# Almost here!



## Pamela (Feb 28, 2016)

We should be having kids in the next day or two. Grammy goat (suspected kinder) was marked on Sept 30. I swore I wrote that down somewhere, but of course, I can't find it. Oreo, my Nubian FF is looking like she is very close as well. I don't have a marking date for her, but she is bagging up nicely and was passing some white mucus this evening. Grammy has some colored mucus dried to her lady parts. She is bagging up as well. Both appear sunken in around their tails, although Oreo is softer and looser than Grammy. Oreo is also more co-operative. She and her cousin, Baby were hand raised. Grammy goat was a 'bonus' from the livestock sale, we didn't buy her, but ended up with her nonetheless. She was in milk when we brought her home. Baby, however is showing no signs of being bred, other than lack of heat cycle. I am thinking early April if at all for her.


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## Latestarter (Feb 28, 2016)

OK, you have at least one watcher along for the ride...  there are no issues and we have kids soon!


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## samssimonsays (Feb 29, 2016)

I love Nubians LOL!  Can't wait to see some babes!


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## Pamela (Feb 29, 2016)

I love my nubians too!  In fact, my avatar pic is of our last batch of kids, almost 2 years ago.  Oreo and Baby are in that picture.  Nothing today, a little more goo, a little more udder development.  I'm ok with that.  I have to work tomorrow, so if they can just hold off for 24 more hours, then they can let loose!


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## samssimonsays (Mar 1, 2016)

Good luck with that waiting thing! You know that is when they will go  

We are getting our first pure nubian this year. It has been a LONG and hard search to find tested Nubians in my area. heck, my state, and we finally did!


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## Poka_Doodle (Mar 1, 2016)




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## Pamela (Mar 1, 2016)

So far nothing today. I hope to make it home long enough to check on them. I need to plan better for next year's kidding. Right now I am in the last two weeks of one musical production, and tonight marks the first rehearsal of a new one. Ugh. I often ask myself, what was I thinking?


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## Goatgirl47 (Mar 1, 2016)

I'm waitin' and watchin' this thread as well.  

BTW, I love your profile picture! Those long ears...


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## Pamela (Mar 2, 2016)

Well, there's good news and bad news. Oreo dropped kids today around 6:15. Triplets. One was DOA, not sure of the sex. One died about an hour later after my daughter did everything short of a defibrillator. She said it was very gooey, lots of mucus coming from her mouth. The last one, also a doe, is perking up and has warmed considerably. Her mouth was ice cold when my daughter and son started working on her. She is now nibbling on my shirt and wants to eat.  Mom seems OK, but is freaked out and not wanting to deal with baby.


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## Latestarter (Mar 2, 2016)

Wow... so sorry... more lost kids  I hope the little one pulls through.


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## Pamela (Mar 2, 2016)

OK, Oreo doesn't seem to have much milk. She was bagging up nicely earlier today, but since she has delivered, she almost seems to have sucked it all back up. I was able to get about an ounce and half of colostrum out of her, and once the baby was warm she sucked it right down. This baby is very skinny. Is the ounce and a half sufficient for the night? I have frozen goat milk handy. Do I need to thaw it out and feed her some? How much? I don't want to push her too hard to eat, but I want to give her what she needs.


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## Latestarter (Mar 2, 2016)

You could also get some fresh milk from the other doe who just had kids... It won't be colostrum, you'll need to keep trying to get that from oreo.

Edit: or am I confused and that was someone else?


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

Must be someone else. Although we will have more kids probably tomorrow. She took a power nap and is awake and wiggling around trying to find something to suckle.


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## Latestarter (Mar 3, 2016)

Have you tried taking her back out and putting her on Oreo? that might get mom to let her milk down.


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## norseofcourse (Mar 3, 2016)

Best thoughts that the little girl does well, sorry about the two you lost


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

She is too weak to go out. I will try tomorrow, if she survives the night. I haven't been up with a newborn for quite awhile. Should be fun.


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

By the way, rice bags are great for heating a cold kid.


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

She seems to have a rather rapid respiratory rate.  She hasn't been able to stand yet, but has tried many times and seems to want to.  She gets cold very quickly when I unwrap her and let her just lie on the floor.  She has no teeth, and her hooves are pretty soft.  Her legs are also about 14 inches long! She is like a baby giraffe without the long neck.  Very strange looking little girl. She does want to eat, but will only take about an ounce at a time. I am wondering if she was premature? I don't have a date for her conception, but I knew our other Doe was the first one marked, and she hasn't gone yet, but could any time.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Mar 3, 2016)

Congrats on the doeling! Sorry the other two didn't make it!  Hope the doeling continues to improve!


