# Both girls have kidded; no more until July...



## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

Okay, it's time to start a waiting thread for these two ladies. Vega was the first doe born on our farm, and that makes her kidding really special for us. She's 3/4 nigerian and 1/4 nubian, and she was bred to our Enchanted Hill buck, Marmot. Vega's mom was a great mom and a great milker. We're hoping Vega follows in her footsteps. She's on day 140 today, and she is a FF.

Then, there's Jitterbug. She is also bred to Marmot, and she's on day 126 today. For a long time, we wondered whether she was actually pregnant. She didn't seem to come back into heat, but she didn't get any larger for SOOOO long. Then, over the last month, she's gotten steadily rounder and rounder and rounder. Now, there's absolutely no doubt. We're so excited about this pairing. The babies should be absolutely gorgeous.

Here they are... what do you all think?


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## logansmommy7 (Nov 11, 2009)

*Re: Reluctant Acres Hope (Jitterbug) & MHF Vega up next*

Vega is SO pretty! How about Delta-when is she due? Jitterbug is coming along nicely too.


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## Dunfactor (Dec 10, 2009)

*Re: Reluctant Acres Hope (Jitterbug) & MHF Vega up next*

Pretty girls. :greengrin: I hope you get exactly what you want.

Tracy


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Reluctant Acres Hope (Jitterbug) & MHF Vega up next*

Boht girls look great

Jbug's udder looks to be coming in good - hope she doesnt have it lopsided like before, but by the looks of it right now she may freshen ok which is awesome


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

*Re: Reluctant Acres Hope (Jitterbug) & MHF Vega up next*

Stacey - how does she look this time, size-wise, as compared with last time? I sure hope her udder comes in well this time, too. Cross your fingers for me... :wink:

Hunter - we put Delta in with Marmot the first week in February. So, hopefully we'll have double-sided Enchanted Hill babies in July. Oh, we put Che back in with Marmot in February, too. So, hopefully that pairing will take this time, too, and we'll get some really pretty speckly or cou clair babies from them in July (gee, right around when I'm due, too). :roll:

Tracy - thanks! We sure love our girls. we are, of course, hoping for girls. I have a reservation for a doeling from Jitterbug, and I'd like to retain one... and Vega's mother was such a good milker that doelings from her would be great, as well... think pink for us!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Reluctant Acres Hope (Jitterbug) & MHF Vega up next*

I hope you get :kidred: :kidred: from both of your pretty girls! JB's udder does look symetrical...I hope she fills it well for you.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Reluctant Acres Hope (Jitterbug) & MHF Vega up next*

Will send you some pictures from last year to compare


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

*Re: Reluctant Acres Hope (Jitterbug) & MHF Vega up next*

Thanks, Liz! We're crossing our fingers...

Thanks, Stacey! I'll go check my email.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Reluctant Acres Hope (Jitterbug) & MHF Vega up next*

I will send some tomorrow since I just got in at my friends after a 7hour drive


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

*Re: Reluctant Acres Hope (Jitterbug) & MHF Vega up next*

Stacey - Wow! Long day! I'll look forward to seeing the pics whenever you get a chance to send them.


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## Dunfactor (Dec 10, 2009)

*Re: Reluctant Acres Hope (Jitterbug) & MHF Vega up next*



maple hill farm tina said:


> Tracy - thanks! We sure love our girls. we are, of course, hoping for girls. I have a reservation for a doeling from Jitterbug, and I'd like to retain one... and Vega's mother was such a good milker that doelings from her would be great, as well... think pink for us!


