# Help! Baby goats dying!



## goatboy13 (Feb 2, 2016)

Ok so at the end of November I had 9 baby goats born ( three sets of triplets) about three weeks ago one of my baby billies died, followed by another baby billy a week later and then today I have another baby billy dying. I found them all laying in the barn not moving and unable to try and eat from a bottle. They have not been raised as bottle babies. I still have four baby girls left and two baby billies left. I should mention that two of the ones that have died are half of the twins with their twin living. I don't know if there is a sickness they are getting, if it is too cold for them, if there mothers aren't feeding them enough (due to the drought we are in a major crunch on hay and feed but they are being fed sweet feed each day and hay), and I even worry if there is a reason it is all boys dying if maybe that has something to do with my young stud billy goat that runs with them but I have never seen him be aggressive with any of my goats at all. Is there anything I can do to prevent more from dying and do to help them when I do find them in this predicament because right now I just hold them till they die because they won't take food.


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

Call the vet ASAP!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would have a necropsy done. Sorry for you losses.


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## goatboy13 (Feb 2, 2016)

There is no goat vet around here.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

You have a lot of things to evaluate:

Shelter, warm, draft free and easy access to mom.
Mom - lots of milk and you observe kids nursing frequently, bellies are rounded and full and you are monitoring their rate of gain each day.
Conditions: Coccidia? worms? Any runny or loose stool in babies or dams?
These are places to start if you don't have a vet.


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## Kit_Ranch (Dec 25, 2016)

I would bet they aren't nursing, plus cold equals death. My Nubian does , who were bottle babies, are great mothers except they will not allow kids to nurse. I almost lost one in learning that. Get kids inside, under a heat lamp, dosing electrolytes first. If they are bad off and you put milk in them it will rot in their gut and they will die from that


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## goatboy13 (Feb 2, 2016)

Would it help if I gave them each 4 ounces of regular milk each day just to boost their intake of nutrients?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

You can supplement babies....make sure to feel tummies...dont want to over feed them...you want to feel firm but flat tummy..not too poochy


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All, have really good advice and suggestions.


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## wndngrvr (Dec 10, 2011)

Hope you find the answer on your babies dying. I would also be concerned about leaving a buck with them. Your does will get bred back. Maybe it works keeping them together but I have always kept bucks separate - I want to know due dates for my girls. Even if you don't have a "goat" vet - any vet should be able to help you some. My vet is a horse specialist but is wonderful with my herd and learning a lot more with the experience of working with the goats. My first vet years ago mainly did dogs and cats but learned with my first two goats and was always eager to help.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

If they are over 4 weeks old, then I highly doubt that the dam's are not feeding them - they would have died much sooner from starvation. They are not likely to accept a bottle at 4 weeks of age after having been dam raised - better to just make sure all dam's are producing milk and that the kids have access to other food. 

Get rectal temperatures with a digital thermometer on all surviving kids (normal temps are 101.5 to 103.5 F).

Check FAMACHA score on all surviving kids. 

Are the kids eating hay and grain very well and drinking water from buckets? Make sure they have everything down at kid height including loose minerals available.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

What do the kids poops look like?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with what has been said by SalteyLove


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## Kit_Ranch (Dec 25, 2016)

I agree with saltey, I missed how old they are


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

If they refuse or are unable to eat but are conscious & able to swallow, you can use a large syringe or a basting bulb & squirt milk or liquified food between their cheeks & back teeth--not down their throats as they could choke.

I agree on the buck. Mine will begin attacking his bucklings (if left with them) as early as one month, but not his doelings. If you have absolutely no other enclosure (not even a shed or garage) it would be better than nothing to have a place where the bucklings can get away from him & not be followed because the opening is too small. This could also be a nice cozy place for all the kids to cuddle for warmth--goats love little dens. Maybe you could even put the kids' feed & water in there so the adults don't hog it--my does will even shove their own kids aside to gobble up all the grain they can get. Other than that, with male goats but not females dying all I can think of is UC but that seems very extremely unlikely.

Would you like to post photos of all your goats, adults & kids? The moderators here are great at spotting signs of deficiencies & things like that.

Good luck-I can tell you love your goats & I hope this problem can be identified & solved before you lose more.
Maybe I missed this--which vaccinations have the goats & kids had, & what sort of mineral supplement are they getting?


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## goatboy13 (Feb 2, 2016)

Update:

Thanks for all the advice from everyone. 

I tried to feed the babies milk from a bottle however none of them would take to it. I did find it neat that one of my nannies I bottle fed over a year ago was still eager to drink everything the babies did not haha. 

All my babies are still living and seem healthy. None of them have any weird bathroom issues. I have began trying to put food for them in a separate isolated space along with a smaller water bucket for them. My stud still hasn't been seen making any advances or angry moves toward any of my babies male or female. 

I am still trying to make sure all my goats are getting extra grain. It's going to get tough now that our worst weather is about to start for the season. They also have a salt block and plenty of water. 

Again thanks and any advice you come up with please continue to let me know. Thanks again!


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

Can the little ones get away from :ram:the adults and billy? A seperate area for some creep feed and safety from the adults? We did this, with moderate success and want to refine it. But basically, a little area to eat and be away from the bigger ones and if they might be getting bullied-when no one is around to observe? A little safe corner, that the littles only can pass through?

So sorry for the losses! It is hard and if 2 or 3 are on each doe, that could be too much for some?

Do you have loose minerals available?

We actually found that the goat kids only liked a certain type of bottle nipple and whole milk at a perfectly warm temperature anddarkened room or towel over eyes...we lucked out in that this group preferred the least expensive bottle nipple ever! ( in a package of 3, and sold for infant children!-they did fit other equipment we were using,...for what that tidbit is worth!)


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