So my FF doe kidded today, a lovely little doeling. Only problem is, she won't let her nurse. Poor baby is trying so hard to suck on the FRONT end of mom (and she lets her) but won't let her anywhere near the back half where the milk is. I did get her to hold still a few hours ago, long enough to let baby get a few good sucks, but that was a loooong time ago for a little baby. Have Pritchard nipples and pop bottle ready to go-do I milk her out and have a bottle baby? Also, Mom has one herd-mate. I went out there to check on baby, who was settled in the hay while Mom pigged out. Baby got up crying, Mom ignored her, and baby went to get a drink from herdmate, who proceeded to knock her over and butt at her "GET OUTTA MY SPACE!!" I am concerned that baby isn't going to make it if I don't bring her inside and make her a bottle baby, but was really hoping to let her Mom raise her. Any ideas??
FF refusing to let kid nurse, UPDATE she's nursing on her own! Yay!!
- Thread starter Araylee
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RioLindoAz
Chillin' with the herd
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I wish I could help you out, but I'm a total beginner at goats myself. (no experience, lots of research)
Maybe attempting to holding mom still for a little longer than last time will get her going..?
Maybe attempting to holding mom still for a little longer than last time will get her going..?
Roll farms
Spot Master
Sorry, I don't dam raise so I can't really help you with that part, but you need to let that baby fill her belly ASAP...
Either hold mom or get a bottle of her colostrum into her.
Either hold mom or get a bottle of her colostrum into her.
- Thread starter
- #4
Roll farms
Spot Master
Oh yes...If she's a standard-size goat, 6-8 oz should do it, if she's a tiny one (pyg or nigi) I'd say 4 oz.
I only bottle feed my kids (even newborns) every 6-8 hrs, she'll be fine as long as she gets a full belly.
I only bottle feed my kids (even newborns) every 6-8 hrs, she'll be fine as long as she gets a full belly.
- Thread starter
- #6
PHEW! Went outside, baby was in a ball, cold and sleepy. Milked mom enough to get an oz or so and gave it to baby in a bottle-once she tasted that milk it was "MmmmmmmORE!" LOL! So we pinned Mom against the fence and let her get a nice, full milky belly. After she nursed from both sides and was satisfied we let Mom go, who went into protective nurturing Momma stance toward the herd mate that beat up baby earlier, and then sniffed and licked her baby. So, I'm hoping that a few more sessions of having to hold Momma and we'll be OK-half the problem is that baby is trying to nurse in all the wrong places. And I have no doubt that she got her 6 oz of colostrum in! Will go out in the morning and do it again if we need to, hoping that the grain=milked=relief of pressure equation will start making sense.
I'm hoping I don't have to milk momma full time for a couple of months, because her little teeny teets are not easy to handle!
Thanks for your help, I'm definitely feeling relieved!
I'm hoping I don't have to milk momma full time for a couple of months, because her little teeny teets are not easy to handle!
Thanks for your help, I'm definitely feeling relieved!
babsbag
Herd Master
One of my non-FF had twins last year and decided that twins were not for her and only wanted the buckling. So for 8 weeks I would go out at least 3 x a day and pin Moonpie against a fence or feeder and let her doeling nurse. The doe never did accept the kid and would push her away whenever she got close. The little doeling would sneak up her aunties when they were eating grain and grab a drink when they weren't looking. Kinda cute.
The doeling seems to know that Moonpie is her mom and still hangs out with her and will sleep next to her, but Moonpie just tolerates her. Moonpie has a kid (doe) from the previous year that she is very bonded to. But not to the one from last year. Moonpie moped for days when I gave the buckling away, but could care less about the doe. Weird.
It sounds like your doe may be getting the idea. I think that nursing kicks in some instinct in them, at least it is supposed to. Good luck, I bet she will be ok.
The doeling seems to know that Moonpie is her mom and still hangs out with her and will sleep next to her, but Moonpie just tolerates her. Moonpie has a kid (doe) from the previous year that she is very bonded to. But not to the one from last year. Moonpie moped for days when I gave the buckling away, but could care less about the doe. Weird.
