New baby help needed

[KBS]

Hi all. I have some questions/issues with the two newest members of our family. We bought mom in Feb. -she was due March 26th. She was acting restless yesterday and had really dropped. We checked at 3am-no kids-at 5am-two little girls. Placenta delivered and everything. This is her third freshening but her mothering skills seem to need improvement. We have her penned up with them otherwise she would just leave them. All she seems interested in doing is cleaning them.
The one has nursed twice that I have seen. When the other one tries to nurse, mom lays down and refuses. She is taking a bottle well with powdered colostrum. When I tried milking mom, I really couldn't get much out. Is that normal? Her udder is not very hard or firm. Should I be concerned about how much the nursing doe is actually getting (she absolutely refuses the bottle)? Will the powdered colostrum be ok? Neither kid is real active. But I am not sure how active they should be. Will mom eventually accept the one or am I going to be experiencing the joys of bottle feeding?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!!

 

[Southern by choice]

First take the dam's temperature.
Second- what are you feeding her? What breed of goat?
Does that clean the kids but don't want them to nurse could just be a not so bright mom but there are other things to check for.
Hypocalcemia is one.
Another name for this is milk fever yet the name is misleading. There is NO fever. Actually the temp drops and is below normal. This can also lead to Ketosis.

If she has no real udder and no milk/colostrum or very little then you are probably dealing with one or both of the above.
Improper nutrition is a cause. NOT ALWAYS, but can be. Where the kids growing take everything to grow and the dam has no real reserves.

Here is an article on the subject.
http://kinne.net/hypocal2.htm

It happens.
You are smart to notice something isn't right.

 

[babsbag]

I second everything @Southern by choice said but I would stand that mom up and tie her to the fence, hold her tight, lean into her, do whatever it takes and see if you can get some real colostrum into the kid. The powdered is better than nothing but the real stuff is the best of course.

The one kid that is eating, does her tummy seem full? Kids will nurse for literally a few seconds MANY times a day when they are small and it is hard to sometimes catch them in the act. Being quiet right now is fairly common, being born can be hard work, even for the kid. If they are hungry they will usually let you know.

 

[KBS]

Moms temp is 102. She has been eating Noble Goat pellets since we aquired her in February. She and dad were both Nigerian Dwarfs.
The smaller girl has been sucking for a few seconds several times today so I am assuming she is doing ok. Mom seems to be ok with her. I did try pinning mom agsinst the wall and milk a small amount out of her (about a tablespoon) I mixed that in the bottle. The 'unwanted' girl drank about 1/4 cup this evening out of a bottle.
The girl that I know has been drinking is usually just resting or walking around. The other one just kept crying and every time she went over, mom would lay down. That is why I started the bottle in the first place.

 

[samssimonsays]

I was unaware noble goat could be fed to pregnant does? I had no idea and someone told me they shouldn't have it so I switched the pregnant does from it.

 

[babsbag]

If she is crying she is probably hungry so you did good getting her a bottle. I have had to hold more than one doe to let the babies nurse, some will accept them after a few days and some don't.

@samssimonsays They make more than one Noble goat, one is for dairy and one is medicated. You could feed either one to a pregnant goat but you wouldn't want to drink the milk if you were feeding the medicated feed.

 

[samssimonsays]

Ok. Maybe that's what i was thinking of.

 

[KBS]

We are feeding her the medicated feed. Our two younger girls are on it and didn't think about it when we got her. It was the only thing we could get her to eat. I checked with the company and they said that it could be fed to pregnant does. I was planning on changing her over to a non-medicated, but figured I would do it once the kids were born.
Mom is still refusing Marshmallow. She is doing very well with the bottle though. How often should I be feeding her? I have been feeding 2 oz about every 4-5 hours. Is that ok? What about during the night? I did get up last night but I wasn't sure how long she would need night feedings.
Cocoa will suckle for a few seconds and then is bumped off by mom, but she is not crying, refuses a bottle, and is up and moving so I am assuming she is receiving enough.
I am suspicious that when mom is let out of the kidding pen into the main field, she is going to abandon Cocoa also. When I let them loose in the building yesterday she got up onto the loft where the kids couldn't get to her and ignored them. Took me 20 minutes yesterday to get her back into the kidding pen with them. I guess now I know why she had been for sale.

Thanks for all of your help!

 

[Jenn27]

That's sad. We have one that we have been bottle feeding, too....she looks a LOT like yours, actually. But we have been having the same problem, almost. Ours had twins (doe and buck). The mama goat has been doing a great job feeding the buck, but knocks the doe off every time. So, I started bottle feeding three times a day almost a week ago, and she is doing GREAT! She jumps and plays alongside her brother all the time. Have you started weighing her? I would start keeping track of her weight to make sure she is growing properly. Good luck with your new babies! I would be concerned about breeding that mama goat again, though.

 

[KBS]

I haven't weighed her yet. What are you using to weigh your doe?
I am a little concerned about her. She does run around but her sister seems so much further ahead of her. Her sister is climbing up on stuff and being adventurous - constantly wanting outside. Marshmallow seems to be afraid of her own shadow. She won't leave the barn unless you make her. She will stay out about 5 minutes and then run back in and hide. If anyone or any goat comes into the barn she hides until we get close to her and then she comes out, tail wagging. I am beginning to wonder if she has a hearing or vision problem. I am not sure how to go about checking for those though.