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## samssimonsays (Mar 3, 2016)

So sorry for the rough start. hoping little girl improves and pulls through for you.


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

Here she is. Honey Bees is her name (thanks to my 7 yr old and 10 yr old). My 7 yr old really is responsible for her immediate rescue, he worked on warming her for a very long time while my older daughter worked on the weaker of the 2. She is just under 4lbs, on a pretty big frame.


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## Latestarter (Mar 3, 2016)

She's a pretty little thing... I sure hope she makes it for you. You should be proud of your children for their maturity. Very impressive!


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## Goatgirl47 (Mar 3, 2016)

Awwww, she's adorable!  I'm so sorry the other two didn't make it....

Praying she pulls through.


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## GLENMAR (Mar 3, 2016)

The symptoms you described sounds exactly like my premature calf. So I would bet yes, premature.
Maybe you can tell by the teeth.


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## GLENMAR (Mar 3, 2016)

If she's still under 24 hours old, I'd try to get more colostrum in her.  Good luck.


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

She has no teeth. My daughter says that it appears HoneyBees has taken a turn for the worse. I doubt she will be alive by the time I get home in a couple of hours. I don't know what to hope for. If she is premature, is there much hope for survival? I hope our next doe doesn't have so much trouble.


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

GLENMAR said:


> If she's still under 24 hours old, I'd try to get more colostrum in her.  Good luck.


We've been getting about an ounce of colostrum in her every couple of hours. Is this too often? The last time, she wasn't very interested and is now quite lethargic.


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## GLENMAR (Mar 3, 2016)

NO teeth. Definitely premature. There may not be anything you can do.  
Keep her inside and warm. My calf had teeth half erupted and the vet said 2-3 weeks premature.
I'm not sure what that translates for goat kids, but I'm certain that's what happened with your doe.


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## GLENMAR (Mar 3, 2016)

You may try her inside on a heating pad.


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## GLENMAR (Mar 3, 2016)

We had to tube our calf twice with a stomach tube. She was inside the house for 48 hours. Also not very mobile. You may need to tube her, but with no teeth...... she's probably pretty premature. Like I said there may not be much you can do........  So sorry that's hard.


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

She has a strong sucking and rooting reflex. My main concern has been her respiratory rate. She was clearly distressed through the night, but has seemed much better today. However, I know from having a newborn on a ventilator, that if the baby is tachypnic for a prolonged period of time, it will overwork the heart and it will just give out. If that is the way this is going to go, Id rather it happen sooner than later. I know my children are going to struggle with losing her , especially the 2 that fought so hard to rescue her last night. But I don't want her to suffer. It just all sucks.


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## GLENMAR (Mar 3, 2016)

Give injection of BoSe if possible. My vet left a steroid injection for my calf if the breathing did not get better, but I did not need it. She got better. If you think she has a chance, you could call a vet and get them to give you the injection that would help her lungs. The main thing is keep the body temp up.


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

If she makes it through the night, I will go see the vet. She is still alive, for now.


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## GLENMAR (Mar 3, 2016)

Good luck. I'll be thinking about you.


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## Goatgirl47 (Mar 3, 2016)

I've heard of a calf that was 2 months premature (it's Momma slipped on some ice, I think, and never got up again, so they had to put her out of her misery and do an emergency c-section to get the calf out) and it was a struggle, but the calf did live. 

Praying for your kid!


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## Goat Whisperer (Mar 3, 2016)

Just saw this, yes the kid definitely looks preemie 

Keep us posted, really hoping the kid can pull through. 

This link is a good read, esp when it gets to talking about the lungs. You probably know most of this but figured I'd post anyway.
http://kinne.net/saveprem.htm

It sounds like she is doing better then some preemies, she has a suck reflex so that is good.


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

She seems to be wearing out. We had to tube her tonight and now we are having trouble keeping her temp up. She is wrapped up with warm rice bags. She seems to be resting peacefully and not struggling.  If this kidding is a complete loss, what do we do with the doe? Do we try again or cull her?


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## GLENMAR (Mar 3, 2016)

I don't think it means she will have prematures again. If she's a nice doe, I would re breed her and see what happens. What's her breeding history??


