WHY is she pawing the ground???

Not snarky at all! The problem is every single goat owner feeds their own way because in their OPINION their way is the best way. And then when someone asks, everyone shares their OPINION on what to feed. In somes opinion, replacer is fine. In others opinion replacer "is tha devil". It was MY opinion (after doing more reasearch than is healthy. I even bought out of print books from other COUNTRIES about goats. I read everything I could get my HANDS on.) that everyone was trying to make it overcomplicated. After all don't Boers and Spanish goats live on pasture alone? Didn't aplines live in the mountians on browse alone? Well, I have learned I was wrong. I have decided that since I know a great goat by the name "Lonesome Does" in it's name that I am just gonna give up and feed mine as closely to match the way Vickie feeds hers as I can. I know if I do that, than I can not go wrong. And in the meantime I know that every rotational patch that I finish and add will make all of our lives that much better.

It really helped when I read about calcium on WWW.DAIRYGOATINFO.COM (GO READ IT!) and then I UNDERSTOOD the importance of protien. I understood alfalfa. I understood WHAT it does. I was taught at Praire View Goat Research Center that I should have at least 12% protien, but that's not enough to make good milk. That's enough to keep them alive. Now I know the DISTINCTION! Now I know about the ration of protien/phosphorus. Knowing the WHYS makes it easy to understand everyones OPINIONS and to decide for yourself what to do.

If it was so easy to decide what to feed there wouldn't be people who are having kids that are too big cause they fed too much grain. Ketosis wouldn't be something that keeps goat owners up at night. How many people here feed "Goat Chow" because the options spin their heads??? Everyones got to learn how to feed their goats the best they can. Not everyone has access to the same feeds. I've figured out how NOT to feed mine (and I STILL did better than SOME I've seen!!!). I've seen some that just dont care. I do.

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas

put the kids on her, and let them suck, and yes, some times it is that thick , she is still in labor, but some times with one or two sucking, it helps bring the next one faster. and her kids need that colostrum now. It is important, that they get is as soon after birth as possible.

Okay.....triples, yesterday. Passed everything. Labor is over. She is STILL pawing the ground today. Weirdo. giggle. Maybe it's just her stress tick (like sucking her thumb) for dealing with having had triplets for the first time. grin.


OH!!! And while I'm still supplementing them some, Babe and Holly have begun competing and now they are doing much better, except for the 2lb triplet which I'm having to supplement heavily due to being knocked out of the way a lot by it's bigger siblings.

Babe and Holly are having an "I'm a better mom than YOU contest" (And I thought only we humans were so silly as to try that! giggle)

Now if only BONNIE would GET A CLUE!!! (She still doesnt know what her kids are. sigh.)

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas

I'd be a little worried about that doe still pawing the ground. I don't know if calling a vet is an option for you but it sounds like something is retained in there. Even something as small as a little teeny tiny patch of placenta can end up killing the doe.

__________________
~Tami

Bob and Tami Parrington
COUNTRY HAVEN RANCH-

To get all the info on my new novel SHAKEDOWN, and watch the video trailer check out my writer's website: 'The Writer's Corner'

I'd have never thought of it being that! Thank you for pointing that out!

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas

you're welcome, I hope she's okay.

__________________
~Tami

Bob and Tami Parrington
COUNTRY HAVEN RANCH-

To get all the info on my new novel SHAKEDOWN, and watch the video trailer check out my writer's website: 'The Writer's Corner'

It's weird she'll paw until she's down to the dirt (or in the case of the pen she's in now, which is really my garden that was fenced off, the carpet I put down as a weed barrier) and then laying down. It's like she cant stand the feel of leaves, or grass. It was warm today, and alfalfa tends to heat animals up. If she were a dog I would think that she was trying to cool off. I will make sure to give her a shot of antibiotic when I get home. When she was taking her time birthing the third, I sterilized my hands, put them in gloves, and sterilized them too before I check her. I didnt give her a shot then, it was up at mom's house, and I forgot till your post. I'm gonna claim lack of sleep (common household items are starting to turn into goats from the corner of my eye) for being so stupid as to not haven given her the shot yet. In the meantime I've taken the 2lb triplet to give her a break, and give it a chance. It's still gonna sleep with them at night, but I'm feeding it.

I can just see taking it around town in a small dog purse like those shiny blonds. giggle.

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas

I can't quit claim the household products yet, but so far this kidding season my girls have had me waiting and watching so long I've mistaken a chicken, 2 cats, and an overturned bucket (I guess that could sort of be counted as a household item) for kids in the straw.

__________________
~Tami

Bob and Tami Parrington
COUNTRY HAVEN RANCH-

To get all the info on my new novel SHAKEDOWN, and watch the video trailer check out my writer's website: 'The Writer's Corner'

THE PIG!!! The goats have their own pet potbelly pig, and that thing (I'm mad at her now, so I'm referring to patty cake as "that thing") snuggles down in the hay with the goats and every time I go out I see a bit of the pig and think it's a kid!!!

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas

Ok Im jumping over replies here about Bonnie is it? Who is not letting her kid(s) nurse?
Right now I have a doe out there still in kidding pen w/week old trips. This doe has always rejected the smallest kid. First time I gave up & bottle bed the one.
The second yr she was showing signs of rejecting a little doeling. I went out there and held her several times a day to make her nurse that baby. After several days of this it got so when she saw me coming she'd she'd kick into mom mode & look at me as if to say, "See I am taking care of my baby."

This is a very stubborn hard headed large % doe and after about 3 days of DH & I going out there, one holding a rear leg up & the other holding her head..this am I went out by myself and while I still had to hold her she wasnt fighting it as much so we MAY have turned a corner.
One of her doelings this yr got disbudded at future owners request. She was the largest baby. I KNEW she would try to reject her.

Yes, it was Bonnie. I honestly believe it was that she was scared of them due to the fact that she kidded in the pitch black darkness of night for her first freshening. BUT.....then Belle kidded with twins and did a GREAT job!!! Bonnie now is doing a much better job. I dont know if it was cause she could see what she was supposed to be doing, or that doe competition thing. But everyone's doing well except I still give little Moolah an extra bottle now and again. She doesnt always get her share with being so much smaller than her brother and sister.
Last year we have to put Olympia in the stand to let Aphrodite nurse till she got used to her. But mom has the stand. I have to wait till the barn is finished till I can get a stand (gonna happen next).

grin.

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas