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Barnyard Buddies:  Rejected baby goat - Update with Pics!!  |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 08:39:58 AM
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My doe Madeline kidded last night and had three baby boys! YAY! (I don't want any more does right now.) When we went out at 4 AM to see if she had kidded, all bellies felt full as if they had all nursed. When hubby went back down about 7 AM to feed, one of the babies was standing outside by himself and when he went up to Madeline, she made "go away" noises and butted him away. I went down shortly thereafter and tried to put the baby by her and she did the same thing. The other two she has accepted fully and they are nursing and she is taking good care of them. I milked her and fed the "orphan" awhile ago but I'm not sure how much, how often, how long for "mama's milk" before changing to milk replacer, etc. I wonder if she rejected one because she doesn't think she can feed them all? Can I put the baby and grandmommy in a separate pen so that he is with another goat? I am afraid to leave him in the big pen with mom because I'm afraid she will hurt him. I have always let the moms take care of the babies so I have never raised a bottle baby before! Any help would be appreciated!
Well, the baby is doing just fine! I am bottle feeding him whole, organic, cow's milk (recommended from the Fiasco Farms webpage) and he is thriving! Now I am concerned about mom though. She was fine all day Monday and seemed okay yesterday but this morning she hadn't eaten any of her alfalfa from last night and was standing in her house shivering, looking lethargic and her knees looked swollen. I did some checking (Fiasco Farms again, gonna send them a donation for their website after pay day!) and it sounds as though she has ketosis. I have started giving her Karo/molasses water and she does seem a little better but I am sure worried about her! She is my A-number-one milker girl (I tell her that all the time!). She is still nursing the other two babies and they seem just fine. Anyway, just an update and some pictures of Oliver, the bottle baby.
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
www.calicocandy.etsy.com
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  |
Edited by - Candy C. on Mar 30 2011 3:25:34 PM |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 08:50:43 AM
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Hey Candy, For the first week or two I would feed the little one 3-4 times a day with his mothers milk then slowly change to milk replacer. Separating them would be a good idea and you might try putting him with his grandmommy. I personally take all rejected babies in the house with me so I can watch them and feed them. Let me know if this helps!
hugs,
Hannah
Farmgirl sister #1219!
"Lifes not about the breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away."
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 10:13:06 AM
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Is Grandmother expecting??? If she is you are risking that either she will hurt the orphan when it comes time for her to deliver or the orphan will take the colostrum from the grandmother and leave her babies without. Depending on that you will have to consider if there are other mothers around who have kidded and you might graft them or you are looking at keeping the orphan away totally. Can you figure out why she rejected - sometimes they know more then us and there might be an issue with that one - check it over completely.... Very important because if you leave it too long there might be a decline that you do not catch in time.
Please keep us informed and we will do what we can for you and the little one.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.artfire.com
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 10:58:47 AM
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Thanks for the responses! Grandmommy is retired, she is 11 so I don't breed her anymore so that isn't an issue. I can't find anything wrong with the little guy, he is actually the biggest of the three. I have fed him twice now and he is eating well and has pooped already. I went to Fiasco Farm's website and they had a schedule and amounts for feeding rejected/orphaned babies so I am going by that. Thanks again girls!!
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
www.calicocandy.etsy.com
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 2:28:44 PM
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Candy, have you tried to hold the doe and see if the kid can nurse? I have had to do that before with a doe that had triplets. Just to make sure they got the colostrum they needed to bigin with. She eventually accepted the kid. I guess she had so many she got confused when they were all nursing. I hope he will be ok. I'm sure he will with you bottle feeding him. He sounds like a big healthy boy.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 6:17:13 PM
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I have been milking mom for her colostrum and feeding it him and he seems to be doing okay so far. He drank his bottle down likety split this afternoon! It is just different for me to have to bottle feed a baby, never had to before! He comes running already when I go down to feed him, I named him Oliver (the orphan)! I will try to post pictures of all the boys tomorrow!
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
www.calicocandy.etsy.com
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 7:44:02 PM
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I am so glad Oliver ( cute name!) is doing well! Thank you for keeping us updated!
Hugs,
Hannah
Farmgirl sister #1219!
"Lifes not about the breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away."
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Mar 29 2011 : 12:48:00 PM
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It sounds like you have what we used to term a 'bummer'...the weakest one gets butted out so the other 2 can thrive....Sometimes the mother will later accept the 'bummer' but most often this one will have to be bottle fed & raised separately from its mates & mother....love his name....Michele'
Chickens rule!
The Old Batz Farm
Hen #2622 |
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amomfly
True Blue Farmgirl
658 Posts
Angie
LaGrange
IN
USA
658 Posts |
Posted - Mar 29 2011 : 6:10:30 PM
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I have one in the house right now. She was having a hard time of it at birth, so mom was seperated for a few while vert and I worked on her. She is doing great. She now spends days out with all the other kids. I want her to know she is a goat, I think she thinks she is a pet!
Good luck and enjoy!
Come visit my blog
http://angieruralliving.blogspot.com/
God Bless
Angie-amomfly
#1038 |
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rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2011 : 4:57:03 PM
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He is a cutie Candy!
hugs,
Hannah
Farmgirl sister #1219!
"Lifes not about the breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away."
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Beverley
True Blue Farmgirl
2707 Posts
Beverley
atlanta
Michigan
USA
2707 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2011 : 8:46:34 PM
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I have had this happen before too with triplets and I think the mom just feels she can't feed them all. all my orphans always do just fine being bottlefeed so nothing has ever been wrong with them. I think the mom just picks the ones she think will do better. The bottle feed ones are always the ones that win my heart cause they become my little babies...
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog....Charles F. Doran
beverley baggett
Beverley with an extra E...
https://sites.google.com/site/bevsdoggies/
http://bevsdoggies.blogspot.com/ |
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gypsy goat
True Blue Farmgirl
673 Posts
mary jo
michigan
673 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2011 : 06:56:29 AM
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oliver is a cutie so glad he is doing ok. hope his momma is ok too
farmgirl#1362 whatever you are be a good one-abe lincoln |
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karla
True Blue Farmgirl
1308 Posts
karla
Pella
Iowa
USA
1308 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2011 : 07:27:47 AM
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Bottle fed babies are so much more friendly too! I found this with last years babies. I had two that were born in frigid Febraury & had to be brought in the house to bottle feed & then some born in April & stayed with momma. The bottle fed still come running to me when I come out! And talk! I have Nubians & they are very vocal!
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
http://rua2j-grammysheirlooms.blogspot.com/ |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2011 : 07:42:48 AM
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well so happy you have boys. since you were wanting them. i too want boys here. hows mom doing? i give molasses water for about 5 days to mom. i think it helps fight off ketosis. kfc says you think you have it controlled, then they slip back again. so just wondering how she is doing today. happy days sherry
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2011 : 12:02:40 PM
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Mom seems to be doing really well today! Thank goodness!! I was SOOO worried about her! She is now eating and drinking water, her legs aren't puffy anymore and she is much more antimated! She did have some diarrhea yesterday but I think it was actually from the molasses and Karo, it is gone today. She is taking very good care of "her" two little boys and grandmommy lets little Oliver hang out with her! Thanks girls for asking!
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
www.calicocandy.etsy.com
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
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Barnyard Buddies: Rejected baby goat - Update with Pics!! |
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Rejected baby goat - Update with Pics!!
