# Weak newborn, mother not showing much interest



## Tyno (Jan 21, 2018)

As per the title, Mother’s had 2, ones up and about, feeding etc. the other can’t seem to stand.
She’s probably my least favourite doe due to being rather skittish and quite unfriendly towards other goats. I thought she may have missed as she wasn’t really showing any sign of being pregnant but alas, when I got home this afternoon she had 2 kids with her. They are both absolutely tiny, half the size of the rest.
The weak one has a small amount of froth on her lip, more bubbles than froth and she seems to be moving her lips as if trying to feed (that’s why I think bubbles not froth) but cannot stand. To make things worse mums taken them up the side of a hill to have them so they’re finding it rather hard to get their feet anyway. 
I moved it closer to the other and sort of propped it up but I don’t want to interfere much more as she’s already half ignoring it. Should I intervene or not? I have no way of knowing if she’s had any colostrum or not and I haven’t got any so I’d rather she stay with mum if possible. What’s a fair time frame for them to find their feet?

She’s the one on the left in the picture. And finally to ruin my day completely, our number one doe has had twin bucks (and to rub even more salt in, they’re massive and healthy as can be!)


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Make sure the weak baby is warm, take its temp. If it is frothing, gently hold it so any fluid drains from the lungs. Milk out the mother and bottle or tube feed the kid. What does it weigh, approximately? Can you put the doe and kids in a small area, to make it easier to milk her and hold her still to make sure the kids are actually getting any milk?

Give the weak (both actually) kid 1/2 cc Vitamin B complex, 1/2 cc of Bo-Se and a vitamin E gel cap. (Give the gel cap orally, squirt into the mouth.). Some people give the Vit. B and the BoSe orally, also. (You can do that in the first hours after the birth).


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## Tyno (Jan 21, 2018)

Milking her isn’t an option, 1 because of the distance and 2 because she’s mad. It wouldn’t weigh more than 1.5kgs, it’s tiny. So is the other one though and it’s fine.
I haven’t got anything here to give either at the moment. It’s 630 at night.
Are there any home recipients for milk replacement I could fern the ingredients for at a supermarket?


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

You must have a way of restraining your goats in order to medicate, vaccinate, trim hooves, etc. So do that in order to get colostrum out.
So far as I know there is no home made colostrum, it must come from mom or from a supplement you can find at a feed store, but not a grocery store.

Once you get colostrum in them, you can switch to regular whole milk from the grocery store. 
Make sure the kids are warm, not less than 37.8 Celsius, warmer if possible, because they can't digest when they are cold. 
B complex vitamins. 
The one with bubbles has fluid in her lungs.

You are running out of time in which you can help.


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## Tyno (Jan 21, 2018)

Shes too far from the yards to take in and try to milk, plus shes really not people friendly, she came off a commercial farm and hasn’t been handled at all. I thought about grabbing her in the paddock but she’d probably end up ditching the other kid as well if I stressed her anymore.
I’d use one of the others but she’s the last one to kid, the ones I could have milked easily kidded days ago so I doubt any would have colostrum left.
There’s only one kid that’s no good, the one she left. The other ones up and going great guns despite being tiny.
I’ve bought the weak kid inside, it’s currently on my lap on the lounge. Tracked down some lamb and kid milk replacement however colostrum will have to wait till tomorrow morning when I get to the feed store. It’s almost midnight here at the moment so that’s about the best I can do.
Thanks all for the replies


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## Tyno (Jan 21, 2018)

I should add she has urinated however I haven’t seen her use her bowels. She may have before I got there, she may have got colostrum as as well but it’s highly unlikely given her state.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Can you milk the other doe that kidded and at least get some colostrum into the baby? Tomorrow will be too late, they need it in the 1st 24 hrs. Good luck.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree.

Dip the cords in iodine/water.

