Your goat just had baby goats, now what?
Well, after you get over the adorable shock of the adorableness of your adorable new baby goats, then you can begin to think about how to care for mama goat who most likely pushed out some multiple babies.
0-12 hours after birth:
MAMA GOAT: Your job is to make sure all the placentas were extracted. This can be hard to tell, especially if you weren’t there for the birth and your mama goat ate ’em up like a nice slimy dessert. After delivery, I like to give my doe a small amount of grain mixed with molasses and a bit of honey to give her a boost of energy. Also, it’s good to offer some fresh warm water as well.
BABY GOATS: Your job is to make sure your doe (mama goat) is being a good mother. All does are slightly different in their personalities, but basically you want to make sure your doe is doing the following:
- Licking her baby goats
- Is concerned for them when they cry and goes to their aid
- Stands still while they nurse.
Although baby goats stand within minutes of being born, they are pretty wobbly, and they need a good mama that is patient and stays still while they nurse. If your doe isn’t standing and letting the babies nurse, you’ll need to hold her still and “teach” her how to stand as her babies nurse.
Check the umbilical cord, trim it if needed and apply some betadine solution to the end of the umbilical cord.
24 hours after birth:
MAMA GOAT: It would be wise to take your doe’s temperature. A normal goat temperature is between 102 to 103 degrees F. Also, I’d recommend herbally de-worming your doe to help prevent a surge in worms while her immune system is down.
BABY GOATS: Make sure they are peeing & pooping. Their poop will look a lot like the baby meconium and will be thick and look like tar. Continue to watch and make sure your doe is bonding with the babies and that the babies are getting stronger and able to “fight” for a teat:)
48 hours after birth:
MAMA GOAT: Take your doe’s temperature again. Give her a 2nd dose of herbal de-wormer. Watch her back end for excessive bleeding and & healing. You can apply my animal healing salve to her back end (with a glove on of course). This should help give her relief and encourage healing.
BABY GOATS: Make sure each baby is growing strong and can eat from mama.
72 hours after birth:
MAMA GOAT: Take your doe’s temperature again. Give her a 3rd dose of herbal de-wormer. Apply my animal healing salve to her back end again. Give her the herbal supplement, Mo’ Milk Mix, to boost her milk production.
- Mo’ Milk Mix (where to buy) – this is a great herbal mix to help your doe’s milk come in fully. You don’t NEED this at all, your doe can produce milk just fine, but it does help give a natural ‘boost’ to her milk supply.
BABY GOATS: Feel the baby goats ‘buds’ and take note of their size so you can disbud them within a week if you choose.
96 hours after birth:
Congratulations! When you reach this point, your babies goats should be pros at nursing and your doe is a stellar mama. Keep in mind that all goats are slightly different. I’ve had some does be very attentive to their babies every cry, and some who kind of put off an “quit whining” attitude:) Either way is fine as long as they do still feed them and aren’t mean to them in any way.
Good luck! Be sure to write any questions in the comments below!
I have a mama that has just started mounting her baby boy. He is three weeks old. Why would she do this and should I be concerned for the bucklings safety?
Hi Heather-
The doe is probably coming into heat, as that is a sign of it. Do make sure she isn’t being to rough on him, but he should be ok.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
My daughters are raising mini Nigerians. First time having kids for them with an experienced mama. Mama is attentive and sweet. First baby came out head first but swallowed fluid as the sac burst as his head went in and out. He is weaker than his sister who came out quickly after him. He was sucked out (nose mouth) right after birth, some gurgling sound still remains (18 hours). My daughters gave him colostrum and used a feeding tube twice to ensure he’s getting what he needs….but really wanting him to nurse. He does now try nursing but maybe not for a long enough?
How much do you intervene and how fast should we see him recover to k ow he is getting enough milk?
