Friday, May 14, 2010

I now have FIVE goats!

Juju had her babies today while I was at work. Her due day was tomorrow. I think that she will be a good mom. The babies tried to nurse her legs, her neck, her chest, they even got in the right area but for the life of them they could not latch on to a teat! I think that they were only a hour old or so. They were dry but their umbilical cord was still wet and Juju still had "stuff" hanging out. I fed Meg and because I did not have any iodine, I ran back to town and got a bottle of it. I swabbed the belly buttons on the new babies. I must have got the stinging kind cause they sure cried! When I got back I put Maggie on the stand. She fought getting on the stand, but once on she did okay. This time I left the neck bar open and used a leash to keep her on the stand. I got a little bit more milk this time. I make sure that I milk her all the way so that she will make more.
I spoke with my goat lady and she said that I should milk Juju and bottle feed the new babies just to make sure that they get that colostrum. It's very important that they get some right way. I didn't want to take any chances with these babies. I got Juju out and got her on the stand (Yes, she fought also) and when she started to eat her grain I started to milk her. She did not like that! But it's all new to her. I just waited her out and then started again, we did that for a bit and she finally settled down. I got half a bottles worth and fed the new babies. I held them on my lap , put a finger in their mouth and then stuck in the nipple and held their lower jaw closed. Once they got a taste of it they both drank well. (Just so you know, colostrum is very thick and sticky)


With Juju, it was like I have never milked a goat before! She had bigger teats and I had gotten used to Maggie's small ones. I had to figure out how to get more fingers to work together.


7 comments:

  1. Yeah for baby goats! Congratulations on the babies and your new found abilities. I am sure you will do just fine with this set of kids.

    Have fun tomorrow at the market.

    Blessings..

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  2. Wonderful Krissy! Hope these new babies do well.

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  3. And to think you were feeling bad yesterday cuz you kept the three goats in their pen all day while you were at work....that was actually a good thing since babies were born.

    I bet JuJu will be a good mommie when it comes to nursing.

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  4. They are so cute. I can't wait until you have pics of the three little ones playing together. Got names yet? Sugar and spice? To go along with Nutmeg? I hope they've been nursing so you've only got one baby that thinks you are mama.

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  5. Congrats Krissy! They are so cute! I luv baby goats!!

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  6. Ohhhh so cute!! It looks like they have the same daddy! Are they boys or girls?

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