Two Orphans - Help

[fellini123]

Ok the doe that had the Quads yesterday died. Seems the big baby ripped her up to badly internally. Now I have two babies. I have never bottle fed babies before. I got some cows milk. How much and how often???
Alice in Virginia

[southerngurl]

http://www.fiascofarm.com/goats/feeding.htm#bottle

[LomahAcres]

Aww, poor girl.

I'd start the kids (Nubians) out with 6 oz every 4 hours and see how they do. It will depend on breed, age, and weight. Smaller younger kids may need smaller feedings more often; bigger kids can handle more milk in less feedings. By about the end of the first into the second week (10-15 lbs) I like to have them on four feedings, 10 oz each, 40 ounces a day. I try to get them up to 48 oz in 3 feedings by 3 - 4 weeks of age. They stay on that until I wean them, at about 3 months old.

You may find though, that different people do things differently, this is just how I do it. Hope all goes well!

[fellini123]

I guess I should have said they are pygmy babies. They weigh about a pound or so. I got the smaller one to take about 2 little swallows. The other one wants NOTHING to do with no bottle!!!!!!!

I had to bring them in it is VERY VERY cold and they have no one to cuddle up to except each other. It is 30 degrees already and due to get even colder tonight. Right now they are in the tub.

I'm pretty sure they got colustrum yesterday before mom died. But they have been on their own all day. We didnt discover mom until about 5 PM, she had been dead awhile.

Thanks for any help. Anyone in Central Virginia want to bottle feed two pygmy babies???

Alic ein Virginia

[Patty0315]

If you were in NY I would take them !

Just be patient you will get them to drink. have the milk at room temp or a little warmer. Pry there mouths open put the nipple in and squeeze it a bit so they get milk. Whole cows milk is the best after goats milk.

[LomahAcres]

If they were nursing on mom it may take a little force feeding before they will except the bottle, What I do is stick the nipple in their mouth and squeeze it so the milk slowly drips out like it would if they were sucking, sometimes it takes awhile before they get it (and it can be messy!).

I don't know about pygmies, I would guess to start out trying to feed 3 oz every 3 hours? Do you know how much they weigh? I'm thinking 3-4 lbs?

[fellini123]

I dont think they weigh 3 or 4 pounds, I would say closer to about a pound each, maybe. They are little guys!! LOL
I have fed pups many times so I am good at forcing a nipple. But one is "No way, No how!!!" The other one actually did a couple of sucks. But so far not enough to make any difference.
They had nice normal poops, so that is good. I know that anything I do is bound to give them a better chance that just leaving them with the herd, as everyone was butting them away. And it is getting COLD here tonight.
Right??
Alice in Virginia

[DocM]

If you're using the big black lambbar nipples, and you don't have any of the little yellow and red pritchards, go to the grocery and get some regular baby bottles and nipples. Just hang in there and keep trying to get him/her to take it. You can't leave them with the herd, they'll die. Get a rubbermaid tub, line it with blankets or old towels, and welcome to the "goats in the house" club. If you had quads, what happened to the other two? I'd give them half of what the Fiasco Farm outlines for dairy sized babies. I'd also try to get a little yogurt into them. Do you have a dosing syringe? It looks like a drench gun but it's a lot smaller with a smaller tip - that's what I use to force the reluctant ones to eat.

[Blossomgapfarm]

I am sorry about the doe. I know that is so hard.
I agree with Doc on the regular baby bottles. I, and the little buck I have on it, have found that sooo much easier to use than the black lambbar nipples. You might want to even try a premie baby nipple as your little ones are so small. You might need to make the hole bigger, though.
Dawn

[JR05]

Iam sorry for your loss. I too just lost a doe to birthing problems this past sunday. She had triplets. Since yours are so small, do you have a clothes basket and a heating pad? Put some old towels in for accidents and set to low. Being newborns they will sleep better warm and nested. I heat my bottles in the 90-95 range as that is what comes from mom. Cows milk is good if you don't have a milking doe around. With mine they were 4 days old and 2 took to the bottle easy but the third we call sneaky Pete because she refuses the bottle and goes around and steals from the other does while their kids are nursing! Stay in there and you will win the battle. Once you do win the battle, you will wonder where they are putting all that milk!

jr05

[fellini123]

I was using a baby bottle, the same one I use for puppies. BUT the good news is the goat crisis is over for the time being!!! I found an experienced goat person, she has momma goats and she is bottle feeding a couple babies already. So she took them!! Yeah!!!

Now we just had a first timer have her two babies and she is not interested in them!!!!!! We will see, I hate birthing problems!!!!!!! LOL
Alice in Virginia

[Sweet Goats]

I am really sorry to hear that you lost the doe. Are you getting the babies back later or did you just give them to her. Really bottle feeding babies is not hard at all, it really is rewarding.

[fellini123]

I'm a weanie, I let her have the goatie babies. I figure if she does all that work she should have the babies. Got to check on them tonight and they are doing well. Hopefully they will grow up big and stronge.
Alice in Virginia