Nigerian quads!

[Mini Horses]

Feel their tummies, hoping it's full and they ARE nursing. .

Doing great! It's hard but worth it!

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

They are nursing some! When I went to milk mom this evening one side of her udder was suspiciously smaller than the other, and the kids are more lively and awake for longer. The runt is still not out of danger though. I'm giving her some probiotics and a drop of honey when I feed her.

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

This morning mom was almost empty, and they all seemed uninterested in food, so I think they have been nursing! Now I have to decide what to do because she will not be able to produce enough to keep 4 kids gaining properly. I think I'll have to pull 2 and bottle feed. That is going to be a pain because they hate bottles. I'll just have to be patient. I may also try different nipples, and I'll pull the two that seem more cooperative to me feeding them. I sure hope she doesn't plan to have quads every time!

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

I'm also worried about the biggest buckling. He choked on milk pretty bad last night, and now he's breathing funny and acting lethargic.

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

Well, the babies are getting lively. One doeling in particular likes to sneak into the hay area, and once she found a crack in the fence and went on an adventure. They're starting to do little jumpies now. I am feeding two of the babies cows milk from a dropper since they still don't take the bottle, and am letting the other two drink from mom, which seems to be working out quite well. She was drained dry this morning, and I only had to get up once last night. The last hurdle to overcome is getting the two to take a bottle because I can't exactly feed 4-6 oz of milk with a dropper, that would take forever. I'm going to head into town today or tomorrow and get a human baby bottle, that might work better.

 

[Mini Horses]

What are you feeding the doe? If she'll eat alfalfa pellets, increase those slightly - like 20%. It's higher protein will increase milk. Plus she needs more feed for a couple months, until kids begin to eat other things. If more than she wants at once, no problem, she can free choice eat them.

I'd try switching kids, so each bottles and nurse off/on....then they all smell like hers and she'll do fine. NDs can produce well...she might surprise you.

I'm so glad they're doing well. You did it right!! Good job Grammy!!

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

I would be switching them, but unfortunately the ones that I'm letting nurse on her will not take milk from syringe, dropper or bottle. They scream, kick, fight, choke and sneeze and otherwise make a hullabaloo. That's why I chose the other two to be my bottle babies. I tried, trust me.

The mom and my other doe in milk are getting about 2 cups of alfalfa pellets and grain with BOSS every morning, plus another cup or so of pellets at night and they share a flake of alfalfa hay every day. They also get minerals and bermudagrass hay free choice.

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

Well, I got one of the bucklings to take a bottle! He sucked until his little tummy was round and full. Such a relief. Funny thing is I tried a kid bottle and he didn't take it, so I bought human bottle but he still wouldn't take it, so I tried the kid bottle again and he took it. Silly goat.
He's a really flashy broken buckskin, and you can see a combo of all his genetics. Granddam is buckskin, dam is mostly white with tan boots and black spots, sire is black and white.