Need Help and Advice Quick

[RedBuffalo]

I have a doe that this is her first time kidding. She had a little buckiling yesterday morning. She is licking on him and laying by him and being very protective of him but she is not letting him nurse. We have been having to hold her to let the him nurse. How can we get her to nurse him or will she ever start nursing him on her own?. Or do I just need to take over and bottle feed himI need help or advice quick.

[April]

Sometimes it takes new moms a little bit to figure out what their proper behavior should be. Alternately, he could be nursing when you're not looking. Check to see if his belly is full. If it's not, then you may have to go out and hold her every few hours so that he can nurse. She'll come around eventually.

If you want to bottle feed, sooner rather than later is best in order for the babies to more easily learn to take the bottle. You'll have to milk her twice a day, though.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Yup. Hold her, make sure he sucks. Praise her and give her treats for good behavior. Make it a nice experience. Make sure she isn't so overfull that she's in udder pain.

[RedBuffalo]

I just checked him and his little belly doesn't fill full. I am bottle feeding 3 right now and I know what their bellies should feel like. I am going to keep working with her and hopefully she will come around. I feel bad for her because she is so proud of her little guy she just hasn't gotten the nursing part down yet.

[Copperhead]

Had this very problem this morning DairyXMeat Doe had beautiful buckling and doeling and a very swollen, tender udder. Everything anything got near her udder it was rewarded with a sharp kick. We short-roped her and pinned her up against the wall. I held her and lifted her leg up into her belly. Once it was high in her belly, she didn't have nearly the strength to kick and struggle. We stripped some milk out of each teat to make sure they weren't plugged. After letting the doeling suck honey off our fingers, we coated the nipple in honey, pried open the doelings jaws, and "forced" the nipple into the mouth. It took about 10 minutes of bumbling around to find the right combination, but once we got the logistics worked out, she took to sucking like a champ. A few minutes later, both babies were going to town . . . tails wiggling for all they were worth

I know, I know . . . I'll be posting pics in a few minutes!

[Double H Ranch]

have you tried milking her out? If they are uncomfortable they will not let the kid nurse. It could be as simple as a cracked teat or a plugged nipple.

[RedBuffalo]

Yes we milked both sides yesterday to make sure they weren't plugged, etc. The little buckling nursed good when he was allowed too. Every time he was standing and would try to nurse she would just knock him down and then lay down next to him and start licking on him. Right now I am waiting for my uncle to get here to help me hold her.

[Sherry in Iowa]

Just wanted to say that "milking her out" and getting enough squeezed out to make sure she is not plugged are two VERY different things.

[RedBuffalo]

My uncle who has raised goats for over 20 years said that she is not plugged. I made the decision to take the baby from her today. She has not made any effort to take care of him at all today. I will continue to try and milk her and to bottle feed him. Right now I have him in the house so that he can stay warm. Thanks everyone.

[Sherry in Iowa]

I'm sorry (blame the flu) I don't mean that you and your uncle don't understand when a teat is plugged. I meant that goats, especially those little ole FF.. can be very touchy with a full bag. That this little gal is so good at taking care of the baby..except for letting him suck..to me..is a signal that her full bag is so sore that she can't stand to have the little munchkin suck. I would have milked her down on both sides. Then put the little shaver on her and let him suck. I'd try this because some goats are really sensitive in the bag/teats when full. It's a shame she isn't raising him..I have old does that could stand some of this FF mothering abilities.

Best of luck.

[RedBuffalo]

I know that you didn't mean anything by it. I was not offended at all. I was just really worried about the buckling because he is very weak. We milked her down completely on both sides and I have it in a container in fridge. I have tubed him three times and he is starting to gain his strength back. When I milked her she didn't act like she minded it at all. I think she doesn't know what is going on. She had two but one I didn't catch in time and it suffucated because she didn't tear the bag. And I found this one and got him cleaned off with a towel and then she started licking on him and acting like she was going to take care of him but like I said she is not letting him nurse. So I am going to milk her again and continue to feed him with her milk. The other bottle babies I have came from a friend. All of our other momma's are taking care of their babies.

[RedBuffalo]

This is the little buckling. He has finally started to nurse from the bottle. But he is still a little weak. I will post more pics later.

[Double H Ranch]

Well, hopefully she will do better next year. We had a FF once that I swore I would get rid of before she ever got preg again.. she had to be held for days to let him nurse and once she finially took him ~we burned his horns and it was like she forgot who he was all over again. Honestly calling for him and kicking him off at the same time. I had never been so mad at a goat in my life.. some how though she slipped through the cracks and was still there the next season. You'd of never known she was so stupid the year before, raised her babies fine and has ever since. who knows why animals are the way they are....

[Double H Ranch]

P.S. he's a cutie!

[Backfourty,MI.]

Some FF just don't Get It the 1st time around but next year I bet she'll be 1 of your pro's.
Cute little guy & I hope he gets stronger & bouncing around in a day or so for you.

[GoatJunkie]

A Nigie buckling born here a few days ago had yo be bottle raised because he couldn't find his legs for the first day. He's doing well on the bottle now. It's a good week for bottle baby survivors.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him. He is a cutie!

[RedBuffalo]

Well he didn't make it through the night. He started to stay and his legs were still a little shakey and then when I went to check on him again to feed him again he was laying there lifeless. I sure hope that she does better next year. I am thinking she didn't understand what was going on. But I already told my hubby that if she does this again next year she is a goner.

[Minelson]

I have been following this thread.. I am so sorry for the sad outcome ((((hugs))))

[RedBuffalo]

Thanks Minelson. I think he was just too weak. I just wish I could have saved the little guy he sure was handsome. But I still have the other 3 bottle babies right now. They are all doing great. I will post an update on them in a few days or so. I appreciate everyone's advice and encouragement on this situation.

[haypoint]

All sorts of opportunity to armchair quarterback and hindsight is always 20-20, but….
It is critical that a kid get a meal fairly soon after birth. Holding momma and getting him up to her to nurse might take two or three people, but it needs to be done right away ( after he has gotten up and tried to find dinner) and with a degree of regularity. I wonder how many times his belly was empty? If he were afforded a nursing opportunity, long enough to feel full every few hours, he may have gotten stronger and mom might have gotten the hang of it.
I know you tried your best and am saddened by your loss.