Hi Barb-
Keep and eye on him and keep helping him nurse until you know he can completely feed on his own and is gaining weight. The weight gain, and if he is active, will let you know he is getting what he needs.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
One of our female goats gave birth yesterday. We bought her from an auction last February, so I’m not sure how old she is or if she’s had any other kids before. I went out to the pen to feed the goats yesterday morning and saw her with the baby, so she must have given birth in the middle of the night. She had already cleaned the kid and it was nursing. However, I’m not sure if the mom is producing any milk. This is our first time, so we are new to this. How can you tell if the kid is getting any milk? Also the mommy still looks really big (like she’s still pregnant), is this normal? Could she still have another kid in her? It’s been over 24 hours since she gave birth. She’s acting normal and paying attention to the kid, but I’m concerned about her milk production and the size of her belly.
Hi Erica-
Yes, does can look pregnant after giving birth. If it has been over 24 hours and she hadn’t delivered her kids or placenta she would be in distress.
She is probably producing milk, but to make sure, you can milk her and see if the milk is coming out.
Also, if the kid is not being fed and is hungry it will be very vocal.
Best of luck!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
My momma goat just had her baby today she is letting it nurse but she is not lay down with her baby this would be her 2 kid I don’t know what to do if u could help me out that would be really great thanks
Hi Katrina-
As long as she is nursing and cleaning the baby it should be fine. She may just not be laying down when people are around because it makes her nervous. As long as the baby is in a warm and safe environment and continues to eat and grow I wouldn’t worry too much.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi, I am new to goats, and we recently purchased an experienced pregnant ND. She’s expected to give birth in the next week or so, and is showing some early signs of labor. It appears the babies have dropped, she’s been licking her stomach, her voice has gotten softer, and has had discharge over the past week.
A couple days ago, however, her udder shrunk. It wasn’t very large to begin with (we expected she just hadn’t bagged up yet), but I can’t find any information about this happening online. Has this ever happened with your goats? We don’t suspect she was being milked, but it did appear she was in the same pen as one of her kids from her last kidding. We also don’t have a confirmed pregnancy. Is it possible she was still nursing and has just now dried up? Or is it more likely that it was a false pregnancy, and we’ve been reading the signs wrong?
We appreciate any help you can give! Thanks!
Hi Gabrielle-
It sounds more like the kid was nursing off of her.
If she is pregnant you should be able to feel the babies moving by now. If you can’t you may want to do a sonogram.
Definitely separate her from all other goats, so she can give birth with out being bothered by other goats and so the kid does not nurse off of her because the new babies will need that colostrum and milk.
If she continues to not bag up, or it looks like difficult birth, contact your vet.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Our pygmy goat has 1 baby girl about 4 hours ago. Is it normal to only have 1? The baby keeps trying to nurse but the mom wont let her. Mom is licking her and seems to bed doing everything else right.
Hi Melissa-
Yes, they can have just one kid. Always check to see if the placenta has been delivered. You may need to hold or tie up the mama goat and allow the baby to nurse because she will need the colostrum.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi, My goat just gave birth 2 days ago to two beautiful baby male kids. I have not dewormed because what I had originally bought says not to use when lactating, plus I have been going back and forth on wanting to just stick with all natural stuff. I had come across Molly’s herbs and then when I read you use them as well I just ordered her deworming kit. However, do I need to buy something at the store to use in the meantime while I wait for my order to arrive in the mail? I really wanted to do something natural but kept going back and forth. Will it be okay to just wait till Molly’s herbs arrives in the mail and begin at that time? Thanks!
