# Kidding Problem



## JoyceBeecher (Dec 23, 2014)

I had a doe to kid this morning with twins. My problem is I had a goat deliver still born kid the day after thanksgiving that stole one of the twins. Now my doe won't accept kid. The other doe does not have any milk to feed the kid she stole. Will her milk come back in from the suckling? I tried to take it away but the mother is butting and kicking him. I am using mother as a wet nurse right now and the other doe to actually care for him other than the nursing. I have never had this problem so I am at a total loss. Thank you for your help.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Wow! That would be a tough one. She _might_ get milk in, but it will take a while and I sure wouldn't count on it. It's been almost a month so you're going to have to keep bottling that baby or putting him on real mom to nurse. Hopefully someone who has had actual experience with this will chime in and help you out.


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## Goat_in_Himmel (Jun 24, 2013)

I haven't had this problem myself, but I've read of people smearing the kid in question with the real mother's birth goo and/or her urine, to make the kid smell like hers again. I would definitely separate the thieving doe so she can't steal the kid again, and tie up the real mom and allow her kid to get her colostrum, which he really needs right now...repeat, repeat. I don't know about the other doe's milk coming in if you haven't been milking her.
ETA, I would also be standing by while the castoff kid is with his mom, to make sure she doesn't hurt him.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Stolen kid MUST get back on own dam for colostrum.
As suggested, smear afterbirth or his own dam's blood if no placenta. Rub rear end & head liberally.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good advice.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Good luck , hope she accepts the baby back ! Poor mamma that stole the baby is probably so sad  I would give her some extra treats and attention as well .


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

Another option if no blood or placenta is available is to put Vicks vapor rub on the does nose and one both kids. Then all she smells is the Vicks and should let them both nurse. Once it wears off the baby will have her smell again.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Summersun said:


> Another option if no blood or placenta is available is to put Vicks vapor rub on the does nose and one both kids. Then all she smells is the Vicks and should let them both nurse. Once it wears off the baby will have her smell again.


Agree. If you can do the placenta that would be best but if not do the vicks.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

I grafted a kid onto a different dam this year when her mom rejected her. Vicks didn't work, but once the milk gets through their system the poop will start to smell like the doe. So I'd just keep holding mom until she figures it out.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I agree with all that was said, but you have to put your foot down and stick with it even if it doesn't seem like it will work, it just takes time. 

If the doe that stole the kid has 0 milk, she can not care for that kid. It's heartbreaking, but the kid has to have milk to survive. Milking the doe and trying to encourage her to come back in milk may not even help at this point.

Last winter we had a doe lose twins, next day a doe had quads. We milked the doe who lost twins off and on to put some milk in the freezer. Well, when quads were 3 weeks old we knew the other doe had very little milk, but we still let 2 of the quads nurse on her 2x a day to help the mama out. We'd have to hold the other mama so she couldn't see the babies.
BUT, after 2 days, she ended up claiming one of those babies! She had very little milk and I was worried, the baby nursed all the time, and eventually the doe started producing again, and that baby grew better than all the others!

I honestly wouldn't even attempt what I just mentioned if a doe is dry.


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## nick247in (Dec 27, 2014)

I agree that it will take a great amount of time to do it. We have had this situation happen several time's. Also another thing to help with it, is take a little fecal matter from the nursing kid and rub it on the graft kid on the butt and top of snout. 

It works about 40% of the time but its better than nothing. It just further confuses the doe into thinking it is the nursing kid. If it works, she will stop trying to hurt it in fear that it could be the nurse kid. 

Just did it with a angora doe earlier this month and she took the kid after about 4 days.


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