WHAT A DAY!

Today was kidding day to the 9th power.  I have 2 adult does, bred, and 1 yearling, probably bred for May kidding.  This is my first kidding, and I did not know for sure when the does got bred, but  I thought not until Dec. when I turned the buck in with them, just prior to our 6 wk FL trip.  Came home, and both does where definitely bred, but thought they had several weeks yet to go.  This AM I went out to chore at 7:30, and the black doe, Cleo, was lying down with a little mucus showing.  So quickly did the chores, turned the others outside, and moved her to a seperate pen.  Called Deborah (previous owner) and sounded like things were going fine.  I stayed with her, and she was progressing slowly.  Around 11:00 I saw one hoof showing; it went back in.  At 11:45 nothing else had happened, so I called Deborah again, and she said that was not good news.  To make a long story short, I eventually was able to pull 2 female does.  Both were alive; one very weak.  My husband had called the vet, and he actually came rather quickly.  He pulled 2 more.  They were all very mixed up and Cleo was having a really hard time.  Two more little girls.  By this time it was mid afternoon.  I was talking to Deborah, heading to the house for something, and I see the other pregnant doe outside in the lot with 3 kids!  She had been crying all morning while I was in the barn, but I just thought she was missing Cleo, and I was way too busy to check on her, not thinking she was due yet.  Well, she has 3 live babies, 1 female and 2 males, and she also had 2 dead ones, since I totally neglected her.  What a day!  But, Cleo is weak in the back end.  She is totally exhausted; has got up briefly to drink, but she just spreads her back legs out and her bag drags on the ground.  I hope she will be better tomorrow.  My daughter and granddaughter came over, and Cleo's babies have been fed with eye droppers all afternoon and evening.  3 are doing pretty well, but 1 the smallest a just over 2 lbs. has not stood up yet.  I have milked Cleo with the Henry milker and by hand, as I can't get them to nurse with her lying down.  Actually, my granddaughter rolled Cleo over on her back and I milked her by hand with her upside down.  She didn't seem to mind.  Taylor took a video of that.  I brought the little weak one inside tonight.    Thankfully, Bonnie's bablies are doing fine; everyone has heat lamps and lots of straw. I want to say a big thank you to Deborah for her help in guiding me while pulling the kids, and answering all the questions I have had.  Deborah, you are the best!  If any of you experts have any advice, I am ready for it.

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  • Great picture and so glad she is starting to come along.  I wish you the best.    This site has helped me out a lot too.  I'm glad I came across it.

  • I checked out the Cornell University site that Misfits Farm suggested, and I am so glad.  I read floppy kid syndrome, and although she didn't fit that exactly I went by their advice for it.  I knew the milk replacer was giving her some constapation problems.  So I took her off all replacer over night and gave her baking soda/water combination every few hours.  Next day I weakend her replacer to about 3/4 strength, and added dark karo syrup.  She is doing better again.  Had her outside this PM (75 degrees here today) and I took this pic of the Mastiff babysitting.  She is treating her like her puppy, licks her, won't let the other dogs get close.  So sweet of her.  Also, the little kid can stand so much better outside than inside.  She started walking a little for the first time outside today.  I appreciate all your help, advice and concern.  She wouldn't have made it without you.
     
    Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:

    I think three days was the longest I've ever had a kid that couldn't stand. How frustrating! Good luck with her!

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  • I think three days was the longest I've ever had a kid that couldn't stand. How frustrating! Good luck with her!

  • We have plenty of dog crates, and that is a good idea if we get that far.  I am worried about her today.  She is eating like a little piggy, and gaining. She is very alert and looks so good. But she is not standing as long as she did yesterday.  I have had to move to milk replacer completely.  I am wondering, though, if maybe I didn't injure her hips or back legs when I pulled her.  She came back legs first, and I had to pull hard to get her out.  She will be a week old tomorrow.  I stand her up, getting her legs positioned for her, and she may stand a little while, but often she just goes spread eagle, all 4 legs going out from under her.  I think, too, that she is standing less because she is gaining weight and can't support the extra weight.  Have any of you had one like this?

  • Our little house guest ended up staying in a dog crate.   It was big enough for her so she could move around and we ended up putting her out with the other kids when we weaned them.  She was strong enough to go out (jumping on the couch was our clue) and we watched them to make sure they didn't run her over.   It took a little while but she enjoyed playing with them.  

    I hope the links help.  Last year, when I was driving down the road in the middle of the night with Clare in the front seat next to me after she had her c-section, I was thinking, I really need some help!  I started looking for information on the net and asking a lot of questions.  I've learned about feeding, housing, fencing and parasite control and I'm still searching.  I wish they offered goat herd management classes.

  • I wouldn't put her out until she was very good on her feet. The adults probably won't bother her, mostly because she won't bother them. She's never nursed off a goat, so she won't try to nurse on them, which is why most does bop strange kids. The sad thing is that she will be very sad about being left with "animals!" because she's going to think she's a human. I really hate that part! But it can't be helped when you have a little one like that.

  • Oh, thank you Misfit Farm for the link from Cornell.  I will  soon be checking it out.  The little one is standing on her own if you stand her up.  She cannot yet get up by herself.  This morning I stood her up, was busy and forgot about her, and about 10 minutes later she was still standing.  She wants to stand all the time, but those little legs get wobbley and collapse.  She is eating more, and slowly getting stronger.

  • Thanks, everyone!  We all think they are darling.  The little one in the house is growing stronger.  Friday evening she had taken a turn for the worse.  When I was feeding her in the middle of the night I was convinced she was not  going to make it.  I remembered that I had some Kaeco Selenium and Vit. E gen for goats.  I didn't think I had anything to lose, so I gave her a little over 1/4 t. of it.  She was better in a few hours.  May have been coincidence, I don't know.  Now that it is looking hopeful that she will survive, I am faced with a new set of problems.  What do I do with her when she starts walking????  Time to leave the kitchen!  I doubt  if Cleo will claim her, and even if she does, I don't think Cleo will have enough milk for 4.  If I put her in the pen w/Cleo I am afraid she will hurt her.  We do have a dog kennel w/roof/ big dog house.  Might be able to use that, but Hoss and husband probably will protest!  What do you all do when you have one like this?  I can put a little sweater of my dog's on her to help keep her warm.  This is a good problem!

  • Wow, they are cute.  You did great!

  • Glad to hear everyone is doing better! And you have some beautiful babies!

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