Hi all, My Pygmy cross just had 4 babies. One of which died before I got out there. Two are doing good the other is weaker. I dried it off and rubbed it alot which seemed to revive it a little. I don't know if it has nursed yet. She probably had them 3 hours or so ago. I plan on bottle feeding some of the babies(I have two other does due anytime now)just to get them really people friendly. I know it needs it's colostrum, but how should I go about doing it? Please give me any input about any part of this cause I'm new to goats. Thanks, Amy

-- Amy Sabino (seansabino@hotmail.com), March 28, 2002

Answers

Milk the doe. If you don't have a bottle, use an eyedropper or needleless syringe. go slow, you don't want the milk to go into the kids lungs. You need to get the kid to drink asap. Keep the kid warm and dry.

-- VickiP. (countrymous@webtv.net), March 28, 2002.

Our doe had quads one year, and all were big and healthy. Mom refused to have four kids butting and fighting over two faucets, however. Fortunately the color markings were different on the kids. The two dids with tan ears got to eat in the morning before we went to work, while one of us physically restrained mom and locked up the black eared kids. At night the black eared kids ate their fill. During the rest of the time mom did her best to keep away from them. It was much easier than bottle feeding them, and they thrived in spite of poor parenting and missed meals.

-- Roma Milner (rmiln@aol.com), April 01, 2002.