new kids;your method

[answeredprayerf]

I know everyone probably does things a little different. We have lost 3 kids to unknown reasons and several others to things we figured out. What exactly do you all do when they are born. Do you leave them pretty much alone or what. And how warm do you keep them. We have usually always bottled fed as we had dairy goats and that was never as dramatic and this seems to be. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[fcnubian]

My does are watched closely. When they go in Labor, I'm in the barn and no one will get me to leave Lol. When they are born, I help the mother clean the baby and I clean the nose and mouth of the goop. Once they are clean I get the baby to nurse from the mother. If more are born I do the same thing with them. I make sure all the babies are nursing well before leaving them to bond. Many people dip the navels in iodine. I havent the last two years and havent had a problem. My goats are in a clean environment. I think that also helps in not having navel ill. JMO though.

My nubian kids will be pulled immediately and raised on CAE prevention.

[Sweet Goats]

First of all, I want to say how sorry I am for your luck this year. It seem like several people have had a hard time this year.
What I do is always give them Nutra Drench. I try to help mom dry them off if I am around. I do not have Dairy goats, and I know dairy babies are done different. Do yu let the babies nurse at all? I know some people pull them right away. Are the babies getting all the colorstrum they need? Are moms getting plenty of minerals while they are pregnant? I am sorry, I really don't have anyother idea. How old are they when you lose them?

[answeredprayerf]

The ones we have lost have been boar and dairy but we are letting the moms keep them, after reading alot on here I am thinking its mainly a heat issue but even that doesnt make total sense. The one we lost was a single so thtats why the heat issue would make sense for that one. but the others i am not sure why.

[DocM]

I try to pay close attention to nutrition year round, not just when they're pregnant, and I worm my goats as needed. I watch my does carefully - even though I pasture breed and don't know exact dates, I can tell when they're close and then I watch ligaments. I give my girls BoSE before they kid (when they're close but still have firm ligaments), and I give them a calcium drench when I feel the ligaments going soft. I do try to be there. I have my supplies on hand, a birthing kit with the stuff I'll need, lots of old towels, and a stack of empty feed sacks (great for catching glop). I watch, but I help unless there's a dire emergency. I cull poor mothers, well, except for one doe who hates kids but is exceptional type. I do let some of my does nurse, criteria varies, all are CAE negative, a couple have less than stellar udders and aren't shown, they can raise their own and cut down my work, another just goes nuts if you take her babies away so she has hers too. If I know I'm going to bottle feed, I usually just grab the kid up and dry them off myself, try ot hustle them inside for a bit, where its warm and quiet. I usually "help" mom dry off her kids if she's keeping them, or if she's busy having another. I stay until the kids are up and nursing or else they come inside with me. I'll help them stand if they need a boost, sometimes they're a little weak until they get a belly full, and if they can't stand to do that, it'a vicious cycle. I try to rub them vigorously and wake them up, get them going, encourage mom, give her more calcium drench and warm water post kidding, milk her out usually after the kids have nursed, or before is she's overbagged. I like to save some of the colostrum from all my older experienced does in case I need it, or someone else might, since the baby might drink a few ounces that first day and the dam has produced over a gallon of good colostrum. I try not to breed for January or February kids because I'm lambing then, and it's too cold, lambs are hardier than kids. Late March is when my kiddings will begin in earnest, past the point of sub freezing weather. If the kids look chilled and they're with mom, I'll set up a brooder lamp on them. Otherwise, the bottle kids come inside with me and live in dog crates (or on the couch, you know how it is) until they're a couple weeks old, but outside in a kid stall to play during the day.

[dosthouhavemilk]

Where do you live? What's the weather been like?

We have dam raised for the most part for the past 10 years. I've started some CAE prevention raised kids this year for selling.

I "inherited" the goat herd in 2001 after graduating from high school.

The past three years I've generally been there for the birth or shortly therafter.
I make sure the teats are open. They have plugs that need to be stripped ebfore the kids can nurse...The kids can generally do that but I am checking udder health at the same time. I make sure each kid latches on and is able to nurse. Mom gets a bucket of warm water and some fresh hay.
I check the kids a little later and make sure they appear full and vigorous.
We've bottle fed some to make sure they got their colostrum if the dam was exhausted or the kids seemed dopey....or if I just didn't have the time to wait around.

