# Help!! Doe isn't taking to babies??



## pigpen065 (Nov 16, 2012)

Help!! I am so sorry, because I am sure there is a thread about this subject, but I am flustered, so not sure I could find it!!

My first time doe had twins this morning. She is Boer/Nubian cross. Birth went "okay", we had to help with the first buckling because he was so big, but the little doeling came out just fine. We wiped them down with towels to dry them off and placed them under the heat lamps until she was done. 

She doesn't seem to be taking to them. She has not licked them. The little buckling is crying and trying to find her, but she won't let him nurse. She has not completely cleaned out yet, no afterbirth so far.

It is so hard to let mother nature take its course sometimes, but how long should I wait before I get concerned that she is not going to take them?? It is so cold out, they need that warm milk!! (they are inside and have heat lamps on them, so they aren't OUT in the cold, but it is still plenty cold in the garage!!) 

Please!! Anyone have any suggestions???? :help::help::help:


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

They need colostrum in them within 24 hours -- sooner if at all possible. To me it sounds like she's acting like another may be in there (this happened to me last year which is why I thought of it) ... is she staring off into the distance, sort of spacy?

You could try holding her so they can nurse, but you may have to bottle feed the kids if she doesn't take to them.


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## pigpen065 (Nov 16, 2012)

She is laying off in the corner away from them. I am TRYING to be patient, but this part stinks!! LOL! 

They are only about 2 hours old, so I guess I shouldn't get into such a fuss yet?? All the others were up and willing to let the babies nurse almost immediately so the way she is acting is new to me.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

How is she acting? You may want to "bump" her to feel for another kid. You wrap your arms around her middle section like a hug, facing her tail, with your hands in front of her udder. Squeeze gently, then release and let her tummy "bump" into your hands. If there's another kid in there, you may feel the hard mass of its body.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Some moms will not let babies eat until after all the after birth is taken care of. You could milk her and feed it to them to keep them happy and full until mom is done. The sooner they begin on Colostrum the better. ..once she is done, she may just takeover but if not then you need to work on her letting them nurse..sometimes this take a while and tonsof patients...


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## StarMFarm (Jan 17, 2013)

I agree with danielle, you may need to "bump" her to check for more kids. Is she a young mother? Definatley try and get those kids some colostrum soon.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

She should not be laying in a corner. It doesnt sound like she's done.
Get some bloody discharge on your hands, bring to doe. She should lick it off. Put some on kids heads & rears as well.
You might have to check internally for another one if she doesnt pass it very very soon.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

stand mom up - bring kids over. First express the teats a bit so you can get the plug out and get milk flowing. 

Mom either needs to take her her kids ASAP or you need to pull and bottle feed moms colostrum. The longer the kids go without food in their stomachs the weaker the become and less able to nurse and then you have to tube them and that just gets tricky.


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## pigpen065 (Nov 16, 2012)

Thanks everyone. There was a third baby that she finally gave birth to, but it did not make it. It was very tiny. She is passing the afterbirth now and I think things are going to be okay, although the other two babies have not nursed yet. I am going to try to keep being patient. She will not let me milk her as of yet, and I do have some kid colostrum in the house just in case things don't go well.

Keep your fingers crossed for us!! I am hoping now that she is passing the after birth, she will let them start nursing. If not, I have 4 "real" kids that will stand in line to help with it!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good advice given


I am Praying


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

You need to stop waiting for the doe to take them and intervene. She very likely won't accept them on her own if at all. I agree with Stacey, stand her up, bring the babies over, hold her still and help them find the teat and start nursing. She will probably make a huge fuss...you may even need to tie her up or get a helper to hold her steady so the kids can nurse. They really should nurse within the first hour. If you wait much longer, you'll be asking for problems.

Also, I don't know if you have actual colostrum or a substitute, but you'll want to milk your doe out and make sure they get the doe's colostrum ideally for the first 24 hours. A supplement colostrum should only be used as a last resort. So if you do end up bottle feeding them, get the colostrum from the doe. It's the best stuff for them.

But make a decision now...bottle feed or try and help the doe nurse them...because they need to get something into them NOW. Don't wait!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

time to intervene NOW!! do as KW suggested


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## StarMFarm (Jan 17, 2013)

Sorry about the third baby  Have you made any progress with mom yet? Were you able to get the babies some of her colostrum? I do agree if mom won't nurse them, I would try and milk her out so you can get it to the kids. Even if it is just the first initial couple of feedings till mom decideds to come around. Her milk will be much better for them, and free lol. I hope she has started cooperating with you , some new moms can make you crazy :hair:
But I'm sure your helpers wouldn't mind bottle feeding a couple of cute kids if she doesn't


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## pigpen065 (Nov 16, 2012)

SUCCESS!! After much stress and hair pulling (mine not hers!!), I finally got her in the corner, loved on her, talked to her soothingly, petted her, and calmed her. I casually brought the babies over and put them under her and made sure they each had a nipple (I had already checked to make sure she had milk) and then held my breath!! LOL!! She stood quietly and let them nurse, so I slowly left the stall and she stayed still and let them continue to nurse and even was sniffing and licking on them before I left. YAY!!!

I really got the feeling that she was almost scared of them!!  She kept looking at them like they were little aliens or something!! Hahahaha!!

Anyways.....thanks soooooo much everyone!! You guys rock!!!! 

Here are pictures of the new little darlings!! You can sure see the Nubian in their coloring!!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Oh good!! Make sure momma continues to allow them to nurse. Good work! :thumb:


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## pigpen065 (Nov 16, 2012)

I will be keeping a close eye on her!! I am just so glad that she at least let them get the colostrum. With having raised a LOT of bottle calves, I know how important that is!! Even if I have to stay in there while they nurse, it is much better for them!! I'm finding that patience is not my strong suit in this arena, either!! LOL!!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

:laugh: They do really stretch the patience!


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## StarMFarm (Jan 17, 2013)

They are sooo cute! Glad mama decided to finally give you a break lol.


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## GTAllen (Jul 22, 2012)

Sounds like everyone is doing good now. Congrats!


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## pigpen065 (Nov 16, 2012)

So far, so good. I feel really bad about the third one, but it was so tiny. The first baby was huge, the second almost half the size as the first, and the third was about half the size of the second!! 

I will be keeping a close eye to make sure the babies are getting plenty to eat!!


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## GTAllen (Jul 22, 2012)

I had a doe drop trips like that on Tuesday. First one was a 7lb buckling feet first, second was a 10lb buckling feet first, and then 45 min later she spit out an 8lb doeling. It was hard to get them nursing at first also.


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## pigpen065 (Nov 16, 2012)

The first was the buckling and he was almost twice the size of all the others babies that have dropped lately. The second was the doeling and she came butt first and half his size. The third was a doeling, too, and came butt first, too!!


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Congrats on the babies they are gorgeos! Sometimes it takes mama a little while to figure out what these lil things are but they are hers & it's her job to feed them.
Sorry about #3, these things happen to us all now & then.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Awww I'm sorry the little one didn't make it. But glad that the mama decided to take her kids, if she's not used to being around babies, it probably was a big shock. We have a first time mama that lost her babies prematurely, and we brought a buckling home to graft onto her and she would let him nurse but was terrified of him lol It took a couple of days, but she settled down and has been a great mom to him


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