Hi Candice-
You can just wait until you get the herbs in.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
hi so in urgent need of help
my goat gave birth to a dead kid this morning and right now its past midnight and I feel like shes still in labor and that theres another baby inside of her, this is her first time. its been 17 hours since the baby died. shes got this weird pink sack like thing coming and going out of her, it doesnt look like a placenta to me. shes been pawing and at times vocal. i dont know what to do, its scary someone please help
Hi Jaya-
You need to call your vet immediately. She may be having a difficult labor, have excess bleeding, and/or prolapsing. She needs to be seen and treated right away.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
my doe just had her very first time kidding and she gave birth to one rather fast and not even 3 minutes after the first one was born the second slipped right out. she delivered the red/purple bag and and after that I swore i saw another sack with a baby or at least some hove’s. she seemed like she was in total shock after delivering the two kids.. i pilled the babies up to her face (after cleaning out the air ways) and showed the babies to her, but she would turn away from them. she has yet to lick them or even notice that they came from her. she was laying on the ground shaking and not moving for almost an hour i had to move the babies at that point it was a rather cold and windy day so i put them in the goat house (she went into labor out in the middle of the pen).
luckily i had another doe that had 2 kids 3 hours earlier and she stepped in after an hour and let them nurse off her ( she was also a first timer). I’m completely clueless on how to help her, she is my friendliest doe and my “best doe”, she has great lines, i wanted to keep her as a milker as well but I’m supper anxious for her future kidding! any help would be very much appreciated.THANK YOU
Hello-
The labor may have been too much for your doe. I recommend having your vet check her out and make sure there are no injuries, tears, or excessive bleeding. In the meantime check her for fever and give her plenty of water and some Nutri-Drench.
That’s great if your other doe can nurse them. I’d would still try to get their mom to nurse them if you can, even if you have to hold her there, unless it takes too much of a toll on her. Or milk her out and bottle feed them.
Best of luck with everything.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
i also had another doe give birth today at 12 and she had 2 girls. and she was in the goat house. she soon started taking care of Ramsey’s babies and letting the nurse off her, as well as her own 2.
Ramsey still hasn’t shown any interest in her babies still and is still shaking like she’s in shock. at least that’s what i think happened, she went into shock. any input would be very much appreciated! thank you !!! pt3
I did notice while looking at Ramsey’s rear end she pushed out a sack and after that i swore i saw another “bubble” with hove’s. I could have been wrong. but then she got up and delivered her placenta. i dont really know what to do to help her. when she was up and moving i would show her my hands *in gloves* covered from the sent of the babies and she licked them off, so i thought, ill grab her baby and see what she thinks and she walked away not caring. pt.2
I did notice while looking at Ramsey’s rear end she pushed out a sack and after that i swore i saw another “bubble” with hove’s. I could have been wrong. but then she got up and delivered her placenta. i dont really know what to do to help her. when she was up and moving i would show her my hands *in gloves* covered from the sent of the babies and she licked them off, so i thought, ill grab her baby and see what she thinks and she walked away not caring.
i also had another doe give birth today at 12 and she had 2 girls. and she was in the goat house. she soon started taking care of Ramsey’s babies and letting the nurse off her, as well as her own 2.
Ramsey still hasn’t shown any interest in her babies still and is still shaking like she’s in shock. at least thats what i think happened, she went into shock. any input would be very much appreciated! thank you !!! pt3
my yearling doe (Ramsey) just had her first kidding at 3:45 today. I was there for the whole birth. I made sure everything was going good. she popped out the first buckling and then not even 2 minuets delivered the second bucking. I cleaned off their faces and moved them to Ramsey’s face. she turned her head away and ignored them. I got concerned, and of cores it was supper cold and windy day, and she went into labor out of the goat house. I tried to clean them off the best I could so they wouldn’t freeze. she just laid there for another 30 minutes, I didn’t know what to do, I had to move the babies into the goat house at that point to keep them alive. pt.1
Hi!
One of our does (about a year old) just gave birth fpr the first time to twin girls a little over a week ago! She’s been a great mom so far and we haven’t really had problems with her but lately she has seemed to be in constant distress. She looks thinner and won’t stop frantically bleating. We wondered if maybe she’s ready to get back to her friends and is feeling lonely? So we let her and her babies near the heard but not in the fence with them but she still seemed very distraught, constantly calling to her babies. What could she want?