Tons of pink vibes, thoughts, and wishes headed your way! Lol, I could use some of those myself too.  :thumb:

Tracy


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

*Re: Reluctant Acres Hope (Jitterbug) & MHF Vega up next*

From the time I left this morning to when I got home this evening, Vega's udder and body have changed dramatically. Her udder is MUCH larger, and she's sunken in on the top sides of her back. I can still feel ligaments. I'm attaching pics to see what you all think. The pics from the beginning of this thread are from Saturday, the pics on this post are from this evening (Tuesday). I think she's closer to delivering than I first thought. What do you all think?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Jitterbug & Vega up next - NEW PICS 3/1/11*

still needs to fill some more but its progress 

(I still need to get those pictures to you - I havent forgotten)


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: Jitterbug & Vega up next - NEW PICS 3/1/11*

She is coming right along.... :thumb:


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

*Re: Jitterbug & Vega up next - NEW PICS 3/1/11*

Vega kidded with a large, single doeling. The doeling has had absolutely no interest in nursing at all. After about 30 minutes of trying to get her to nurse, we got nervous about her not getting colostrum; so my dad came over, and we expressed 30cc from Vega and tube-fed the doeling. That was about 45 minutes ago. After that, she began to hunch up and shiver, so we've brought her inside to warm her up. How often will we have to tube feed her tonight? How much per time (she's 7/8 Nigerian Dwarf, 1/8 Nubian)? Is there a chance Vega will take her back in the morning and let the baby nurse, or is she destined to be a bottle-baby?
Thanks!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Jitterbug & Vega up next - NEW PICS 3/1/11*

Wow...that was fast!

Does the baby have a suck reflex? I've bnever tube fed so I'm not sure how to answer that one...if she has a good "sucker" then I'd keep trying with mom or a bottle, how cold is it there? Has she perked up since getting warm at all? If so, I'd put a sweater on her then take her out to mom to try and get her to nurse and bond, If she's not wanting mom and theres no interest by mom, you likely will have a bottle baby.


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

*Re: Vega kidded - need help with feeding...*

Yep. It was pretty quick. I was glad Vega waited for me to get home from work (my husband was home all day with her, but I really didn't want to miss it). It's in the teens here tonight. We've had does kid in colder weather, but this one just really seemed to be affected by the cold. She doesn't suck on my little finger when I put it in her mouth, she just pushes it out with her tongue. Does that mean she doesn't have any suck reflex? I really would like for her to be with her mama, but neither one really had any interest when we were up there before. (Could the cold have been influencing her lack of interest, too?)


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Vega kidded - need help with feeding...*

It could have been the cold but was Vega wanting to "mother" her? It seems here that when it's cold moms want to get those kids clean and nursing pretty quickly...if she's not wanting to suck, I would try a dab of selenium/e gel if you have it, no suck reflex is a sign of deficiency in new borns.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

*Re: Vega kidded - need help with feeding...*

I am so sorry! I just went through this too. Our first born last week had no suck reflex, and couldn't get to his feet, and wanted to lay on his side. We brought him in, took his temp, and syringe fed him as must colostrum as he wanted from mama - once we got some food in him, we gave him some selenium e gel - he was back out with mama 5 hours later. I've been having an issue with getting her to nurse him, she doesn't reject him but doesn't let them nurse as often as the other does let their kids....but thankfully she's getting better about it. 
Hopefully your doe will take her back, and they will be able to bond.

If you don't have BoSe or selenium E gel available, you can use selenium tablets you get from the vitamin section in your store/pharmacy, and vitamin e gel caps as well. Not sure how much to give a newborn though?
I had a buckling with signs of deficiency at 3 weeks old and gave him 1 capsule of each - but mine are mostly boer.


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

*Re: Vega kidded - need help with feeding...*

Thanks so much for the fast help! After having her inside for an hour or so and getting her warmed up, we tubed another 30cc into her. Then, I took her back out to her mama. As soon as I got close to the barn, the baby started calling to her mom, and Vega started calling to the baby. I put blankets up over the outside of both stall doors to keep the heat in (and any wind out), and I changed the light bulb in the kidding stall to the heat light. The baby immediately began to poke around for some milk. I had to hold Vega's back legs the first two times the baby found a teat, but by the time I left the barn the baby had nursed on her own from both sides. YEA!!!! I'll check on her a couple of times tonight, but I'm crossing my fingers that everything is okay with them. 
Thanks again, Liz and HoosierShadow!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Vega kidded - need help with feeding...*

You are quite welcome :hug: So glad to hear that mom and baby have bonded and are doing fine :hug:

I too would check periodically...I'm a nervous ninny that even now with 3 week olds and 1 week olds I still need to know that they are all well and happy.