The colostrum is the most important, of course. It is a very hard life if tey don't get that wonderful stuff.

[goatlover270]

I would agree on the comments that fcnubian said about watching them closely and helping if need to do so. I have had to actually go in and get babies out before and what a chore that it. LOL After the first time doin' that, I understood what a doctor goes through tryin' to get human babies out LOL I always give mamas vitamin A and D about 1 to 2 weeks before delivery, to give an added boost for preparing.
Anyways, being prepared for emergencies is a plus. Always try to have needed things on hand.For instance during delivery, you can buy lubricant for in case you have to go in to help pull babies out and disposible gloves. Do you have things like that? You can get a list of things if you need to. Then try to know the approx. date of delivery and just be there for her. Comfort and support. After the kids are born make sure mama is cleaning them up and getting their airways clear, important. If you have to help, you can do so. Some people have the little baby nasal aspirator for helping to suck that stuff out. I have only had to use it once, other times using my finger.Making sure babies are dry and in a warm enviroment. Starting them on mama and nursing from her to get the colostrum is best. If she doesn't have milk you can use anothers goats colostrum if have it.
I never take the babies away, here again, my opinion, If mama is capable the kids are less stressed when with mama and can bond.
I do not raise the dairy and meat goats and it is brought to my attention that them type goats are sometimes, raised differently.
Offering the mama some warm water is a good thing after delivery, helps with milk production as well. Some even put molasses in it to give an energy boost. I agree also with Sweet Goats, the nutri drench is good. Vitamins for a newborn is good, when they get dried off and things get settled down. B Complex is good to help with stress even and for weak kids or not. Vit. A, D and E.
Well, I hope that my suggestions have helped some what, I do not claim to know everything just offering help. Helpin' out someone is a good thing, cuz ya never know when it will be your turn. I wish you luck there and there will be others as well here to offer more. God Bless you !!

[ozark_jewels]

Boer babies..the mothers raise, so all I do for them is dry them off with a towel if its below freezing(paying special attention to the feet and ears, they freeze easily), make sure they eat sooner rather than later and leave them. I do not bring Boer babies in out of the cold unless it is below 0*. Just make sure they are dry and fed.
Dairy kids I take as they are born. If it is above freezing, I put them in their clean stall in the barn after drying them with a towel, go back to take momma some warm water and hay, then go back to bottle the kids. If its cold, the kids come in the basement in a box with towels on the bottom. After they are dry and fed, dairy kids stay out unless its in the single digits.

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by answeredprayerf

The ones we have lost have been boar and dairy but we are letting the moms keep them, after reading alot on here I am thinking its mainly a heat issue but even that doesnt make total sense. The one we lost was a single so thtats why the heat issue would make sense for that one. but the others i am not sure why.

How cold was it there?? What were the kids symptoms?? How old were the kids when they died?? Did you know they were sick or was it just finding them dead??

[goatlover270]

I forgot to mention I was sorry to learn of your losses, I know it is hard to accept. Been there and done that before, myself a time or two.
What were the circumstances when you lost them? Were they nursing? How old? Weather conditions?
I know now, after just being told, that people take babies when have milk goats.. IS it because, you get milk from the nanny?? BUT can't ya still do that and let baby stay with mama..So sad when baby gets taken away from mama (bawling)
I know it would hurt my feelin' even if it was a goat.

[goatlover270]

DOCM>..where did you get your supply of BOSE>???? I tried to get that and they told me, around here, that I would have to go to the vet and have them give the shot as it is only something a vet can give, not prescribe. I was pretty upset about that after learning I didn't have to go in and come out one arm and one leg, less. arrghhh
Thanks.

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by goatlover270

DOCM>..where did you get your supply of BOSE>???? I tried to get that and they told me, around here, that I would have to go to the vet and have them give the shot as it is only something a vet can give, not prescribe. I was pretty upset about that after learning I didn't have to go in and come out one arm and one leg, less. arrghhh
Thanks.

The vet should sell you a bottle of Bose. They all do around here.