# New kids took me by surprise



## JessaLynn (Aug 30, 2009)

On the 28th I do my morning chores and our one doe that wasn't due till the 1st seemed fine with no obvious signs she was soon to kid.By late afternoon my oldest son goes out to do his chores and bolts from the barn towwards the house.I knew something was wrong so I run out and he said Hope had her babies!! :shocked: I go and see a doeling and a buckling and could not believe it!! They were mostly dried off so had to of been there for hours! :? I was concerned cus the doeling was sprawled out on the ground.Both babies very tiny and weak.  I finished dryen the doeling cus her legs and bottom were still wet and she was cold.Boy was up and nursing while the doeling seemed the weaker one and not very active.Gave them both nutridrench and selenium with vitamin e and dipped umbilical cords with iodine.Mom was doing fine so I took the girl inside and got a temp.It was 97 degrees! :shocked: I hurried and made a warm bath and got her in and kept rubbing her to get her warmed.After that I wrapped her in a warm towel and put a blow dryer on low on her getting her dried and temp up.After that I put her on a heating pad,wrapped her in a warm towel and put a heating lamp on her.Temp was 99 so I kept that up and gave her few ounces of colostrum that I milked from her mom.She survived the night and was up standing the next day hungry.Fed her 4oz and then put a sweater on her to get her back out with her mom and brother so she could nurse from mom.She did and seemed better but still concerned.By friday afternoon she seemed cold again and sure enough temp was 98.7 so put her in the heat box with heat lamp I made next to mom and this morning she was ok and took 5oz and then reunited her with mom which she then nursed abit more from her.They both are so tiny and weak and I'm really worried so I'm supplimenting them both with a bottle just to be sure they are getting enough.The boy took an ounce this morning.I don't know how much they are nursing but mom is a first freshener.Her udder isn't full and tight so I believe they are getting some.She doesn't clean them or very attentive but does alow them to nurse.Such a huge scare for me with them being so tiny and weak but I feel like I'm doing everything I can and they are going to make it if it's ment to be.I just got to keep supplimenting them with a bottle on top of them nursing so I know they are getting milk.I'll post pictures soon.They look just like their momma


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## Saanens N Alpines (Oct 20, 2010)

Awww..I hope they will be alright! I had a Saanen doeling that only weighed 3 1/2 lbs. last year. She seemed to be fine at first but I had to be gone the next day for hours and I came home and she wasn't getting up. She went so limp that she was like a floppy rag and I couldn't even get her to swallow anything. her head just flopped any which way you moved her. I brought her in to warm her like you did and started researching online. I found a vet to sell me (wait she gave it to me!) a bag if I.V. fluids at 10 p.m. (I love that lady)! I gave the baby some sub-Q injections and she almost immediately regained strength and "came back to life". I kept her in all night syringing her mom's milk and keeping her warm and she was fine to go out the next day. I could not believe she lived!


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

Sounds like you are doing a good job! Hope the little ones make it. First timers can be pretty clueless, it sounds like mom is doing the best she can. 

Jan


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## JessaLynn (Aug 30, 2009)

Saanens N Alpines-You are very lucky to have found a vet like that.Ours sends me all over the place after hours.So much for an emergency visit from him..wont happen.I'm on my own pretty much.
Thank you Jan-I do got to give momma credit cus she is trying atleast.I have had a crapy year and I don't understand what's going on.They get fed very well and I'm up on everything so not sure


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Congrats on the wonderful surprise...sounds like ...you have given them what they need.... :wink: 

Be sure to get the temp up to at least 100 degree's minimum... before you feed the colostrum or milk...

To get more milk out of mom... be sure to feed her grain and Alfalfa...with plenty of water.... Also milking her and having the the babies nurse ...will help milk let down... bumping the udder helps as well.....

Be sure.. to have them in a bonding pen.. so the First timer bonds with them....

I'd go out every couple of hours and get the babies to nurse.... feel their tummies and make sure they are full or close to it.... if they are getting enough... then the bottle isn't needed..... this will also help stimulate mom to build more milk....


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## JessaLynn (Aug 30, 2009)

Yeah they are in a kidding pen and she has all the alfalfa hay and I grain her twice a day about 2lbs each.Fresh water twice a day.I'm milking her out in the evening and feed it back to her kids.Their tummies don't feel real full and without tube feeding (not done that yet) I can't get them to take more then a few ounces at a time.I figure some is better then none and I'll start going out every few hours.I was bottle feeding about every 4-6hrs.I didn't want to do it to much cus I was afraid they wouldn't nurse from mom.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

What I do is ...tie a bucket up high enough.. to where the babies can't get into it ...but mom can have access to water at all times.... but if you are monitoring it that is ok that way too...

As long as the babies have something in there gut...they don't have to be overly full either... by over feeding ..it can create problems.... so be careful....
If they are smaller breed babies ...they can't take a whole lot each feeding...when just born....

Yes... going out every couple of hours.... has benefits ..one... the babies are getting fed naturally...and 2... it helps mom with stimulation to produce more milk....

If the babies look really sunk in.... in the flank area ..and the tummies feel as if nothing is in there.. you will have to supplement feed them.... good luck.. :hug:


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## Oakmarsh Nigerians (Mar 12, 2011)

Good luck with the new babies, it sounds like you are doing the best anyone could!


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## JessaLynn (Aug 30, 2009)

oh no she has water all the time..I just dump it and give her fresh twice a day (spoiled goats I know) I have it attached to the outside cattle panel so she can reach her head threw and get it but babies can't :wink: No chance of droppings getting in it either. Went out just now and both babies were up nursing.I milked mom out some straight into a bottle and offered it to both kids few hours ago and the doeling took 2 ounces.She followed my youngest son around and was nibbeling on his pants heehee  They just need time to grow abit and I see improvements :stars: It looks hopeful ray: My daughter prayed over the little doeling when we were tryen to get her temp up and looks like God has spared her.Both her and I were up till 1am warming her the night we found them.Now I think we can somewhat get some sleep tonight.More kids on the way any day though.Last one for us for the year :thumb:
Thank you for the kind words. All we can do is try and the rest is in God's hands.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

You are so right...it is in God's hands... I as well ...am praying.. that they will be OK... :hug: ray: 

Check on the babies in the middle of the night... to make sure ..they are OK and getting the teat..... with time ....mom will create more milk and the kids will thrive.... :thumb:


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## Robynlynn (Jan 18, 2011)

Glad your surprise truned out so wonderful! Sounds like you are a great goat-keeper!


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## Saanens N Alpines (Oct 20, 2010)

I never thought I'd pray so much for my goats..lol! They worry me like human kids or worse!


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## jodief100 (Jan 15, 2011)

Sounds like you did everything right. Glad to hear they are doing better.

When do we get pictures?


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

Sounds like you are doing a great job. Can't wait to see baby pics!!!


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## JessaLynn (Aug 30, 2009)

Sorry crappy picture taken with my phone.I'll get a better one tomorrow hopefully


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

very cute -- sounds like you are doing the best for them... all sounds good 

as long as they are nursing then giving them a bottle a couple times a day is fine. Maybe only 3 is really needed till they get a good start. I do this also for my does triplets but they get it only twice a day if I think they need it. The kids then eat what they want which is usually a small amoutn but it makes me feel good knowing I did get them full bellies


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## JessaLynn (Aug 30, 2009)

They are more active and nursing more often now. :hi5: They do worry me like my own children. Can the stress go away now? :hair: Sleep better tonight atleast knowing they are doing better :ZZZ:


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