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## WalnutGroveFarm (Sep 27, 2008)

*Re: Vega kidded - need help with feeding...*

Thats great to hear, hope she keeps eating off momma.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: Vega kidded - need help with feeding...*

Wonderful news....congrats...  :hi5:


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

*Re: Vega kidded - long night...*

Well, I ended up bringing her back in for about 3 hours last night. I went up to check on them, and she was huddled up in the corner, shivering, all by herself. She had a full belly, so I just brought her in to warm her up again. Then, she woke us up at about 2:30 this morning, so I took her back out to mama to nurse (which she did really well). I ended up leaving her in the barn (since I have to get up at 4AM, anyway). Then, this morning when I went up to milk Seven and feed, I saw her nurse again. I went ahead and gave both mama and baby some Nutri-Drench, and the baby's belly felt good. So, at least I know she's eating well. It'll be warming up today (into the 50s-60s), so I think she'll be okay. Thanks, everyone, for your help.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

*Re: Vega kidded - long night...*

Sorry it was a long night, but I understand how it goes, especially when they are so little and can't always stay warm even with a full belly and heat lamp.

Do you have a sweater on her? You can cut the arm off of a sweatshirt, and put holes in it for her front legs. I had to put a sweater on one of my kids last night.

She should be fine with 50-60s, especially if it's sunny that'll warm things up. Our kids are a week old now and have been soaking up the sun in the 50s - but it gets really cold at night, as I am sure it's probably the same for you too.

So glad she is nursing just fine


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## logansmommy7 (Nov 11, 2009)

*Re: Vega kidded - long night...*

Congrats! Sounds like she is going to bond with mama. Can't wait to see pics! Sounds like you had a LONG night. At least it ended up great... :ZZZ:


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

Well, it looks like Marmot got Jitterbug on the first go-round instead of the second, as we previously thought. She kidded this morning with a single buckling. Other than his brown eyes, he looks just like his mama. I'll post a photo in the birth announcements section.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Congrats...give the baby Bo-Se shot ..and nutradrench...

It is good you tube fed her... :thumb: 

You can use a syringe to get colostrum to a kid as well...... I take my index finger and place it is the kids mouth... as if... it where a teat..... then... at the back corner of the mouth... give very slowly ...with breaks in between ... move your finger in and out at the same time and tickle... the back area ...just in front of the tail head...this helps to stimulate the kid ...to get that suck reflex going ...once you get the suck reflex ...try her on her momma.... I use a 12 cc syringe...and go out every hour or 2 and try to get that suck reflex... You can... try each time.... to put her on momma....but... it is important ...to get her to suckle your finger.... so she will want to nurse...

teaching with the syringe and going out often...will feed the kid...You can leave the kid out with momma....just put a heat lamp out for her..... and put a sweater on her as well....until she is nursing really well from momma..... that way ..her mom ....won't disown her.... 
... unless you are forced to ...because she is going sub temp on you ...then by all means... keep her in the house... 

What is her temp? If it is below 100 degree's.... you must... bring it up to at minimum of 100 degree's before feeding her.... Good luck... :hug:


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## Dunfactor (Dec 10, 2009)

Congrats on your two new kids! I am glad to hear that the doeling is now suckling from her momma. :thumb: 

Tracy


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

Thanks, everyone! It was a rocky start with Pandora, but things definitely settled down quickly.

Thanks, Pam, for the great advice and the words of support. Everyone is doing really, really well now. 

I love going up to the barn and seeing everyone jump and play together. Now, no more baby goat stress until July... :wink:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Thanks, Pam, for the great advice and the words of support. Everyone is doing really, really well now.


 You are very welcome....glad things are good....congrats.... :hi5: :thumb: :hug:


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