# Mother goat rejecting kid at day 4



## Coupe (Mar 24, 2013)

I have a FF that has rejected her kid on day 4.
The birth went great, didnt have to help and was super quick. Kid was born on the first day of spring (4 days ago). It was extreamly cold the night of the birth, so i brought mom and the kid inside. The kid took awhile to figure out the hole nursing thing, but got it after an hour or so. Mom was doing a great job, until this morrning when i brought them outside. As soon as they got into their pen,mom started butting the kid and not letting the kid nurse. I figured she was just excited to be back outside and didnt want to be bothered. But she has been mean to the kid all day! I saw her bite the kids ear and throw her, hit her hard enough she fell to the ground and about 2 hours ago i heard bnging noise, so i went out and the kid was in the water dish and mom was rearing up going to hit her again. She wont let her nurse annd is beingnjust straight mean! I tried tieing her up to let the kid nurse but the mom just kicks and screams like she is dieing now. She wont let the kid anywhere near her! I brought the kid inside because she loked so sad and confused. She took to being bottle fed like a charm , i thinks shes happy to be away from her evil mom! But momma goat has been screaming for 2 hours straight now, its 9pm and im worried my neighbors are going to get upset. I tried bringing her the kid but she still tries to butt her away.
I need help! I dont understand why my doe is doing this!?


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## Pearce Pastures (Mar 24, 2013)

Sorry you are having a rough time.  I bottle raise all of our kids here so I have not had any personal experience to share but I have heard of does, especially first time mothers, who are neglectful or even rough with their kids.  I wish I had advice to offer you on how to make it work and maybe someone else will pipe in soon.  I would have a backup plan to bottle feed ready though.  If you decide to go this route, feel free to contact me and I can direct you to the feeding plan we follow here.


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## Coupe (Mar 24, 2013)

Thank you for the reply.
I have the kid inside for the night. I was to scared to leave her out there, thought i would wake up to a dead kid. But she is being bottle fed, which was pretty simple. Alsi i relized the kid dosnt seem to cry out for her mom..she dosnt seem to cry at all really. I bring the kid back outside in the AM and try it again, but i am fully prepared to bottle feed if i have to.
I forgot to tell you about my goats! I only have 2 (well now 3), A buck and a doe. Both Nigerian Dwarfs (or atleast i think so). My doe and buck grew up together, which was a big mistake on my part. I have seperated their pen now and my doe is extreamly unhappy about it ! But i dont want her getting pregnant again. But they can still see eachother , sense i just have a fence panel in between them. Will she be ok like that? Or should i get her a  friend?


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## Coupe (Mar 25, 2013)

I think i posted this is the wrong place? Should i move itto the baby giat section?


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## Jewls819 (Mar 29, 2013)

I read the other day and I cant remember where.  Sometimes the goat is not nursing right and it hurts the mothers nipple because they are suckling wrong.  I wonder if that is why?  I will try and find that article.  I am so new to goats that I read everything I can find. I found it.  Read this it is interesting.  http://antiquityoaks.blogspot.com/2008/06/sucking-disorder-in-goat-kid.html


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## elevan (Mar 29, 2013)

Coupe said:
			
		

> I think i posted this is the wrong place? Should i move itto the baby giat section?


moved it for you.  Just use the report button to ask for your post to be moved if you post in the wrong area in the future.


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## Queen Mum (Mar 29, 2013)

First fresheners are goofy sometimes.  BUT usually when a mother won't let her baby nurse, it is a brewing case of mastitis, or a cut or some kind of pain involved.  Since the baby hurts her she will kick the baby away.  

Check mom's temp. Strip her out.  Feel for hot spots and hard spots.  Get down there and look for hot red spots on her udder.  (You can shave her if need be.)  Test her for mastitis or just start her on Pen G.


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## SheepGirl (Mar 29, 2013)

When my ewe had twins back in 2009, the ewe lamb (Ali) was starting to become rejected at a couple days old. Nothing wrong with the udder and the ram was allowed to nurse. Turned out the ewe lamb had prematurely lost a tooth (never figured out how) and it was just hanging there by a thread, and when she went to go nurse off her mom, it would poke my ewe's teat and hurt her. So in addition to checking to make sure everything is okay on the doe, check the kid's mouth also.


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