Hi Paige-
If she is losing weight and not acting right, she may need more/better nutrition and to be dewormed. https://www.weedemandreap.com/optimal-nutritional-goat-diet/
Also, look for anything that may be stressing her out such as predators or other animals or noises bothering her. Check her temperature and make sure she is going to the bathroom and drinking plenty of water.
If she continues this call you vet and have them check her out.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi! Ive already went through two of my goats births (both were seasoned veterans and we had no issues at all, except a slight selenium deficiency in one of the kids), but ive never had a first-timer give birth in my care until now.. one of my Nigerian dwarf does had her very first baby yesterday! She needed some assistance because he was a very big buckling, but unfortunately i wasnt present so i dont know the details.
Shes an amazing momma, very attentive and shes a champ with standing still for her baby.. but im a bit worried for her… shes looking a bit puffier in her rear end than ive noticed in my other does (large Spanish goats) and i was wondering if this was common for first-timers or maybe it was just specific to her situation? Shes an amazing goat so i would hate to have to take her out of commission because of a birthing issue ?.. any tips? Maybe something DIY that i can whip up in my kitchen to reduce the swelling? Im in a veterinary medicine class and we’ve covered our birthing complications already, so i don’t think its a uterine prolapse, it just looks very very swollen. He was a GIANT baby for her, about 3 1/2-4 lbs! (Purebred, she was bred to a normal-sized Nigerian dwarf buck)
Hi Emma-
She is probably just sore and a little inflamed. Put some salve on it.
Do take her temperature and make sure she is eating, drinking, and going to the bathroom. Give her some of the molasses water and try to let her rest. If she worsens call the vet.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Question…. My goat had babies yesterday, her third time but today she still has afterbirth and her end is very swollen and looks actually a little turned out. I am at a loss for how to help her. What suggestions do you have????
Hi Sharon-
If you think she has prolapsed you need to call your vet ASAP.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
My moma Oreo just gave birth two days ago but anytime I pat her or even slightly touch her back or near the back hips she almost drops her rear end is that normal. Both are doing great and eating and walking but never seen this before
Hi Kara-
Your goat may have sustained injuries during birth. Have her checked out by a vet ASAP.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi. Our mama just had her first baby Saturday. Everyone is fine and healthy but I think mama may be producing too much milk for just one kid. Is that possible? And if so, should we milk her? Her bag is just extremely tight and swollen. I just don’t want to run into a problem where she won’t be able to let her kid nurse. Thank you for any advice you can give.
Hello Robin-
The more you milk her the more milk she will produce. If you are not wanting milk for yourselves then just let the baby nurse and her production will regulate based on how much the kid needs. Plus does should not be milked in the first couple of weeks because the babies need to nurse in order to get the colostrum and ensure they are getting enough to eat.
Just keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn’t develop mastitis, fever, or have trouble nursing the baby.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi I was wondering will a protective mama sheep hurt a baby Nigerian dwarf goat we are getting the goats in the spring but only have a small barn and are planning on breeding them a few times we have four sheep and are breeding the males for meat and females for breeding
One more thing the goats will have summer and late spring early fall by them selfs and will have their own stall but same pasture… the sheep breed is kahtatin
Hi Cate-
Yes a ewe can hurt baby goats if they are very young. After a few months they should be ok especially if they have their own stall and plenty of room in the pasture.
Just be sure that if you are giving your goats minerals with copper (because goats need that) that the sheep do not have access to it as it is toxic to them.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Thanks Bobbi
I’m new to goats. We’ve had some for about 5 months now. We just got a pregnant goat and she had her kids. Twin doelings. But momma goat had diarrhea/soft poop. Is that normal?
Hi Brittany-
The birthing process may just have taken a toll on your goat. Follow the recommendations in the article and be cautious how much grain you give. Also, give her some electrolytes.
If she doesn’t get better soon give your vet a call.
Your goat may also have coccidiosis. A fecal test should be done and she should be seen and treated by your vet if she does.
