# Doe with 5 kids



## awshucksgoatfarmvt (May 11, 2012)

This last May my Nigerian dwarf had five, yes 5 little ones. The first two there was not a problem, the third had difficult breathing and died a couple days later, the fourth one is up and about and full of energy. The fifth one, was like a pair of pajamas with no one in them, All completely looking like a baby goat with with no insides. Could put three of them in my hand it was so small 
The first two are size and weight to be expected. Now for this wondrous little creature, she is a third to a quarter size of her siblings. She is now going on eight months old, and not sure if I should keep her outside this winter in the barn with another small goat. She will never be bred. 
She weighs about twelve pounds. Would like to hear from others with the same situation, and who has raised a kid in the house. 
Mollygeita and Kandu (goat) are both five months old Marley is with me and is the same age. They get along rather well.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

What are they eating right now, and how harsh are your winters?


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Awww...she's cute! When we got our first ND, she was just a few days old and it was the middle of winter. We kept her in the house. At night, she'd go in a dog kennel and get covered up next to a heat vent. About 6 am I'd hear her crying and go let her outside to pee. She'd run in the house all day after that and go back to her kennel for the night about 8pm. She was in the house until we got another to keep her company outside....a couple months probably. Moon even went to Dallas with us for my BIL's funeral....people in Dallas look at you kinda funny when you're walking your goat in downtown.... 

I think you could housebreak her if you wanted. Moon was pretty good about it all and even used the cat litter box a few times. But, as long as she's got company to cuddle with she should be ok in the barn too.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

I personally wouldn't keep her in the house if you are planning on putting her back outside in the spring. If the picture on the bottom is a recent picture of her (the one on top looks bigger than 12 lbs) then *maybe* I would keep her outside... You could set up a warming barrel for her outside in her stall/shelter and put a little jacket on her. That's what I would do.


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## Nubian_Nut (Dec 21, 2012)

I agree with Scottyhorse. I wouldn't bring her inside, just make a coat of sorts out of the fleece fabric that no sew blankets are made out of and if it gets really cold, a heat lamp works wonders. Use a regular heat lamp, like those used for raising chicks and a red bulb to keep her warm.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If she is really only 12 lbs, then she is pretty tiny. Will you even have someone that small to be a buddy to her?


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## critergiter09 (Jan 4, 2012)

Right now we have a 1 month old bottle baby in the house. She has been in the house since she was an hour old. Her mother didn't make it, so she will be staying in the house with us through the winter. She is just a doll! We've raised 9 bottle babies inside the house. 4 of them at the same time until they were 3 months old. Then a single baby until he was 3 1/2 months old. Then 3 this past spring. They bucklings went out to the pasture with the other males at 3 months old. And the doeling stayed in the house (off an on) until she was about 5 months old. At 3 months old she would go to the pasture during the day but refused to be a goat and sleep in the barn and would just stand at the gate in the dark and cry! We finally got her broke from the habit. Now we have the single doeling. I love having them in the house. Once I am able to train them to use a box of wood chips or puppy pee pads to use the potty on while inside they are wonderful little house goats! Mine sleeps in the bed with me. 
So I would vote if you have harsh winters bring her inside your home or garage at night and let her back out with her family during the day.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Scottyhorse said:


> I personally wouldn't keep her in the house if you are planning on putting her back outside in the spring. If the picture on the bottom is a recent picture of her (the one on top looks bigger than 12 lbs) then *maybe* I would keep her outside... You could set up a warming barrel for her outside in her stall/shelter and put a little jacket on her. That's what I would do.


Unless you've got the heat set to 100 degrees, it won't be a problem. I have had numerous goats in the house for a variety of reasons and never had a problem with putting them in the shed when ready. You want to time it, though. Even in the dead of winter there are warm days, and that's what you want to wait for. Do not put a sweater or coat on her. Do not put her kennel next to the furnace or near a heating vent. Do drape the kennel or whatever you have her confined it with a light sheet to keep the drafts out if your house is drafty. Do take her outside as much as possible, and transition her 'release' to the shed with warm days. Bed the shed as deep as possible without burying her and put a towel draped cat carrier in it. She will be ok. My last bottle baby was born the 22nd of March, spent roughly 2 weeks in the house and we had 2 back to back blizzards the last week to 1 1/2 weeks of April. She did fine all by herself.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

We've had a doe in the house for 40 days last winter after her C-Section. It was a challange to get her acclimated back outside. We didn't and couldn't wait till spring... If you can, you could do it. It's just a lot of work cleaning up after her, and goat proofing the house  I think it's easier to make a good warm set up for them outside. Just my experience, and passing it along. It is great to get other takes on it, though. Maybe a small kid would be easier than a Pygmy goat, though


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## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

you could probably house break her we had one two years ago and she was fine but it's best to have a buddy of some kind.


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## awshucksgoatfarmvt (May 11, 2012)

The goat on the table is Kandu's stall mate, she is a week younger . She has a tendency to butt the smaller one around more than I think is necessary.Am taking Kandu to visit the hospice retreat today and on the way home I will have her weighed.
I truly appreciate all the input you have given me, Surely has given me food for thought.


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## awshucksgoatfarmvt (May 11, 2012)

They have started eating a small amount of Caprine Challenger in soaked beet pulp. It gets extremely cold and LOTS of snow. Am between two major ski areas and if they are making snow and the winds are right can have ten feet of the white stuff


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