One of my little goat mamas gave birth sometime early this morning. Triplets. 2 - 3 weeks early, definitely tiny and premature. All of them are dead. I don't know what on earth could have gone wrong. I'm so sad.
The mama is dragging around a long string of afterbirth, I don't want to tug on it. She's up and around, eating with full energy, not resting.
What should I do? With a premature birth, all dead, and afterbirth stuck? Does this warrant a call the vet? I've never done this before. So broken hearted. I didn't have the nans separated yet (two others are pregnant) as I thought I still had a couple of weeks at least.
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It's getting easier already, thank you!
Within a few days, the little one should be able to go overnight without a bottle. Good luck!
Mine took a few days to calm down, no antibiotics, and she seemed to pass the placenta well enough. She's back to her energetic self.
Of course, a five days later her mom kids with quadruplets. Four. From my little ND! Augh. One died. Two are doing well. The runt is pretty tiny and weak, though well formed. I took him in after trying into the night to help him out. He's doing really good, but now mom will snif at him but won't give him much attention. I kept taking him out there for visits, and putting her milk all over him and into him, but I don't think she'll take him.
I switched to giving him his big sister's milk (the one who lost her three in my OP) in the hopes that she'd take to him, but so far nada. She'll tolerate him nursing off her when she's in the stanchion, but not otherwise.
A year of difficult births indeed. I'm so tired, up all night feeding this little one. He's so cute, I just wish I could catch a nap.
I am so sorry for your loss - each of you who has lost your babies. Having been through it this month myself, I have even more empathy than usual. This does seem to be a horrid year for births and losses.
My Capri who lost one at birth, one at three days and one at ten days is very protective of her remaining buck. Even with him, however, the day the doeling died, she was looking for it at least the rest of that day (it died early in the morning) and still seems to call when he is with her so I'm not sure that she has not forgotten though it will be a week tomorrow. She also seems to have a real attraction to Summer's doeling (but not the bucklings!) so I wonder if she wants to adopt it (or thinks Summer stole it). Of course, Summer would have none of that. Summer is a FF and I am absolutely amazed at what an exceptional mother she is; God has made these sweet girls exceptional and we humans get to enjoy them.
Again, my very sincere condolences for the little lost kids. :-(
My doe that lost her kids has calmed. She only yells when she sees me! I didn't use Oxytocin, don't have any, could get it from the vet but haven't needed it. I did give her herbs to help clean her out. She is fine now, 1 week later. I did spend many hours sitting with her, & still do. She is giving me a quart of milk/day. I am happy with that.
Melissa, with the doe you lost, did you use a sucker bulb on her? Did you "swing" her upside down? I have found these both work great on mucus clearing. But with the "mashed" in chest you may not have had much hope. Sorry for your loss. Praying your next kidding is an easy one!
My doe has only kidded once, in 2012. She had triplets last night - the first (doe) never was able to take a breath. Her heart was beating, but we never could get the mucous cleared from her lungs and nose. Little breaths to respirate - no breaths. sadly.
Then, two were trying to come out at once. Hind legs first, two legs in one sac - 1 leg in another sac. We pushed the one leg back in and I pulled the other kid - who was thrashing about trying to breath - we did well with him.
The little single leg - I felt inside and could only feel inbetween the legs - no other leg - then in a rush - the body shot out.
That was my first birthing to witness - the first time, she had twins and when I checked on her - she had kidded.
I pray, to never have that nightmare again - it was awful for us and the doe. Thanks to my dear neighbor - who came down and waited it out - and we gave each other the courage to do whatever needed to be done - to get those kids out.
These kids were big - not so much in weight - but size - the first doeling seemed kind of mashed in her chest.
Today - all is well, boys are happy - Mamma is doing ok - called Vet just to check and upon examination - confirmed no kids were still inside - antiobiotics - Oxytocin - and sigh of relief.
Next doe to kid mid May - hopefully by then, this experience will have waned somewhat.
I hope this is NOT the year of difficult births - but I too just went through one last night.
The vet will give you Oxytocin? - it will help initiate contractions so she can pass that placenta.
But seeing the date you first posted - I'm sure that is history at this point. Did you give her antiobiotics?
I would wonder from the more experienced here - if it might be necessary.
I'm getting two small full jars of milk now, holy cow!
She cried / yelled ALL night last night, and was absolutely exhausted today. When I went out with some treats, she didn't even stand up. I got her some warm water with molasses and gave her a brush down. Later I let them all out into the yard to graze on the grass, and she came out with everyone else and seemed more perky. She will still yell and bleat over by the fence near the area she gave birth, but she seems more calm. Poor girl.
No luck finding a little one for her, it was a long shot anyway.
She's got a nice full udder and we're getting tons of colostrum from her. A cup and a half this morning and a full small mason jar this evening. Her mother is an amazing milker, so my hopes are high. Do you see colostrum like this drying up? Total first timer here, so I wouldn't know. It's totally dark outside, 10pm here, and she's still bawling. I'm afraid I'll have to explain to the neighbors.
No idea if I could find her a baby, no luck yet anyway.
I understand your feelings completely, but you can't be sure that she'd be willing to adopt another kid. It won't smell like hers, so she might reject it. Also, because she gave birth so early and because she is a first freshener, her milk might not come in. Back when we were having trouble with copper deficiency, we never had a doe get a decent milk supply if they gave birth two weeks early or earlier. We'd usually give up after a week or so. I'd certainly encourage you to milk her because you might be able to get her going, but you wouldn't want to get a kid nursing on her and then have it starve.
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