# My first baby born!



## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

I came home from work and went out to feed the goats around 4. I noticed my queen was hanging back by the barn without the herd but when she saw me she ran for the food. Then I saw afterbirth on her and ran out to the barn to find a precious little girl! She had already cleaned her and when they got back together she started nursing really well.

I have been so worried I wasn't going to know what to do during the birth but this second time mama did a great job and she's being an excellent mommy. And she wasn't even showing signs of labor. She was out eating breakfast with everyone else this morning.

I gave baby nutridrench amd dipped her cord. Gave mama warm molasses water, fresh hay, and I have them in a stall together. I saw the baby nurse and pee. And mama peed and pooped too. I found the afterbirth and it looked complete. Do I need to do anything else?


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Oh gosh that is a VERY SWEET face! Congratulations!

Was there something that made you want to give Nutridrench to the kid? Really all they need is colostrum the first few days and supposedly Nutridrench can be harsh on the throat.


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

SalteyLove said:


> Oh gosh that is a VERY SWEET face! Congratulations!
> 
> Was there something that made you want to give Nutridrench to the kid? Really all they need is colostrum the first few days and supposedly Nutridrench can be harsh on the throat.


Something I read to do. Oops :/ poor baby


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Cutie!


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

That doeling is so stinking adorable!!


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

They are both pretty. Congratulations!


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## WhiteFeatherFarms (Jun 29, 2017)

They’re both adorable, congrats!! You did great!!


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## OpieDoodle (Nov 15, 2015)

Oh my goodness that face! Congrats on the new baby!


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

dzt66 said:


> Something I read to do. Oops :/ poor baby


No harm done I'm sure! I was just curious if she had something going on that she needed it


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## 21goaties (Mar 13, 2018)

What a wonderful mama and that baby looks like a tiny goat angel!


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## wifeof1 (Mar 18, 2016)

Absolutely Adorable. Congratulstions


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Such a sweetie.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Cute! Congrats!


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## cristina-sorina (May 4, 2018)

Such a little doll! Congratulations!


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Pretty little lady. What a nice surprise to come home to!


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

I never get used to them being sick or dying. LUCKILY, I never get used to such blacknosed sweethearts neither! :inlove: What is her name?


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

It sounds like you did all the right things. Just make sure both teats work well on the doe. I love finding a good, healthy kid and not having to do all the worrying, etc. of watching a labor. Time seems to drag! 

What a sweet little baby! Congratulations!


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Goats Rock said:


> It sounds like you did all the right things. Just make sure both teats work well on the doe. I love finding a good, healthy kid and not having to do all the worrying, etc. of watching a labor. Time seems to drag!
> 
> What a sweet little baby! Congratulations!


@Goatsrock Speaking of drinking from both teats I was just going to post this picture. One of the mom's teats looks deformed and the baby isn't drinking from it. I haven't tried to milk her from that side but I will when I get home. Hoping there's not an issue with that teat.its always looked deformed but I just thought it was fine.

EDIT:
The I milked that side and it works. But the baby won't drink from it. At all. So it's engorged. I'm going to milk it out. Any tips on getting baby to drink from that side?


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Looks like a minor extra teat, which is not exactly wished for, but not dangerous neither. I do not know if it is inherited. Often that teat is a bit sore, which might have given the kid a hint that the other teat is better. Often a kid chooses one teat and sticks to it. So the left one is yours!


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## dreamacresfarm2 (May 10, 2014)

Did you dip kids cord in betadine?


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

dreamacresfarm2 said:


> Did you dip kids cord in betadine?


How does that affect the mother's rumen, when she licks the cord?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Betadine dries quickly. It doesn't affect the rumen.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Good!


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

@dreamacresfarm2 I did dip the cord.

@Trollmor I am currently looking for milking stand. I've looked in a 150 mile radius in Facebook marketplace and asked around and I can't find one . So I've milked the teat to relieve pressure and try to keep it from getting infected but this is my first baby born and I've not kept a milking schedule ever. So I'm learning. The good news is this morning I did put the baby by the deformed teat and she took her meal from that side too.


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Oh and her name will be Primrose. She was born on Valentine’s Day as our first baby goat and the name means “first rose”


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## The goat girl (Feb 13, 2019)

dzt66 said:


> I came home from work and went out to feed the goats around 4. I noticed my queen was hanging back by the barn without the herd but when she saw me she ran for the food. Then I saw afterbirth on her and ran out to the barn to find a precious little girl! She had already cleaned her and when they got back together she started nursing really well.
> 
> I have been so worried I wasn't going to know what to do during the birth but this second time mama did a great job and she's being an excellent mommy. And she wasn't even showing signs of labor. She was out eating breakfast with everyone else this morning.
> 
> ...


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## The goat girl (Feb 13, 2019)

dzt66 said:


> Oh and her name will be Primrose. She was born on Valentine's Day as our first baby goat and the name means "first rose"


That's a beautiful name! She really is special!


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Prim Rose, beautiful name for a beautiful girl!

With only one goat to milk, I suggest you do it in the old fashioned way: Sit down by your goat's side, pet her, talk with her, ask permission to have some milk, hold the bowl in one hand and milk with the other.

Hygien is of course important, both for the health of the udder, and for the benefits you will get from the milk. To empty the udder part after having "opened" the teat is part of the hygien.

Milk stands most people I know of make by themselves.

GOOD LUCK!!!


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Beautiful baby and Mama.
I always loved being present for births. Still, the vast majority come off with no human intervention.
It sounds like when the baby realizes there are two fountains she will start switching. My singles always figured it out in a few days.
I know it was already discussed; but yes, a healthy baby needs nothing but Mama's colostrum and milk.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

"In 99% of the cases the labour goes well, but we never know in advance which one will be that case #100 were we are needed!"