Best of luck with everything.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
do you sell goats
Hi Stephen-
Yes, DaNelle sells goat. You can fill out the waiting list on this site: https://wolftreeranch.com/goats-for-sale/
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
How soon after birth can a new mama and her babies rejoin the herd?
Hi Heather-
After 2-3 weeks they should be ok to join the herd. Just keep an eye on them and make sure the other goats are accepting them.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
my goat delivered premature babies 4 days ago, the two babies died after two days.
the mama goat is having some sticky milky discharge, however she is feeding well. what could be the problem? why is she still having the discharge and what is the solution
Hi Samera-
Goats will have discharge for a couple weeks after birth, but usually it is bloody looking.
With the babies dying and the discharge being an off color you should contact your vet immediately. She may have some type of infection or nutritional issue or both.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Our 9 month old fielding gave birth to a stillborn yesterday. We did not know that she was pregnant when we bought her 2 months ago. My question is how long should we keep her separated from our other goats(2 girls 3 boys)? Our males have all been fixed. She just stands at the gate looking at them and seems so sad.
Hi Candice-
She can go back with the herd as long as she seems strong and healthy. Keep an eye on her and make sure she’s eating, drinking, and going to the bathroom and not getting pushed around by the other goats.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi, thanks for your information! My goat gave birth nearly two days ago and her baby was happy and jumping around but unfortunately they crossed over to our neighbours land, and the baby got trampled over by the neighbours horses. We brought her home and wrapped up her leg. We’re not sure if the mother was feeding the baby, she left him under a tree where the horses kept coming in and trying to smell her. She keeps leaving the baby and joining the rest of the herd. Her sister isn’t joining the herd and staying with her twin babies. We’ve tried to force her to stand still but she kept moving. When we forced her, the baby didn’t understand how to latch on her mothers teat, when we helped her she went crazy drinking the milk. What can we do in this situation? Any help would be great 🙂
Hi Meriam-
With the baby injured and the mama not wanting to care for it, it would be best to milk the mama several times a day and bottle feed that milk to the baby.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hey sorry I didn’t know how to comment on here.
I woke up this morning to 2 baby goats, momma goat seems fine and healthy but she has a placenta I think still hanging out of her. It’s dragging behind her and she seems uncomfortable. I got her to let the baby’s nurse and she did let them nurse but she is a new mom and I’m new to baby goats to. Any advice on what to do with the stuff hanging from her still?
Hi Merry-
Do NOT pull it out. Call your vet immediately.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
My doe kidded 5 days ago, and she will not shut up. Like she just screams just for the heck of it, all the time. Its driving me crazy. She’s got lots of food, clean water and looks healthy. Why and how can I stop her from doing this. Maybe its just how she gets during motherhood? Im hoping its just a phase because its driving me and my neighbors crazy. She’s acting like a spoiled little brat.
Hi Katie-
I’m not sure why your doe is being so vocal. Usually goats do not behave this way unless separated from their kids or if something is wrong. It would be best to have your vet check her out to make sure she isn’t suffering from some sort of pain and/or infection. She may have had complications from the birth or milk coming in or did not deliver the placenta completely. These can all cause problems. Otherwise she may need some extra TLC and some extra time and attention from you or whomever is her main caregiver. If she is a new mama she may just be having a hard time getting used to her new role. Make sure she continues to feed her babies and that they are growing. Check them all for fevers and if they are going to the bathroom and are eating.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi!
We had a goat go into labor today. We’ve assisted in all of our goats’ births over the years, and this one was COMPLETELY different. First of all, the first kid was born ear first. It’s little legs were down by it’s sides. Every effort to correct the position failed, but fortunately, she squirted the little guy out anyways. Then the next bubble came. Empty and hanging much like afterbirth. Then another bubble came, this one was covered in red veins but nothing was inside. Then another giant kid, then another bubble, then another giant kid, then another bubble.
My question is , is there usually a bubble after each kid, and all my other goats have been strange in not having one, or should I be concerned for the doe today? And, is it common for two kids to be born in the wrong position? It was her first time, but I’m worried about breeding her again.
