newbie needs some info

[yinzer81]

My 2 year old nubian just delivered a seemingly healthy baby. If she's going to have twins, how long should it take between babies? Also, how soon should I worry if the baby hasn't nursed? If the mother wont let it, then should I milk out the colostrum and bottle feed the baby myself? Please help asap, we're in the middle of this right now. This is her first time and ours!
Thanks!

 

[Queen Mum]

Up to 30 to 40 minutes between kids and you can help the baby latch on to mama. Sometimes it takes a while for a new mama to get the idea about nursing.

 

[yinzer81]

Thanks, on my way back to barn, if another is coming it should be any minute. All I have on hand is a calf nipple...would that do in a pinch if things dont work with the momma? It looks huge. Mad at myself for not being more prepared. Soooo exciting though!!

 

[Queen Mum]

Calf nipple is WAY too big. Mama will do fine. Just put the kid up there to the mama's teat and hold mama still. They will get the idea soon enough. It might take an hour or more for mama to get the idea about nursing. Don't worry, nature works out.

 

[yinzer81]

Okay...the babies (triplets) seem to have the sucking down fine, but are having trouble with the nipples. The momma's udder is very big, and hangs pretty low. The babies don't seem to be getting the bowing down to the nipple part. I did hold them there and they all got a little, the little buck did the best. The 2 girls just got a couple mouth fulls. I'll head back out in an hour or so...

Next question, the placenta came out in 2 big balloon looking bags, broke and seemed to "disappear". Now there is a long rope hanging out of my doe and it doesn't seem to want to break or come out. I don't think I should pull it out, but how long should I let it hang there before worrying about it? I'm hoping it's out by the time I go back out.

And, I'm wondering about the weather. It's not cold here, but the low will be in the mid 50's. Should I be concerned about them being too cold? They're in a barn.

Thanks! I'm a wreck. Thought I was all ready for this and then, bam...no I'm not. And I've been waiting and waiting for this! lol! I have another doe due any day now too, so at least I won't be totally lost. I hope!

 

[Mamaboid]

Okay...the babies (triplets) seem to have the sucking down fine, but are having trouble with the nipples. The momma's udder is very big, and hangs pretty low. The babies don't seem to be getting the bowing down to the nipple part. I did hold them there and they all got a little, the little buck did the best. The 2 girls just got a couple mouth fulls. I'll head back out in an hour or so...

Next question, the placenta came out in 2 big balloon looking bags, broke and seemed to "disappear". Now there is a long rope hanging out of my doe and it doesn't seem to want to break or come out. I don't think I should pull it out, but how long should I let it hang there before worrying about it? I'm hoping it's out by the time I go back out.

And, I'm wondering about the weather. It's not cold here, but the low will be in the mid 50's. Should I be concerned about them being too cold? They're in a barn.

Thanks! I'm a wreck. Thought I was all ready for this and then, bam...no I'm not. And I've been waiting and waiting for this! lol! I have another doe due any day now too, so at least I won't be totally lost. I hope!

You absolutely don't want to pull it. Elsie had stuff hanging out of her for several days, but we did see the placenta so we knew it was just "leftovers".

I wouldn't think 50s would be too cold. Ours were born in January, and we had heat in the kidding pen, but it was cold enough that the water still froze and they did fine. Hope all goes great for them and your next ones too.

 

[20kidsonhill]

You just have to keep helping the kids every 3 or 4 hours get on the teats, It is frustrating when the teats are that large and hanging low. Sometimes if it is really hard to get them on, I will use a 3cc syringe(no needle) and give the kid 20 to 30cc's of mother's milk that way, to be sure they are getting enough food. But getting them to practice sucking is the best way to get them used to where mom's teats are and how they feel in their mouth.

Sometimes I get the kids on what ever side is easiest and just milk out the other side, But you don't want to milk out all the first milk right away, it is important for the kids to get some of that. After around 24 hours, you can go ahead and milk her and take some of the pressure off her udder to help her teats not feel so tight. Save the milk in the freezer for a future emergency.

 

[yinzer81]

Thanks for all the helpful info! She ended up having triplets! 2 does, and a buck. The buck is definately bigger, and got the hang of nursing a little better than the little girls did, but I'm still struggling with all of them. I can get them on for maybe a 30-60 seconds, then the momma steps away. She is being a total jerk. She won't let me hardly touch her, she refused to get up on the milk stand, and when I tried to tie her and hold her so the babies could get the hang of nursing she came unglued. She was behaving so horridly I couldn't even get her to stand with the hobbles on! (and getting them on was no easy task!) She pitched what can only be discribed as a full blown hissy fit! So, with that being said, I'm not even able to milk her out and bottle feed the babies. She use to be a sweet goat, till about 4 months into her pregnancy, then she started acting like a hormonal troll, but I figured it was because she was, well, hormones, that and being uncomfortable. That was nothing compared to the beast she turned into today! I'm surprised she didn't ram me. (although I could see in her wild, crazy eyes she really wanted to) And by that point I would've rammed her right back. Do goats get postpartum?

It's been about 24 hours since the first kid was born, and I don't think they're eating much. Even when I did get them on her, I don't know if they were able to get any out. Her teats are big and the babies seem small. They are able to stand, and walk, and seem pretty alert. (when they're awake) The mother will let them come over to her, she nuzzles them and seems to be bonding with them, but when they go to her udder looking for the teat, they can't seem to get on it. They're sucking everywhere but where they should be. And, if I try to help, well, the attitude and jumping away begins. She was doing real good on the milk stand, then about 2-3 days before kidding she wouldn't jump up on it. I though it was because her belly and udder were just to heavy to heave up there, so I let her get away with not getting on it. Now she's still refusing! If she didn't have the babies and wouldn't cooperate, she wouldn't get her grain, but I don't want to withhold it now that she (should) be nursing.

I mixed up some alternative formula for them, using whole milk, butter milk, evaporated milk and goat drench just in case they start to seem to be getting weak, but I don't know if I'll be able to get them to take it. I got some of those lamb/kid nipples and some pritchard nipples too. I'm having trouble finding a bottle to fit the pritchard ones.

Any suggestions from you more experienced goat owners would be so very greatly appreciated. Should I take the kids away from her? Hog tie her, and get my husband to hold her down, and milk her laying on her side? Perhaps an exorsism to remove the demon that has possessed my sweet goat? I don't know...ugh. I sure hope my other doe doesn't turn into a goat from hell like this one did. She's due any day now too!
I'm worried about the babies....

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Any update?

 

[SDBoerGoats]

Well, they sure do need to get the colostrum, if you don't think they got it from her, then you need to get some from somewhere and give it to them. She might not have any colostrum left now. But if you can milk her, with help of course, I'd milk her and get some milk in the babies. We had one that her nipples were so huge the babies couldn't drink. She was also kind of wild too, and it took 3 of us to milk her! One at her head, one holding up a back leg and the other to milk. But I took a syringe and squirted the milk down their throats til they got the hang of the bottle. I left them with mom though, and every day tried to hook them on to her nipples. But it took more than one person to get it done. However, in about a week, the babies were nursing just fine, big nipples and all.