I also would pen her up in a smaller area for 3 or more days depending, so she can bond with her babies.
Tie her up snug and one back leg, the side you will be milking her from to get colostrum/ milk out of her, be sure to do both sides , to make her more comfortable. 
If she is full of milk and overly tight, she will not allow her babies to nurse and will get mastitis. 
I have to say if there is a will, there is a way. I catch those who run from me one way or another to treat, or whatever I need to do for them, as in care. I am boss over them and will treat them whether they like it or not. Even my calm goats don't like when I treat them, then will run from me for a while after. 
If she is a first time mama, some will have to be taught how to be a mama. 

Her babies need colostrum right away. Do not ignore this. 

Give her treats when she is penned up and try to calm her down. 
Have alfalfa hay and give some grain for her.
Give her water and put up higher so the kids can't get into it and drown.


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## Tyno (Jan 21, 2018)

Ok update, baby can stand up on her own and has used her bowels a couple of times.
Was given supplement colostrum early this morning.
Everyone at works in love with her so she’s got plenty of people praying for her lol.
Mums continuing to care for the other one however I’m keeping a very close eye on her. My neighbours just been over and said she appears to be ok.
The other does all finished kidding late last week and are all doing fine. This doe has been a problem since the day we got her. She’s worse than ferals we’ve had who’ve never seen people. She’ll charge fences etc full speed if you corner her without other goats around and moves off away from her kid when you approach to check on them. Others we got at the same time from the same here will eat out of your hand, she’s just never come around.
I really feel trying to handle her would do more harm than good for the kid she’s still got on her. Plus she’s too far from the yards. We thought she’d missed so we turned her out with the rest after they’d finished kidding. I only found her by accident heading between other does I was checking in the paddock. I didn’t realise she had kids until I nearly stepped on one.
Thanks again everyone for the replies


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Thanks for the update.


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

I am glad your tiny one is doing well. Thanks for the update.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Glad all is OK.

Do know, the one kid will not nurse on the other side, so she may get overly tight and get mastitis. 
If she looks like that on one side, you will have no choice but to have to pen her up and milk her. 
Or the baby won't have a mama. 

Teaching to bottle feed later sometimes never works, just to let you know.
I teach the kid, their is another side. So it avoids mastitis. 

To catch her, have other goats around and guide them to the barn or shed to be able to safely pen her in there to get hands on. Have a collar and a rope so she is more comfortable. And does not choke.

Another thing which happens when they get overly tight in the udder is, it causes a balloon teat, which will ruin the doe and no kids will ever be able to latch on again, as it is too large for a babies mouth.

Sometimes we cannot ignore a goat because she is flighty and not friendly. I am sorry to say.


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## 21goaties (Mar 13, 2018)

toth boer goats said:


> Sometimes we cannot ignore a goat because she is flighty and not friendly.


Yes!! We learned that the hard way


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)




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## Tyno (Jan 21, 2018)

Thanks Toth Boer Goats for the advice. I’m not too worried what happens to her to be honest, her teats will be the last of her worries once the remaining kid is off her.
I’m actually considering taking the remaining kid off her and removing her from the herd now before she hurts one of the other does/ kids. It’s not uncommon for her to attack other does with way more aggression than is justified by the situation but she’s now taking her anger out on strangers kids as well, even when they’re no where near her or her kid. I stepped in front of a kid this afternoon when she bolted towards it and narrowly missed her with my boot before she realised I was there. I won’t miss her with the .22

Your advice will come in handy however as I’ve now got a second bottle baby. Somehow he managed to get himself separated from the herd for several hours. Our neighbours across the road love the goats and watch them all the time. When I arrived home it was way down the bottom of the paddock crying out but the herd were way up the top. Our neighbours said they hadn’t seen them down the bottom since kidding so I’m wondering if he wandered off on his own and just took the path of least resistance down the hill. Mum was looking for him up the top but wasn’t super fussed on having him back once I brought him back up the hill. It will work out well though as our neighbours have been wanting a couple for pets and I’ve told them once the little does strong enough they can have these two to raise and keep. 
The little bucks mother is an absolute sweetheart and although I don’t milk them I have no doubt she won’t object too much. I was actually watching her remaining kid this afternoon going from one side to the other as she is larger on one side. I was cheering him on to stay on the big side lol. Something to keep an eye on and perhaps practice milking on anyway.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good luck. 

Glad to of helped some.


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