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

This is her first time. Baby's health is all over the place. She is now toasty warm and has been talking a bit.


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## GLENMAR (Mar 3, 2016)

I'd breed her again. Don't give up on that doe kid yet. She sounds like a fighter. Try to get the steroids and BoSe in her in the morning.


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## Pamela (Mar 3, 2016)

I am so glad my husband insisted on tubing her a couple of hours ago. She is much perkier since. I am going to try to get a little more down her before I tuck her in for a few hours. I'm exhausted. I spent the whole night up last night trying to keep her temp up. I hope tonight is better.
She has cut just the barest of an edge through on her teeth.


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## GLENMAR (Mar 4, 2016)

Your doing great. I'll check back in  the morning.


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## norseofcourse (Mar 4, 2016)

I'm pulling for her too - she sounds like a little fighter, and you're doing a great job with her.  Keeping her warmed and fed doesn't sound like much till you're doing it - hope you can get some good sleep.


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## Latestarter (Mar 4, 2016)

Hang in there! You're doing great! She's a fighter, don't give up on her! Really pulling for you folks and that little doeling.


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## Pamela (Mar 4, 2016)

Sadly, when I checked her at 5:40, she had died.


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## GLENMAR (Mar 4, 2016)

So sorry to hear that. You did all you could.


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## samssimonsays (Mar 4, 2016)

I am so sorry. I was really hoping she would pull through.


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## Pamela (Mar 4, 2016)

Thanks for all of your support. I was really hoping too. I will chalk it up to a great learning experience. I finally found some good loose minerals, and have them out in the doe's pen. I am feeding a formulated goat pellet to my remaining pregnant does. I am praying for successful outcomes, for my 2 remaining girls, as well as my daughter's 2 does.


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## Latestarter (Mar 4, 2016)

So sorry  Was really rooting for you all.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Mar 4, 2016)

I'm so sorry she didn't make it! You did great helping her!


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## Goat Whisperer (Mar 4, 2016)

I am so sorry 

You did everything you could for her. 

I wouldn't cull the doe just yet. This could have been a late gestation abortion.... do you know if she was chased by anything? Is she on the bottom of the pecking order? Underweight? Many things can contribute to this, it could have just been a fluke. 

Are you drying the momma doe off?


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## Pamela (Mar 4, 2016)

She wasn't chased by anything, is a good weight, and is midlevel in pecking order. I think she had too much baby for her body. The three were all pretty large framed, and very skinny. She has been really good on the milking stand. We aren't going to dry her off until the next doe kids, which should be any minute, and we see if we need the extra milk. I am extremely nervous about the next go round.


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## samssimonsays (Mar 4, 2016)

I completely understand your worries. Try to take a breath and all will turn out ok. I have heard that goats can get toxoplasmosis that can cause them to abort from cats, Not sure if this is true or if you have any cats around the goats even. It really does sound like her body knew it couldn't handle them full term.


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## Poka_Doodle (Mar 4, 2016)

So sorry. You tried to hard and now this happens.


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## Pamela (Mar 4, 2016)

We do have 4 kittens that are about 5 months old, they are great mousers, but I really haven't seen them in the goat's hay, although it is certainly a possibility. I know they are not in the grain. If toxoplasmosis is the cause, I don't really know what to do about it. (Feeling despair)


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## Latestarter (Mar 4, 2016)

Just for your reading pleasure: http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/toxoplasmosis.html  or here: http://www.desu.edu/sites/default/files/Toxoplasmosis fact sheet_DJO.pdf 

I kinda doubt that is/was the issue as typically when toxoplasmosis is the issue, you end up with aborted fetuses in the first half of gestation. if the doe was infected later in the gestation, abortion seems to be rare. If the doe was infected, all indications are that it should NOT affect later/future pregnancies. I tend to agree with those above and would give her another chance.


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## Goatgirl47 (Mar 4, 2016)

I am so sorry of the outcome of this kidding.  Farm life can be hard sometimes...

You did all you could for little Honey Bees.


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## norseofcourse (Mar 4, 2016)

I'm so sorry     It's a very hard way to learn things, but this experience will help you next time you have to deal with something similar.  She was being loved and cared for, and that matters.