It sounds like your doe may be getting the idea. I think that nursing kicks in some instinct in them, at least it is supposed to. Good luck, I bet she will be ok.
Rebbetzin
Loving the herd life
We had the same thing this last week!! The kids (Triplets) were born last Friday.
Shadow, a previous "Show" goat, had never nursed her babies! They were taken from her at birth. She was milked by hand or machine. This was her fourth freshening, she cleaned up the kids great,
When we came back in a few hours, to check on how she was doing, her udder was tight as can be! She kicked at the kids if they attempted to nurse!!
So... since they were hungry, and we are novice goat people, we milked her out, fed the babies. The next day, we took her and the kids to the milking shed, gave her some grain, tied up one back leg, so if she kicked it would put her off balance. Then we put the kids on her. It is has been five days now... Shadow stands still and doesn't kick them off anymore, but we have yet to see them even attempt to nurse on their own.
We are hoping, by this weekend, they will be nursing, without anyone "hooking them up" to Shadow.
Shadow, a previous "Show" goat, had never nursed her babies! They were taken from her at birth. She was milked by hand or machine. This was her fourth freshening, she cleaned up the kids great,
When we came back in a few hours, to check on how she was doing, her udder was tight as can be! She kicked at the kids if they attempted to nurse!!
So... since they were hungry, and we are novice goat people, we milked her out, fed the babies. The next day, we took her and the kids to the milking shed, gave her some grain, tied up one back leg, so if she kicked it would put her off balance. Then we put the kids on her. It is has been five days now... Shadow stands still and doesn't kick them off anymore, but we have yet to see them even attempt to nurse on their own.
We are hoping, by this weekend, they will be nursing, without anyone "hooking them up" to Shadow.
20kidsonhill
True BYH Addict
This is tricky, but i have had good luck getting them to start letting baby nurse and then not so good of luck.
A small pen area no bigger than 4x6 to keep them close together, can help.
I would not feed grain while trying to get baby to nurse. Many mom's do not want to deal with baby while eating. I would do what you just did, first get baby interested by giving a little milk with a bottle, I just use a 3cc syringe to keep the baby from getting confused, even then I have seen them get excited to see me and think I am the food source and not mom. Once you get their interest up let the baby suck all over mom, giving mom time to think about it, then nudge the baby a little further back, when you feel that you have spent enough time doing this, and mom wont stand still, you will have to let baby nurse by holding mom, but it is best to give her plenty of time to decide on her own.
there is hope, since she lets the baby nudge on her and acts interested in the baby, a mom that truely rejects baby wont even do that. She is just nervous about her personal area.
I would keep the baby with her, and keep trying. I would say 3 or 4 days, more than that, there probably isn't any hope.
Edited: to fix some really poor typing. I must have been in a rush.
A small pen area no bigger than 4x6 to keep them close together, can help.
I would not feed grain while trying to get baby to nurse. Many mom's do not want to deal with baby while eating. I would do what you just did, first get baby interested by giving a little milk with a bottle, I just use a 3cc syringe to keep the baby from getting confused, even then I have seen them get excited to see me and think I am the food source and not mom. Once you get their interest up let the baby suck all over mom, giving mom time to think about it, then nudge the baby a little further back, when you feel that you have spent enough time doing this, and mom wont stand still, you will have to let baby nurse by holding mom, but it is best to give her plenty of time to decide on her own.
there is hope, since she lets the baby nudge on her and acts interested in the baby, a mom that truely rejects baby wont even do that. She is just nervous about her personal area.
I would keep the baby with her, and keep trying. I would say 3 or 4 days, more than that, there probably isn't any hope.
Edited: to fix some really poor typing. I must have been in a rush.
- Thread starter
- #10
Well, baby made it through the night! Was sleeping when I got there but when she heard me she scrambled over and started bopping my leg. No baby, the milk is THAT way, LOL!! Tied mom to fence again and let baby nurse both sides. She was still trying to get that chest hair to let down, but once I pointed her at the milk end she figured it out. I'm not too thrilled about having to go through this every few hours, but since we want baby to get momma milk I guess I have to. :/ Then again, any excuse to go out and pet the fuzzy baby...
