Hi everyone! The blessed event has happened and what an experience.

I went to the barn in the morning and there were two of the cutest babies! Both does. Yeah, I didn't have to help. Then I notice that one kid was looking a little weak. (thank you all from the previous post about this, read on, it gets better) I locked the mother's head and tried to get the kid to nurse but it wouldn't. I did the honey on the finger to get it to suck but still couldn't get it going. Other kid started nursing fine. Run to the vet to get the tube I ment to get before kidding, kid and milk in hand to tube her right there since it was a distance away. Then I notice the other doe was beating up Mom and looking at the kids herself. So here I am, putting up a fence to seperate the two and still locking up Mom's head so the kids could nurse. (I guess I'd be afraid to nurse my kids if someone was beating me up too)

Now, as I'm doing this, the other doe goes into labor. Laying down, panting and grunting. As time goes on, something doesn't seem right. I call my breeder and she explains what to do. Put on the glove, feel for this and that, so on... I was hoping first time I wouldn't have to but I can do it. I feel head only and CAN'T FIND THE FEET ANYWHERE! I found other feet but not the ones I needed. While struggling, the goat of course fighting and not happy, I broke the bag. Ran to call the breeder on suggestions - NO PHONE! I can do this, I have to. She gave a grunt and out popped the head. So now here is this aggitated goat running around with the little head sticking out her butt crying. So I rubbed her udder to get her to push (thank you from another post about rubbing the udder to get the afterbirth out) and pulled the head hoping I didn't break her neck. Thank goodness, I didn't. A doe...followed by another doe...followed by another doe. Yes, TRIPLES!!! ALL DOES!!!

But it doesn't end. There are three kids and only two teats. The kid that was the first to nurse and was the strongest is now the one who gets pushed out of the way by the others and is the weakest. Brought her in for the night and tubed what milk I could get out of the two does after keeping the other kids away for a while with warm water and honey (thank goodness for goatworld/911. thanks Vicki) This of course is happening at 12:00 at night since I was away most of the day when they seemed to be doing so well. I am trying to rotate them but it isn't working well. I am also trying to bottle that baby but she wants nothing to do with it. I cannot bring it into the house away from mom and make her hungry because as many of you might remember, DH is a city boy and doesn't want goats in the house. (if I have too, I will. He wouldn't want anything to die) I really don't want to bottle feed so needless to say, this baby's name is "for sale".

So, that was my first experience. I figured if I got through this, I can do anything. I've got my herd of six that I wanted. The only thing left is trying to figure out how to register them and the one Mom.

Thanks to everyone who ever wrote suggestions on goats in this forum. I learned enough to get through it. Thanks!

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), April 01, 2001

Answers

Well I'm glad they are done! Where are you ? And what type of goats ?

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), April 01, 2001.

Well, I've got the little one sold but it looks like I may lose her. She's inside and still will not take the bottle so it's back to tubing since she is so weak.

Patty, I live in NJ and these are Boer. I think that is why there isn't enough milk to go around. One of those Nubians would have no trouble I'm sure.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), April 01, 2001.

Dee when does have triplets there seems sometimes not to be enough of anything to go around, both in utero and in the colostrum. In boers and in almost any first fresheners, unless they are out of very good milking lines, you should supplement the colostrum. We also give 1/2cc BO-SE shots and B1 shots to all our multiple kids. Though we also live in a NON defficeint area for selenium according to the map, my hay comes from Kansas, my grain comes from god knows where and if I don't supplement my does will very quickly start showing problems. Loose minerals are also a biggy for my herd health. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 02, 2001.

Dee - congratulations!!! And what a boon - all does!!!

My hubby is a city slicker too - and it takes some real doing on my part not to bash him upside the head once in a while - but he tries sooooo hard... Remind yours that most folks who raise animals have to bring them into the old abode every once in a while. But, if you are lucky, you won't 'have' to. Still.... better to start with the sugar now, in case you do have to at some later date!!

Good luck!!! I'm soooo HAPPY for you!!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 02, 2001.

Little one is doing fine. The nipple hole was too small. Poor thing was sucking away and not getting much. At least this was one lesson I learned before there was a death.

Here's a shocker, my husband is upset that I'm selling the bottle baby. So is my son who has offered to feed her (until the novalty wears off) She is still sold and is going to a 4Her for a first project.

Head doe is still beating up the other, making her stop nursing again. All the kids get along fine. I'll have to work on that.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), April 02, 2001.

I'm glad to hear all is well.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), April 03, 2001.

Hi, I've got a few questions about the dominant doe. Does she have horns? How big is the barn or pen? I would not put up with her pounding on the other doe. If she doesn't have horns, and the barn is large enough for both of them, and the other doe milk decently( though who would milk well when they're being beat up day after day), I'd sell the mean one and keep her kids as replacements. I had to sell one of our favorite does for just this reason, she kept attacking the other goats, which were more valuable and registered where she was not. It took all the joy out of goatkeeping for me to have to try to control her aggression. I still miss her a year later but the barn is far more peaceful with her gone and the other does can get something to eat now. Just my two cents.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 03, 2001.

The dominante doe is the mother (3/4 Boer) to the one getting beaten (7/8 Boer). She does not have horns. The daughter gets away from mom by jumping on a resting bench but then the kids can't get to her. I'm afriad they will get hurt jumping off if they do. It's 2 feet high. This bench is enclosed for a kid bed. (which they love) The pen is 10 x 12 which under research was more then enough room. I already decided to sell this doe after next season. She beats on the other kids too.

On a good note, the people who bought the baby love it. And get this, my husband is walking around complaining that I got rid of Billie. Go figure.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), April 03, 2001.