Newbie with a question about "skinny" kids

[yinzer81]

Hi all. New to kidding, and having brand new kids around. My 2 does gave birth 3/25 and 3/28, both with triplets. My big doe doesn't seem to be having a problem keeping up with the demands of hers, 2 doeling 1 buckling. My other girl, who is more "petite" had 3 bucklings and can't seem to satisfy them. They're 3 days younger but look much skinnier than the other 3. I can see their hip bones and bumpy little spines. They don't seem to have quite as much energy either. They come out to eat, they having to take turns and seem to switch teats a lot. They don't play as much as the others, then they go right back to sleep. I realize they're a few days younger, but they don't seem to be growning or progressing as well as the other 3. My husband says they're fine and I'm just a worrier.
I've tried giving them a bottle of my other goats milk, but none of them would take it. But, to be honest, I'm having trouble with the prichard nipples (leaking) and the other black lamb/kid nipples seem too big for their little mouths.
Any suggestions on what I should do for them?
Thanks.

 

[AdoptAPitBull]

A plastic $.97 baby bottle from Walmart with the nipple orifice cut into an X. Works great for the little ones. Buy a gallon of whole cow's milk and try that, too. Make sure you warm it up, too, because they will not be happy with cold milk!

 

[yinzer81]

Thanks for the suggestion. I ran up and got one, filled it with warm milk. It was rejected by all 3 of them. What am I doing wrong? They're sucking and sucking on their momma, but I don't think they're getting enough. Could I be wrong? (wouldn't be the first or last time, thats for sure!):/

 

[Missy]

Can you fill a bottle milking from momma?

I would attempt to trick them. When they go to nurse, stand next to momma and hold the bottle right next to the udder. aim it at what ever kid gets closest to it. Or take the whole cows milk, and squirt a bit of momma's milk on the nipple.

I tried a regualr baby's bottle with my buckling when I got him. No luck. I switched to a soda bottle with one of those black rubber nipples from Tractor Supply(you can get them other places as well), worked like a charm.

 

[20kidsonhill]

If your pritchard nipple is leaking, it is because the metal ball isn't in the right place. there should be a little metal ball in the air hole, sometimes when cleaning they fall out or may not be in the hole properly.

I have found that a hungry kid may take the bottle at 3 or 4 days of age, but then again may not care for that rubbier nipple. They very quickly get used to what ever they are being fed with in the first couple of days.

You can keep trying, make sure you warm the milk to 104 degress, you can just use whole cows milk, that way you don't have to take from the other mom who is also milking trips.

You could take off two of the kids and work with them in the house for a couple days, let them get good and hungry, 6 or 8 hours and then offer them a bottle. AFter two or 3 days of bottle feeding you could put them back out with mom. They may only take the bottle at that point or they may want to do both, or eventually they may only want mom again.

I guess it depends on how much time you have and if you want to deal with one or two bottle babies. I suspect your enstinct is right and they aren't getting enough to eat.

You could just try slowly increasing mom's calories, and try to get her to produce more milk, by offering her more alfalfa(either pelleted or hay) and some corn. Corn has a high TDN and very good for increasing milk supply. But you need to be careful not to make changes too quickly, so you don't upset her stomach. I feed my adult boer does 1 to 2 cups of rolled corn a day, when they are nursing.

If it was me, I would pull one or two of the kids and just get them on a bottle, so it isn't so hard on mom.