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## Pamela (Mar 6, 2016)

Grammy goat is driving me nuts! According to the date she was marked, she should have had babies last Monday. No such thing has happened. She has a bit of mucus (I thought) but what I saw was pretty miniscule. She is bagging up, and I am pretty sure I have felt movement.  So I am completely clueless as to a due date.
On a better note, Oreo is a dream to milk.  We are still very sad over her losses, but we have never had such a nice doe on the milking stand.


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## Latestarter (Mar 6, 2016)

So glad there's an upside to the loss of the kids. Hope Oreo provides great milk for months to come. Maybe Grammy is planning one of those surprise deliveries for you. You know, stealth labor and delivery. Hope she goes without a hitch!


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## Pamela (Mar 6, 2016)

I know her right side doesn't bulge out all that much. She seems to have gotten much flatter on that side the past couple of days.


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## klarie curole (Mar 6, 2016)

This was my doe that kidded twin girls if she wouldn't of had a udder I would of never known she was breed hope you have the same out come


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## Pamela (Mar 15, 2016)

The day has finally arrived! Grammy goat has had twins! Buck/doe. I am not positive that she is done. No afterbirth has passed, but she seems very content to eat, drink, and move around. We've pulled the kids for now, it is snowing and blowing and she doesn't seem interested. We've milked her, fed the kids, and they are snuggled down for a rest. We are keeping a close eye on Grammy. She seems very closed in the lady parts department, so I am reluctant to go in for a feel. Kids look great. Nothing like last time.


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## Latestarter (Mar 15, 2016)

Congrats, they're little cuties! Hope Grammy is doing well, has passed the placenta and is recovering.


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## Pamela (Mar 17, 2016)

Grammy is doing well, and her kids spent last night out in the barn with her. She is a gentle yet protective mama. Interestingly, both of her kids apparently to be blue eyed. Neither parent is though. My daughter's first doe kidded yesterday, b/d twins. They are so cool. Tri colored Nubian looking heads with white Boer bodies. All are healthy and well.

On a sad note: our great pyr, wazowski, got hit by the school bus yesterday. He didn't make it.


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## Poka_Doodle (Mar 17, 2016)

So sorry for your loss


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## Latestarter (Mar 17, 2016)

Awww dang! So sorry for your loss.  That's the 2nd traffic pyr fatality this month   What is it with these big danged lunk heads that calls them to go out in the road in front of moving vehicles? Wish we could breed vehicle smarts into their huge lovable heads! Hope you have another LGD to hold your herd over.


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## norseofcourse (Mar 17, 2016)

Congrats on the lambs... so sorry about your pyr


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## Pamela (Mar 17, 2016)

I don't have another lgd at this moment. He was really showing great promise too. He didn't bother the ducks, chickens, piglets, or goats if they were our and about. He was keenly interested in Grammy goat's welfare immediately after she kidded. We never had the chance to try him with the new kids. They were in the house warming up, and then he got hit. We don't really plan to get another dog. We seem to go through them so fast on our road.


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## Latestarter (Mar 17, 2016)

Time to get a better fence! Then think about another dog. I couldn't live without my dogs...


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## Pamela (Mar 17, 2016)

I have been working (I've been a sahm for 23+ years) just to earn money for better fencing. The new fence starts going up next week!  Spring break=teenage sons at home = free labor (OK, maybe not free, I'll have to throw in lots of pizza I'm sure)!


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## BlessedWithGoats (Mar 25, 2016)

Congrats on the new kids, and sorry for your loss!!


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## Mike CHS (Mar 26, 2016)

Like you said, that free labor is never free but it is always nice to have them home.


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## 1crazybird (Mar 26, 2016)

So sorry about your losses! I know that feeling well! 

I have a Nigerian/pygmy who looks so skinny just like yours and I have no clue of when she will kid. 

Thank you for your thread and sharing both triumph and pain!


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## Pamela (Mar 26, 2016)

We have gotten a fair amount done this week on our fencing project. At least we did until the weather turned crazy. Ice cold 30mph winds from Tuesday on. Grr. Usually I love all weather, but not when I have an agenda. Woke up to snow, but no wind this morning. We can work in snow. Oh, and there has been pizza, lots of pizza. I sure do love my teenaged boys!


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## Dogma (Mar 26, 2016)

So sorry for your loss, so proud of your children. This thread had me holding my breath. I am thinking about breeding but not sure if I'm strong enough to handle all you have been through!!! Good luck and thank you for sharing!!!


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