Important Question about baby goats

[ehollenback]

I'm fairly new when it comes to goats. We are having only our second birth on the farm. Skittles, the mom is in labor. 3 babies born so far. I'm not home, she still looks like she's in labor to my husband. I think it could be just contractions to get rid of the placenta. Since she has 3, does this mean that I'll have to take one to bottle feed. I bottle fed the last one when the mom turned out to be a bad mom but with my schedule, I'd prefer not to have to do that.

[Goat Servant]

Congrats on your new little ones! Yes she is probably passing afterbirth. But she could be having quads?

No it doesnt necessarily mean you will have to bottle feed cause they are trips. The most important thing over the next several hours is that they all get their colostrum but Im sure you know that.
Most dams take care of trips just fine. Keep us updated!

[ehollenback]

I don't know if she'd have quads, we only got her this spring so this is our first birth with her. She's a rescue and looks like a mixed breed so I can't predict based on breed.

[mary,tx]

What sex are the kids? I've left three on a doe, but when I left on two bucks and a doe kid, the doe got short-changed and was always small.
I prefer to have them raise just two. You can always sell one as a bottle kid.

[Bluemountainkid]

For our very first kidding, our doe had quads, but the previous owner's friend took the runt of the litter to raise her. But the other three were dam-raised. . though we might've supplemented with a bottle. . (I can't remember). . but I dont' think we did too much with the bottle. Just my own experience.
Thanks,
Bluemountainkid

[Chaty]

The mother should do fine with them. My ND doe had quads and nursed all of them. I did supplement a bottle sometimes but other than that she did fine. Also worm your doe as she will need it now. And a Bo-se shot also.

[copperpennykids]

If you think she may still have a kid in there, scrub up, lube up, and go check. If she has a stuck kid, you can help reposition it and gently help her to deliver it. If she is empty, you can rest easy that she is just preparing to pass her placenta. There is no point in guessing in this situation....

[Sweet Goats]

I had a FF last year, and she had twins, but I took the one doe that no one wanted, and she took her in like it was her baby all along. Nursed Triplets like a champ.

[crazygoatgal]

She will probably do it just fine, but have your dh watch to make sure all of them get the colostrum that is sooooo vital to their survival. If one doesn't have him milk some out and bottle feed the baby whatever she will drink and put her back with mama and see if that works. Sometimes they are just slow to start but catch on and do very well.

Also, milking her out will cause her uterus to contract and help her pass the placenta if she is too slow in doing that. But just watch and wait.

[ehollenback]

Looks like mama is an experienced mom. Unlike the last one who had a kid,
she instantly bonded with all three babies. She quickly cleaned them up. All three successfully started milking within the first hour. We have two girls and one boy.

Here's a pic of the mom and the babies



The black and white one is the boy. They have nice calm temperments like their mom. When we pick them up, the instantly liked being cuddled and pet. Our last baby took some cuddling before she got used to it.

[mpete]

what a sweet looking family. Congratulations

[Goat Servant]

Aww what darling babies! CONGRATS!! Good Mama Skittles!