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Put the iodine on the umbilical cord, it will not mess with the rumen.
Oddly enough, I had iodine/water to wash an udder sitting in a bucket. A doe walked over and started drinking it.
I got her away from it as quick as possible, she ended up being OK.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Would any other animal than a goat even think of drinking such?


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## ReNat (Jan 20, 2019)

Hi! Congratulations on your first child! About the defect on the udder. There are goats with 4 nipples, they can also be born with a udder defect, even in one nipple can be two milk channels and when milking milk can go in different directions. When buying a goat, carefully look through the udder for defects, as a rule, such goats are sold in the first place.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Yes, when I have had time to think, ReNat is right. I got that defect into my flock with a billybuck with 5 teats. One of his offspring had a teat with double end, and she had some pain every time I happened to press right over it. I learned to grip her teat higher up.

So have a look also at the teats of the billly you buy. When at it checking his bag! That will also ensure you that he lets you handle him!

How is the doe doing with her double teat end? Pain when being milked? Milk from both ends, or just a dead end?


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## ReNat (Jan 20, 2019)

I want to add, you need to completely empty both channels in the nipple so that the milk does not turn into udder into cottage cheese and the goat does not have mastitis.


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

Primrose and her mom are absolutely adorable. I’m trying to get that golden red color into my herd, I know you shouldn’t breed just for color but it’s in addition to good genes of course. So far I only have one gold doe and she is more sandy.


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## Treva Brodt (Jan 11, 2019)

Sounds like you did a great job. You have two beautiful ladies.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Yes, the colour is very nice. Pity with that double end. See to it that her next sire has normal teats!!


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

My goats were a "house warming" gift️. So there was no inspecting them.

The nipple is a double barrell and she doesn't seem pained when I milk it. She actually seems thankful. Lol.

Prim has started nursing from both sides and things seem to be going well. I still have not had a chance to completely milk her out. I might add this is my first time ever milking goats (newbie ) I have only had my goats for one year.

Thanks for all the input.


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## Cindy Eastman (Jan 21, 2019)

dzt66 said:


> I came home from work and went out to feed the goats around 4. I noticed my queen was hanging back by the barn without the herd but when she saw me she ran for the food. Then I saw afterbirth on her and ran out to the barn to find a precious little girl! She had already cleaned her and when they got back together she started nursing really well.
> 
> I have been so worried I wasn't going to know what to do during the birth but this second time mama did a great job and she's being an excellent mommy. And she wasn't even showing signs of labor. She was out eating breakfast with everyone else this morning.
> 
> ...


Dip the baby's cord.


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## Goatwell Farms (Jan 29, 2019)

Time for a barn camera! Mom and baby are so cute.....just keep the baby warm!


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Goatwell Farms said:


> Time for a barn camera! Mom and baby are so cute.....just keep the baby warm!


Thanks! High of 75 here tomorrow . I've researched a barn camera but I can't find what would work best for me. I really want one where I can log into it from my phone.


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## UtopiaGoatMama (Jan 20, 2019)

dzt66 said:


> I came home from work and went out to feed the goats around 4. I noticed my queen was hanging back by the barn without the herd but when she saw me she ran for the food. Then I saw afterbirth on her and ran out to the barn to find a precious little girl! She had already cleaned her and when they got back together she started nursing really well.
> 
> I have been so worried I wasn't going to know what to do during the birth but this second time mama did a great job and she's being an excellent mommy. And she wasn't even showing signs of labor. She was out eating breakfast with everyone else this morning.
> 
> ...


So lovely! You did great. Good for you for dipping the cord and the molasses water. I have found that a singleton will only nurse on one side. (You can train them to switch, but it's very time-consuming and then they will possibly either go back to the original side or just stay on the new side.) Although you will have to milk the other side for a couple of weeks, you can gradually dry it up. You can also use the products like Today (I think?) that you insert into the teat and it causes it to dry up. I like the more gentle approach. God's design seems to be that where there is no demand the supply will dry up. It may become engorged and then get mastitis, if humans do not intervene to milk it each day. Just gradually "wean" the milking so that you milk less and less and wait longer between milkings. OR . . . start drinking the milk!  and making cheese.


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## JearDOE Ranch (Aug 23, 2018)

Congrats on the new addition!


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## Sean Farmer (Jun 14, 2018)

dzt66 said:


> I came home from work and went out to feed the goats around 4. I noticed my queen was hanging back by the barn without the herd but when she saw me she ran for the food. Then I saw afterbirth on her and ran out to the barn to find a precious little girl! She had already cleaned her and when they got back together she started nursing really well.
> 
> I have been so worried I wasn't going to know what to do during the birth but this second time mama did a great job and she's being an excellent mommy. And she wasn't even showing signs of labor. She was out eating breakfast with everyone else this morning.
> 
> ...


That's great!!!! Congratulations! My 3 Boers are due the first week in April, all first time moms, and I'm so excited and NERVOUS!!!!


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

dzt66 said:


> Thanks! High of 75 here tomorrow . I've researched a barn camera but I can't find what would work best for me. I really want one where I can log into it from my phone.


Flipping through channels the other day QVC had an hour of Arlo Security Cameras. I didn't watch, but go to QVC.com and check them out?


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## The goat girl (Feb 13, 2019)

dzt66 said:


> My goats were a "house warming" gift️. So there was no inspecting them.
> 
> The nipple is a double barrell and she doesn't seem pained when I milk it. She actually seems thankful. Lol.
> 
> ...


Oh right people we've got a newbie in the house! LOL I'm not professional ether!


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## Linda Graham (May 19, 2018)

Congratulations! Doing good all of you.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Congrats.


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