# God's Garden Kidding Thread + some questions



## GodsGarden (Feb 6, 2015)

*God's Garden Kidding Thread*

This is very long so sorry.....
So I have been so busy. On top of that 3 does kidded in a week. It started with Praline, first timer. She had two beautiful doelings. A tan paint, called Taffy, and a white one that has one black spot on her spine, called Sugar.























Praline was being a very good mom but then it went down hill. The next day she wouldn't let the kids nurse. So I went out and held her to let the kids nurse. Then she started to be mean to Sugar, head butting Sugar and running away from Sugar. I couldn't have Sugar getting hurt so I took Sugar inside. Sugar lived inside for a day.

Strawbaby, who at this point was extremely overdue, kept me constantly on my toes by faking labor. She would lay on her side groaning and I was positive I saw her push...but time went on. Strawbaby also never did dry up so I couldn't tell by udder filling up either. On the evening of Sugar's day inside I went to check on Strawbaby, it was about 1 1/2 hours after feeding, and I heard that maa. She had had her kids. Two adorable little girls still wet. I called a helper and they rushed Sugar out. There was a little bag of amniotic fluid hanging from Strawbaby and I broke that over Sugar and smeared it all over. I also took some of the remains of a bag and laid that over Sugar. Strawbaby excepted Sugar and followed Sugar, who was happily bouncing, around the pen licking her like crazy then licking the other kids, then eating alfalfa, then drinking, then cleaning bedding. Strawbaby is amazing! So that was happy. I don't have any good pictures of that day because the lighting was so bad.

Then I few days later Little Daisy went into pre-labor. Such a needy goat! If I, or one of my assistants, left her she would scream! I was out there almost all day, got 4 hours of sleep, then my assistants called me out because they saw her push. I rush out, it was 11:30 ish. I saw her push. Nothing ... nothing ... nothing. My assistants left to get some sleep. I watched her, Daisy begged for scratches, hours passed. I started falling asleep but Daisy kept waking me up! She wanted me awake to pet her and suffer with her! She would chew on my hat and nussle me to make sure I was awake! I think she was more needy then a human. A little after 6, IN THE MORNING, she went into full labor. One of my assistants came to help. Daisy wasn't really great at pushing, she wouldn't really commit. She, with some help, delivered a buckling. Immediately she went and stood with her head facing the wall. I didn't interfere with kid after clearing his airway. I gave her time. Buckling started getting a bit cold. I talked to Daisy, she was totally spaced. Buckling called out. I showed Daisy baby. She sniffed and immediately went to stab him. (she is horned) I just saved him by scooping him up. Daisy sniffed and then gave a lick. Did the "that is so gross" head shake with tongue out and went to stab him again! I took him to another part of the stall and we dried him off. He was getting cold so he went into a coat. Then Daisy started having more contraction and with help delivered another buckling. She reacted just as harshly to him. No desire to clean. They were intruders in her stall. We took them inside. She didn't care at all! She never even cleaned anything. It was all so nasty to her. No maaing or anything. She was still needy and wanted attention but that was it. She ate breakfast and stayed away from any sort of goop. It was very disappointing. Some gold lining is she has a great udder ( though it is a smidgen uneven).














Then Praline started headbutting Taffy, the remaining doeling. Praline would be a great mom, then headbutt or run away. I watched them for hours not knowing what to do. Great mom, bad mom. Then knew that for my peace of mind and Taffy's safety I would have to pull her. Third bottle baby.


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## GodsGarden (Feb 6, 2015)

Oh my, that was long. Here are some more pictures though of Strawbaby's kids.


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## GodsGarden (Feb 6, 2015)

Oh, did I mention that I was fighting a cold all that week. *sigh* goats...

one last cute picture







oh and then one doeling had 4 teats


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Oh my goodness you have been through the ringer....and back!! Adorable kids...so does your doe normally take care of the kids? 
Ugh...and 4 teats to boot :/ What a year,huh?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What a bunch of cuties!


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## GodsGarden (Feb 6, 2015)

Both the doe that rejected their kids were first fresheners that were born here. Makes me think I might have done something wrong with raising them. Don't know. But a bit frustrating.

But thanks  They are all so cute


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## Luckthebuck234 (Jul 15, 2015)

Adorable kids ;-) but, four teats?? How does that even happen and how do you correct it?


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## GodsGarden (Feb 6, 2015)

I don't know how it happened. I would have to read more genetic stuff. I might start a thread on it. You can't fix it. You never redo the breeding. You don't cut them off. Sadly some people think you can but don't ever! You don't register the goat, for dairy anyway. You can sell them as a family milker, if a doe, with full honesty. Bucks you would just whether for pets or more likely eat them. 

I was really shocked and bummed about it. She is such a pretty little girl.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Yikes! Rejected kids are SO SO stressful. I'm sorry it was a tough year for you. I have one doe that rejects a kid every year, this is the first year she is raising two (of triplets) and she was SO close to rejecting the doeling. It's such a hard decision to pull them for their safety or give her more chance. My doe seems to act more harshly to them when I am in the barn. In your case, I would have tied Daisy's head up nice & high to the stall wall/fence and with a helper, held her back legs still while getting the kids under and latched. Sometimes the hormones from the nursing can trigger the mothering instinct.

Do you think you will breed Daisy and Praline again?

My doe that rejects is more like Praline, she takes great care of all her kids from birth to 2-3 days and then begins aggression towards one. If she wasn't our first goat and our herd matriarch, she wouldn't still have a job on our farm, but as it is, I just plan on selling her bottle babies each year.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

First fresheners are funny. I always give them one more try. The majority of the time they are great moms the second year.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree.


Very frustrating for sure. Always milk out a little on the side the kid who is being mistreated. She may be too tight and sore, by doing this it may help.

Another issue is sharp teeth on the kid who is being rejected. Open that kids mouth and feel the bottom front teeth with your finger, is it sharp? I so, get a very fine file or rasp, then gently file just a touch off until it isn't sharp. They hate it and act like you are killing them. Taking the sharp edge off may make a world of difference.
I found this years, that any momma's who are starting to get sores from the kids teeth, I file the teeth just enough to take the sharpness away. Only file the tooth area's that are sharp, not all the teeth. It works, and momma doesn't get any worse there, she will heal, if caught early. I had a doe who rejected one kid because it was digging in, creating a sore, after i filed the teeth area, which was sharp, things were better.


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## GodsGarden (Feb 6, 2015)

Thank you all for your responses. It has been a crazy weekend and well you know how life goes.....

SalteyLove : Daisy was a bottle baby. I tried the force nursing with Daisy's mom and it was so stressful. After the trouble with Praline and forcing Praline to nurse her kids I just wasn't mentally ready to try Daisy. Plus Daisy is so jealousy over me....that probably doesn't help anything at all. 

Daisy is a very special goat to me so she has a permanent place in the barn. I will milk her through one year at least. Praline is for sale with some other milkers (to be decided). I just have to much milk and goats. (I'll have to turn in my GAA membership) 

I have only had one doe reject a kid and that kid was Daisy. So I guess I am just not used to it but yeah it was stressful. Part of me was just like :hair: "What is going ON!!??" Even the oops doe that kidded at 10 months old was a great mom. 

toth boer goats : Thank you for the reminder. I do milk out their udders to make sure they are not tight. Never thought of checking teeth. What kind or were do you find such a rasp? This might seem silly to ask (you can laugh) but can you use a tough finger nail file? 

One doe, a FF as well, left to kid. Due date the 11 or 16. I am just praying she is a good mom.


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