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what to do?

453 views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  catdance62  
#1 ·
I am hearing all these stories of taking babies away from their moms and am confused. Should you have planned ahead of time how you are going to raise them and do it?
my goats are due soon and I plan on letting them dam raise and try to milk out every night from day one but leave the babies in with them until they are a week old then seperate at night and milk in the morning. I just don't want to make any mistakes and think I should have done something else.
Also I hear about goats that wont let their babies drink, how often does this happen? The one I have has raised kids before and the other has not (first time being bred) I know I am going to be very worried for a day or two that they are getting enough. I have to stay with them until I see the baby latch on and possibly help with this right? I was at my sisters this week end and her goat showed tons of interest in the kids, cleaned them and we got the kids to take some milk from her and she was fine but then she just kicked and moved so the kids couldnt eat anymore and kinda butted at them. I have heard of goats pawing their babies, as long as she is good the first few hours and letting the baby drink she should be good right?
Any information or tips would be great, I am looking so forward to this and have everything ready, I think! I just want it all to go good Im kinda nervous. Thanks
 
#2 ·
I dam raise my kids too. If you want to milk your goat the way you described will work just fine. After the kids are a week old or so seperate them at night & milk the doe in the a.m. then put the kids back in with her.
I personally have never had a doe not nurse her kids. I think most of the time it's instinct for them to be good momma's but once in a while a FF might take a little bit to figure out what is going on. Yours should do fine. I always worry about them getting enough to eat too. But you'll be able to feel there bellies & tell they are eating & just watch close the first couple days.
As long as they are playing & jumping around the next day, etc. like normal baby goats you know they are eating because otherwise they would go down very fast.

I'm a little worry wart too but just watch them & it should all work out fine. Normally mother nature kicks in & tell's them what to do. If the baby needs help latching on then you can maybe help but they normally find it with a little stumbling & momma nudging them.
 
#3 ·
You will be fine.
I have found that sometimes a FF does not understand. Nursing can be painful for mom especially if she is full. But it also relieves the pain after a few sucks. Be sure the kid nurses and finds the teat by itself before you leave them alone. I like to squirt some out before the kid tries to latch on. First the smell of the milk helps the kid and the pressure relief helps mom stand still.
 
#4 ·
Usually all goes well, but I like to be there whenever possible, just in case. I've had one rejection this spring - the mother just walked away and never cleaned the kid. Nothing wrong with her, she's a beautiful little doeling.

One kidded yesterday (early!) with twins. She was violently rejected by her mother - but not until about six hours after birth. She was cleaned off and nursed but then the mother started picking her up and throwing her across the barn. :grump: I was worried about her with her kids, but so far she's been just fine. One of the two is a little smaller, but I've twice guided him to a teat and he's latched on right away, so he obviously knows what they're for!

Just keep an eye on the newborns and go with your instincts - you'll be fine!
 
#5 ·
I always make sure the babies have eaten. If they are slow to latch on to the doe or if she won't stand still so I can show them, I'll milk out some of her colostrum to give the kids their first meal. I pull most of the doe kids and bottle feed. What you have to watch out for with some does is that they get overenthusiastic when their hormones are raging from kidding. My friend has a LM doe who will paw her kids to death trying to mother them if she isn't there to remove them. I had a FF doe kid yesterday who bit half of one of her boy's tail off while pushing him under her to nurse. I'm really glad I pulled her doeling to hand raise.
 
#7 ·
Sometimes you have to help the new mom learn how to be a mom. Hold the babies near the teat and help them find it. Sometimes it takes repeated times and maybe even a day or two for baby and mom to get it together. I always keep my does in a kidding pen with their babies for a few days.