# Wide Load - Still over 2 weeks left!



## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

*2014 New 'kids' Have Arrived*

Here is Peony. She has about 18 days left before she is at 150 days but I am not sure she will make it to 150. It looks like she is bloated- she is a tiny bit as I took photo at end of day but her rumen feels loose and doesnt seem too tight. I gave her some baking soda and some pro-bios to help her. Her mother was like this too and she looks like she is miserable. Dalchini, the sleek smooth haired doe is due in two days or at least close to that time.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Here is 'Wide Load' Primrose, peony's sister. She carries her babies lower instead of wider. Both of these does have had some overweight issues and I am so concerned. They have huge appetites more so than the other goats! I tried to keep them slimmed down before they were bred but - well here they are fatter than ever. How ever it looks on her legs- that is hair and not fat. These two sisters have several inches of fluff on them especially their bottom legs. 
I have tested them for Ketosis and they are not showing any signs of it and are able to walk all over the hill property still. They just move slow and look miserable. Primrose has about 20 days left to kid out.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Beautiful girls....just beautiful  Happy kidding!


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## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

Those are some large goats! They look like they have every right to be moaning and groaning! I hope I never get that big :lol:


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Good golly miss molly!
Did you have to widen the doors on your stalls? Man they both be w I d e
l o a d s.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Dalchini is acting like she is not uncomfortable at all and her mother was like this too. This is a year of new first time does. I get worried with chubby does like this.


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## DMSMBoers (Dec 23, 2013)

Wow! Those girls are very big. Poor things are prolly thinking I cant do this much longer. Good luck an Happy Kidding!!


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Oh my gosh, how can the poor things even breathe??!! They must be counting down the days until they weigh like 50 lbs less lol


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

I know.. I am worried too about how wide they are looking. I am home most of the time and go out there and 'burp' the goats at the eve times. I feed them twice a day and now have been giving a bit of pro-bios. So far I think they are doing ok. Ketone levels look good. I still get worried. I am sure they are only having twins for their first times.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Dalchini kidded two healthy active little doelings March 24th. She kidded at 149 days and had no troubles at all. Babies were up and nursing right away within minutes. She is a very good mamma for first time. A little nervous and OCD about licking her babies. I had to watch her as she kept trying to 'over chew' the umbilical cord area and was almost obsessed with this. I just moved the babies and got her brain off on something else and she is doing well. Both came out normal head and feet positions. This was one of the easier does we have had to kid as it all went well. The next ones in April- (the chubs) I have my concerns with those two chubby does in how they will do. This mamma doe pictured was the smaller looking one of the previous ones pictured.


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## FriendlyFainterFarm (Mar 2, 2014)

Congrats! Really pretty goats honestly


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Dalchini drank a whole gallon or more of molasses water during her labor. Most all our does do this and I think it helps them have energy and also helps with their milk production.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Nice babies!!


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

They are really cute! Congratulations!


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## springkids (Sep 12, 2013)

They are beautiful...kiddos and momma's to be!


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

I love all of the colors! So pretty! Can't wait to see what your other does have!

Those doelings are gorgeous! And they look very stocky and big already! Congrats!


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## DMSMBoers (Dec 23, 2013)

They are super nice! Congrats on a smooth kidding.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Peony is at day 146 today and got all excited that I was cleaning out the Kidding Pen. She decided that I must be cleaning it for her and wanted to come in. I don't argue with them when they want in so that is where she is staying the night tonight. She may kid perhaps tomorrow or Thursday. She is feeling so miserable. Babies have dropped and she looks very close. She is all settled in and ready for something to happen.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Peony has big feet.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Peony (the widest load) had triplets! That poor mamma also had some of the biggest birth sacks and water I have ever seen. HUGE BIRTH BUBBLES! She had 2 large bucklings and 1 tiny doeling. This is this mammas first year and I was hoping she would not have triplets as it is so hard on first time mammas. The doeling came out first, and is very tiny and very skinny. The poor little thing was having her nutrition cut off for lack of room with her big brothers. That is what I think happened. She is normal minus that she is just so tiny. She nursed right away but is just so skinny and I am not sure she will make it & if not it will be our first loss ever so far at kidding time. I am going to try to help her as much as I can but she may not make it. Her mamma is doing her best to wake her up and so far hasnt given up on her but she has two huge eager rambunctious bucklings that are also demanding her attention. I don't bottle feed here but will help the baby get the milk needed from the dam and her mamma is willing to let me latch her on. This mamma is doing well with them. I sure don't like having triplets with the first time mammas. It is so hard on their bodies too. I did not grain the does this year prior to breeding as I didnt want triplets or quads for first time and - well .. her we have triplets on a FF. I have to continually be adding to her diet and get the nutrition into her. Her udder is enormous. Triplets are a lot of work. I'm looking to possibly find a bottle feeder person to take the doeling.


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## Cedar Point Kikos (Oct 16, 2013)

They are SO CUTE! Congrats! Hope the little doeling makes it for you....


