# First kids died!!! :(



## Moocowman123 (Feb 12, 2013)

Had my first boer kids this morning. Thought they were fine and 2 hours later they died. They never stood up to drink yet. What is the proper care for new baby goats? Please help have more kids coming soon!!!


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Oh no! I am so very sorry that your first kidding experience went so badly!  The mother may be deficient in some mineral, possibly selenium? They should stand up on their own within a few minutes of being born.
Are the goats getting free choice hay and loose minerals?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Did you stay to make sure they stood up and nursed?

What do you feed your goats? Do they get a good loose goat mineral?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

It could be a number of things all rolled into one.
Selenuim & copper do come to mind, as well as if kids were born outside & didnt get dried off?
At times even if they dont find their legs right away they still manage to make their way to the faucets.
So sorry for your losses.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Im sorry....; ( sometimes when a baby is struggling to stand you can keep making him stand with your support to help strengthen the legs...if he can not nurse with in the first 30 minutes I milk mom and feed a bottle...I give selenium vit e gel and probios after they eat once...I keep working with the weak baby until I see him get up and find the teat himself...I wish you all the best in your future kidding..


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## StarMFarm (Jan 17, 2013)

I am so sorry you lost your kids. I agree with the others about making sure they nurse. I have come to the routine of always milking some colostrum out of mom and feeding it to the kids myself with a dropper or syringe within the first hour they are born. That way I know for sure they have gotten some in them. And I don't leave mom and kids until kids are completely dry and nursing well on their own. There are lots of good things to have on hand during kidding time, Nutri-Drench, B Complex, Vit E/Selenium Gel, Probios just to name a few.


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## Moocowman123 (Feb 12, 2013)

I've been frustrated all day wondering why. I give them normal rock salt (ground up). They have normal hay and free range most of the time. But I have never heard of selenium and where can you find copper in mineral?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I order selenium with vit. e gel from jeffers...and copper you can either buy copper bolus for cows and break them down into smaller gelcaps....1 ml for 22 pounds of weight...Loose minerals is best but many time not enough copper...a salt block is a good choice and baking soda free choice along with the loos minerals


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## m57gonefishing (Jan 26, 2012)

You can find selenium a number of ways. In loose minerals like golden blend or pro manna. It's a good idea to put these out all the time just to make sure your animals can get the proper minerals and nutrients. They also make goat mineral block with copper in them. You can also buy selenium/vit e powder and start mixing in their food such as a elk grove goat mix a month before expected kidding date. Lastly if you aren't afraid of needles, disregard the last. Buy Bo-Se and administer to the doe at 2 weeks to a month before kidding 1 time. Then to the kids, 1/2cc, at birth or shortly after. It's an easy shot, just under the skin like dog vaccination shots. Just becareful as you can cause selenium toxicity if given too much. Good feed (wether its wild or man made), minerals and vitamins play a big role in healthy kidding. It doesn't hurt to make baking soda available to them as it helps them balance their ph. Another thing that sometimes perks up a dopey or otherwise lethargic kid is a little squirt of liquid vitamin B. So sorry that that is your first experience. If you get them all healthy and with proper minerals and nutrients kidding deaths will be minimized greatly. Also read up on proper presentation during kidding. That way you know what to look for and the remedy of a problem. Last year we had a doe that presented breech with only a head sticking out. My wife had to hold onto her head while she was standing and I had to reach in and pull each leg out myself. I was worried I might have to snap the leg to get him out but it wasn't an issue. I already knew that there was no way she'd deliver that way and they'd both die. If I hadnt klnown I might of waited too long. This year we've had 10 babies without issue and we even took a more natural approach and let them kid in pasture. After the mother properly bonds with the babies we move them all to a stall where they can be alone. Fiasco Farms website will provide you with a great amount of knowledge to help you learn as much as possible about goats. Good luck.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would suggest finding a good loose goat mineral for them. The rock salt is not going to have enough minerals and vitamins, especially the selenium and copper.

I think Happybleats meant 1g per 22 lbs or if you cut the tip off of a 3cc syringe, you can dose it at 1cc per 60 lbs of copper. Put some probios at the end of the syringe to hold in the copper rods. Put the syringe back into their mouth and push the plunger.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

thanks for the save Karen....lol... yes I meant 1 gram lol


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