do need to milk her out often. Letting her stay over full is asking for trouble.