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Here are the bucklings. - 99.5% Boer so they are purebreds still. A beautiful dark reddish brown. Photos are about one hour after birth.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If it is within 12 hours of birth, give her BoSe and B Complex orally.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

I gave her some seleniumEgel. It is hard to get BoSe from our vet. She has gotten quite a bit of colostrum in her. The mammas udder is so full .. like a balloon with barely any teats. The kids are having a hard time nursing as there is barely anything to latch onto. I have had to massage her udder as it is quickly getting hardened up. This Doe is big at a lot of things. Big Kids, Big belly, Big birth sack, big feet and huge udder that is nearly dragging on the ground! Poor thing. She is trying to help her baby. I've been out there working for hours now to help her. Baby probably will not make it. I gave her tiny bits of dam's milk via bottle. She evidently was so overcrowded in the birth position that it cut off her nutrition & her developement. I don't think it is a selenium defficiency as her brothers are already jumping and running about.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

But that stuff can still be good for them. The B Complex works wonders too.

Brothers may have gotten enough but she probably didn't.


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## dnchck (Mar 24, 2014)

They are so precious. I hope the little one makes it! Prayers for her!


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

I would really suggest giving Vit b complex to the little girl. We always give that to any kids that seem weak at birth and they usually always perk up after a couple hours. I would give like 1/2 a cc in the mouth. I wish I was closer to you as I would love to take that little girl off your hands and bottle raise her. I love that paint color!! 

Congrats on the nice big bucklings! They are very handsome.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

I had all the vit B complex ready, and have evidently used it up! It is a product that has to be ordered. I have some other options tho that have the B complex in it to give and did give her the rest of her ESel gel last eve(I split dosage) All day and last eve, I had been milking a little out of the mamma doe into jars and did end up giving the doeling as much of that milk as I could get down her through the day and along with helping her to nurse but she was loosing strength so I ended up drenching milk down her to bring up her strength. The mamma really wants this job but just couldnt do it alone and wasnt about to give up on her baby. We tho't long and hard and I almost decided to bring her in away from her mamma and start the bottle feeding, but after watching the mamma keep up with cleaning her up and seeing the baby pee and poop, then sleep with the mamma gently licking her neck, I decided to leave her and hope she would not be dead by morning. I am glad I left her. I woke up to a surprise. She was standing very well and was nursing a very long time. I was so excited and the mamma doe was so happy too - I could see that in her face of how relieved she was that she had her baby up and nursing with not assistance. I had to massage her udder so much yesterday. I was worn out but it all paid off. This baby has so far been eating well when the others are sleeping. I think it always best to try to keep them with mamma if possible. I know we do things differently here than a lot of people do but I am really into training first time moms to succeed and this is her first time. She is very attached to her too. I think the baby will make it.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad she is doing ok now. What a cutie!


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

I am so glad she is doing better! Keep up the good work! That little girl is a looker for sure.


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## dnchck (Mar 24, 2014)

I'm so happy for you! She is the cutest little doe I have ever seen. Congrats to you on all your kids!!


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## FriendlyFainterFarm (Mar 2, 2014)

Congrats! I'm so glad the little doeling is doing better


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Something to consider in this. I had a goat salt block out. The does do not usually like it much at all but Peony did. I caught her actually biting it and perhaps eating too much of it. I ended up removing it because I was worried that she was overdoing this. She craved that salt so much and well- it just maybe the reason she had so much water retention. Her ketone levels were good but she still had swelling in her feet. She also had pumpkin size water birth bubbles. Quite a lot of water gushed out of her. This is only speculation but I have also never seen an udder fill up that full and quickly and the milk had very little fat content in it. Her poor body went through so much. This mamma doe is finally looking normal again. Her feet are their normal clunky size and her udder looks good and is no longer tight. If you have a doe that is craving salt, it maybe that they are lacking in the B vitamins. I read that somewhere but can't remember where so this is only a speculation. Ironically, it is also a possibility in humans as well- I read that in my health book which is also not factually proven that i know of. So-if you have a free choice salt block out, watch it for some of those does as they may over do it. Peony was into eating it.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Oh.. so happy. Little doeling at nearly 4 days now & is going to make it. She has done well and is growing, running and jumping. She is a survivor and is going to make it. The mamma is so happy too and proud of her.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Here is her day4 photo. I've learned a lot. -Mostly to work with the mamma as much as possible and help her help her babies, help her get energy by pouring the nutrients into her unless you really just want to bottle feed which I do not unless there is no other way. The mamma is up to doing all this work and wanted to so don't give up on your does too soon. If a doe seems lethargic, or zoning out, she is probably tired, and needs a calcium boost. They don't feel well and may need help for the first 2 days. Invest into the mamma and you won't be exhausted caring for a bottle baby. This doeling would have probably needed drenching as she was not about to take a bottle easily and oh.. she probably would have died. Don't underestimate the mother goats ability to care well for her babies. Some have to be taught and give up because they are too overwhelmed.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

And the little doeling is adorably spunky. She is her mammas precious baby as she favors her. She is zipping all over the place today.


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## shirley (Apr 11, 2014)

So glad she made it  theyre top cute


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad they are all doing well for you.


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