# Baby not nursing, how long to wait?



## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

Hi all! Please help! My girl Melly kidded today about 3 hours ago (2 little girls and a boy!). The girls are both up and nursing already, but the little boy is still kinda sleepy and not trying to nurse. I'm trying not to intervene as long as possible, but how long is it safe for me to wait? (He's also the smallest and most unsure on his feet still) I'm trying to upload some pics but it is not working at the moment, but I will post asap! The girls are both black and the little boy is a beautiful light tan! Adorable!


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## HawaiiHorseGirl (Apr 11, 2014)

I would get some colostrum in him immediately.


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## HawaiiHorseGirl (Apr 11, 2014)

Oh and congrats on the new babies!!


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

Thank you! And thank you for the advice, I was leaning that way as well. I like to leave them on Mama only and not interfere for the first 24-48 hours, but this little guy has me worried that he hasn't had anything. Now let's just hope I can get him to drink it! Haha.


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## dreamacresfarm2 (May 10, 2014)

make sure his body temp stays 100 or above


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

After separating him and hand feeding him, should I return him to mommy and girls? Or just go ahead and keep him separate and with me?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Did he get his colostrum? He will do best with his family.


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## dreamacresfarm2 (May 10, 2014)

you can supplement him with a bottle even with his mom. Baby goats learn a lot of things from their mom.


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## 5Kids (Feb 12, 2015)

Getting a drink of colostrum is really important, that door starts slowly closing after just a couple hours. It is a process that can take 36 hours, but the sooner that boy gets it, the more open his body will be to receive the complex antibodies and growth factors that make life less of a struggle.


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

I tried giving him some colostrum, but may have only gotten a few drops actually down his throat. He's been "looking" on mom to nurse, but haven't seen him really find it and latch on. Again, he may have gotten a sip here and there. He seems a little behind the other two, and he's most definitely smaller, so I'm stressing about how to help him! He's very sleepy and wobbly on his feet. The girls are both walking around (falling over of course here and there) but he's still trying to "stand" for periods of time and is realllly shaky taking any steps. I've been through one kidding with her last year, but am still quite a newbie otherwise, so I'm so scared I'm not going to do the right thing at the right time. I've checked his temp and he seems ok so far, and luckily I'm in the south so it's chilly but not COLD. I will try and upload some pics again and see if it's working for me now...


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## rockingd (Jan 18, 2014)

As much as I hate to in these situations I pull the baby. I have had mothers step on and kill the weak ones. I usually give BoSe shot and heating pad if needed and some honey on my finger under their tongue and a good dose of warm colesterum and when strong try to give them back to mom. Althought if it is very long most often she wont take the baby. 


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Pull and bottle feed.


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

I have been putting him back with mom and checking on him every few hours and when I just went to check him she was laying curled up with the other two and he was over in the grass alone barely alive. I'm trying to get his body temp back up now, but he's barely there. I did the honey under tongue, anything else I can do???? I'm kicking myself for not just getting him out of there last night when I was thinking about it. I don't want him to die now because I didn't do it in time


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

Do I just for us on getting him warm for now? Or try to get colostrum in him as well?


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

*focus


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## wdwillson (Jan 22, 2015)

I'm no expert,,, but I would milk mom for him and mix in a little warmed molasses. you may be further ahead by tubing him to get it in.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You have to get his temp over 100 before giving him anything.


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

Thank you all for all your advice, unfortunately he just passed away. I feel so terrible I didn't pull him out earlier, but I thought he might be better sleeping out there with mom. She must have known there was a problem though. I'm thankful for two happy healthy little girls left at least.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

I'm sorry.

I no longer fool with these slow ones for long if they don't suck. If there is any chance they are cold, take their temp and warm them up if needed. If I know they are at least 100, I tube them 2 ounces and go back to sleep, or work. I keep them either inside the house or under a heat lamp in a warming barrel. I check, or have my wife check, them @ 4 hrs later and see if they are ready to suck. If not, I tube again, but most get their act together after one tubing. Everyone should learn how to tube babies. It will save you a lot of hassle and possibly heartache.


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## rockingd (Jan 18, 2014)

Is there a good reaource for learnong how to tube? I would like to learn this!


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## LadySecret (Apr 20, 2013)

Raising Goats for Dummies gives step by step instructions on tube feeding. It's what I used the one time I needed to tube feed. There is probably somewhere on the internet you could go to get directions if you don't want to buy the book.


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## Chessa (Jan 9, 2014)

I will most definitely be looking that up, I really want to know how in case I'm in this situation again.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

rockingd said:


> Is there a good reaource for learnong how to tube? I would like to learn this!


Click on the link to this old GS thread. There are a couple of videos in it.
http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f186/help-tubing-help-159757/


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm sorry. These are the hard lessons learned. Many kids don't have a problem other than being a little slow or mom doesn't like them. I find that any more than twins, pull the others and bottle feed. You learn the hard way (at least I did) to pull them right away and tube them or bottle feed them. Don't even bother messing around with it.


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