Goat life (new beginnings, long)

[Carmin Rollenhagen]

My parents raised goats for most of the time I was growing up, and at one point had goals of becoming an USDA (I think) certified milk facility. After I got married I acquired a pet goat, then a milk doe because my son had colic and wouldn't nurse, and my philosophy has always been if I went eat it I'm not forcing my children to, so goat milk became his nutrition because I couldn't stand the smell of formula. (Before anyone panics, we kept up with Drs to be sure he was getting what he needed). So years passed and my children have grown * not completely, still have a 16 and 19 year olds at home with older siblings at 22 and 24* and I decided to get some meat goats. I like them. They are pretty low maintenance. Then last fall my dad gave my sister and I the last of his herd which was pretty bittersweet. The oldest doe we euthanized ( at 15 years old, she didn't have any teeth and was failing in health) then my sister took one and I kept the last doe. A beautiful Nubian named Mini.
She had her first kids this morning. Problem is she couldn't care less about the kids. She had them before my morning check in, so no issues there. My other does were all about cleaning and mothering them. Mini just looked at them. She wandered across the pen and got a drink. Then stood there about half way back just looking at me like she had no clue what those little things were and were of no concern to her. I brought her back over to them and I know she only stood there because she's an attention hog and I was petting her. I'm SO hoping this passes. She was raised by my parents so I know she really has no clue but I don't want to bottle feed if I don't have too, besides that would mean milking also and I don't want to do that either, LOL! So the adventure begins...

 

[Wehner Homestead]

Pen her with just the kids for starters. Is she a FF (first freshener) or were her kids always pulled? It may be a bit of a learning curve for her. You could also put her on a milkstand and let the kids latch and eat until she gets used to the idea...

 

[Hens and Roos]

If you can pen her with them so they all learn as @Wehner Homestead mention might help.

Congrats!

 

[Carmin Rollenhagen]

Yup, thats exactly what I've done. It was mandatory after I came out to leave this morning and the new baby buck was standing in my driveway . It seems the fence is just fine for the other goats but a young one whose mother is clueless, it's only a suggestion, lol. SO in a pen with mom they went. Hoping with just the 3 of them and some time to relax into mom life she'll get it. This was a FF and she had been a bottle baby herself. I know its a learning curve. Mom isn't aggressive at all which is a plus. And they were really new when I went out at first this morning, so Mini hadn't really had a chance to adjust much before her people were there taking care of things.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

they all get it figured out!

Please keep us posted! Also, you get brownie points for including pics. We really like pics around here. Have I mentioned that we like pics? Lol

 

[Carmin Rollenhagen]

We are getting there! Mom will now stand fairly quiet while I fawn over her and tell her how good she is, at least for a few minutes. The kids can now latch on with very little directional help. The buck eats a little better than the doe, but he was quicker to learn earlier today also. Praying for continued forward progress! The brown spotted one is the doe, and the white one is the buck. Mom is full Nubian and dad is half boer half sannan.

 

[Hens and Roos]

the kids will nurse lots of times through out the day for short amounts of time. Glad they are doing better!

 

[Wehner Homestead]

Aww! They are adorable!!

Hope that progress continues!

 

[Latestarter]

Grats on the new kids. Hope mom becomes great so you don't have to become a mom (again)...