Molly's kidding thread~Buckley improved~just waitin' on a normal poo

[aggieterpkatie]

SD, do you have a large dog crate that you could put the kids in at night? You could leave them in that with a heat lamp over top, in sight of Molly and Ginger. Then you can let them back out in the morning. If you dont' think Molly is letting Seb nurse, then I'd milk her out and bottle feed him (her milk only).

 

[Shiloh Acres]

I hope you feel better soon.

I just had a thought, and it might be weird ... Not even sure how MUCH it would help if it works, but I'll toss it out in case you can use it.

You mentioned bitter apple on the cords? Now my herd queen would have eaten bitter apple, I bet, loved jalapeos ... Basically never met a fruit, veggie, or cookie she didn't like. But meat on the other hand -- she'd curl her lips and run away if she smelled meat on my hands, even if I was carrying goodies. I wonder -- and I know, I SAID it was weird! -- but I wonder if you could rub meat scent onto the cords to keep Donald off them? At least that'd be one less worry for you, if it works?

Anyway, I'm hoping Molly will settle into being a mommy. I'm just imagining all these "what-if's" reading y'all's kidding posts and thinking it COULD be a blessing in disguise that I lost my does? Well, ok, I'm not really buying that. D woulda been a great mama.

But I hope things go smoothly for you and all your goaties.

 

[savingdogs]

Several good thoughts here but they prompt some questions.

Meat flavor to keep Donald away.....hmmmm. He ate some dog biscuits that were meat that my son gave him before I realized what he was doing. I don't know how much he likes meat. The only flavor I know he doesn't like are his goat minerals! lol I think it is the salt.

This was actually Bitter Cherry that we used. So far he has not tried to chew them today, thank goodness.

I DO have many large dog crates I could put the goats in.

I'm laughing because I own more than 25 dog crates. People always "donate" them to me and no one ever takes one. So I have more than I will ever need.

But that made me think, what if I just shut the three kids in the small kidding stall overnight? The cords going to that one are too high up for Donald to reach. Then the three adults could be together at night like normal.

Would I need to milk the moms then? Right now it is a two person job and there is just me here in the morning. I can't risk getting them on the stand and having vertigo in the middle. I must have a helper.

I was also curious as to why I should feed Molly's buckling her own milk only? I have been letting Ginger's kids take all her milk since there are two, but why would I want to make sure it was the same doe, I'm just curious?

Right now Molly is thinking about going into the stall for her baby. Ginger is watching. i'll keep everyone posted.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Since Molly is already hesitant to be a good mother, it'd be best to keep her buck fed with only her milk so he doesn't smell different from drinking other milk.

I think if you keep the kids w/ moms until you're ready to separate them, they'll do fine overnight. Or, if you feel like you have been getting too much sleep, you can always wake up at night and let them nurse again. As long as you keep the dog crate right next to the moms so they can see and smell their babies, they should all be happy.

Or do you have some pvc you can put the cord through? Or an old garden hose or something?

 

[glenolam]

Putting the kids in the small pen overnight sounds like a great idea.

You don't necessarily have to milk them in the morning, but the does might get really engorged until their bodies figure out the "system".

I'm not sure why you should only feed the buckling his mother's milk...maybe just to be sure you save enough for the twins from the other mother? The only other thing I can think of is CAE...

ETA - she beat me to it. That's something I wouldn't have thought of....him smelling like someone else's doe...interesting!

 

[freemotion]

I've run cords through pvc pipe to horse-proof it. For my kidding stall, I put a scrap of siding in a corner and ran the cord and lamp behind it. The board is hung about 18-24" off the ground so the kids can crawl under the lamp, and I can raise and lower the lamp according to the temp without fear of the doe getting burned on it. Although they will try to squeeze under it, too, big fatsos!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I've run cords through pvc pipe to horse-proof it. For my kidding stall, I put a scrap of siding in a corner and ran the cord and lamp behind it. The board is hung about 18-24" off the ground so the kids can crawl under the lamp, and I can raise and lower the lamp according to the temp without fear of the doe getting burned on it. Although they will try to squeeze under it, too, big fatsos!

Good idea about the siding! Or what about heavy cardboard or feed bags? We don't have these issues with sheep.

 

[freemotion]

My goats would eat cardboard, and would definitely eat feedbags!

 

[savingdogs]

 

[savingdogs]

huh? What did I do wrong? I'm using my stupid computer, not hubby's which I usually do. Why am I getting that?