Thanks!!
Hi Rachel-
The bubbles sound like small sacs of amniotic fluid and shouldn’t be harmful. However, it would be best to check with your vet.
The position the kids were delivered is more concerning as this can cause issues during birth. So, when deciding to breed again you should talk with your vet to see if there are things you can do to get the kids in the right position before birth. Also, if you are using a larger breed buck and your doe is a smaller breed doe I wouldn’t recommend this as this can cause issues during the birthing process too.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
My son and his wife just bought 2 dwarf goats (Nigerian dwarf or pigmy goats?) within the last 2 weeks. 1 pregnant. The mom goat was dues in 2 more weeks per the seller, but yesterday gave birth to 3. 2 were alive and 1 was still in the sac but the sac was removed from the baby’s mouth and face area. This goat was 2 times the size of the other baby goats. My dil called frantic as they only had chicken experience. I went over and took the baby in towels and rubbed it vigorously and made sure it’s mouth was suctioned and blew into it’s mouth with a straw. It never did come around. My big concern now is did this baby goat have a disease that I am now at high risk of contracting? It never crossed my mind about having a disease as the cause of death. the other 2 are fine and nursing. The mom had the CDT vaccine. After some research this morning, I see there are many reasons for goat deaths, especially disease. I am terrified that I exposed myself to some very bad disease and am super worried.
Hi Elizabeth-
Baby goats are stillborn for various reasons, including injury, genetics, diseases, etc. If you want to know if the kid was infected with something you would need to do a necropsy. You can talk to your vet about the possibility of it being a disease that caused the stillbirth and the possibility of it being zoonotic. However, since the other 2 were not aborted/stillborn it probably was not an infectious disease, however, confirm that with your vet and have your 2 kids and doe tested. Also, you can call you doctor and asked to be tested for possible zoonotic diseases, especially if you begin to run a fever or have flu like symptoms.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
I’m a first time goat owner and outlr goat gave birth 2 days ago. She has started to have diorrhea this afternoon and hasn’t been eating so much. In terms of being mum she is great, but I’m wondering if there may be an underlying problem?
Hi Liz-
The birth process may have taken a toll on your goat. Follow the recommendations in the article and be cautious how much grain you give. Also, give her some electrolytes.
Your goat may also have coccidiosis. A fecal test should be done and she should be seen and treated by your vet.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Our pygmy doe surprised us with a little one yesterday. We suspected she was pregnant late fall but she didn’t seem to get much bigger through the winter. (First time goat parents and now grandparents.) We were not present for the birth. By the time we saw baby it was clean and dry. We have not seen an afterbirth but it is possible she had eaten it. She did have “blood” in her beard but I’m thinking that could have been from cleaning baby.
This morning (about 14 hours later) we went out to check on them and momma was pushing again. Could this be a sign that she hasn’t delivered the placenta? Could she be having troubles pooping?
Hi Jaquelyn-
It does sound like your doe may be having trouble. It would be best to call the vet ASAP and have them check her out. In the meantime take her temperature, check to see if she is in fact going to the bathroom, if she is eating and drinking, and also check her for signs of injury or pain.
Best wishes for your doe!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hello
Mama goat gave birth few days ago but she’s bleeding now a lot. What can I do?
Hi Mariam-
If she is bleeding and it’s not slowing down quite a bit you need to call the vet immediately.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hello, We are 1st time goat owners and believe a recently acquired doe might be pregnant! Aggggh! Should we separate her from our other 4 goats? Will they harm the newborn kidds?
Thank you for any advice!
Hi Sandy-
When the doe is getting close to delivery you will need to separate her. It is best to keep her and the kids separated a couple weeks after birth.
Best of luck with your goats!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hello i did not know how to comment question mama goat gave birt to two healthy kidds the problem is mama can not stand up to nurse any thoughts
Hi Sharon-
You need to call your vet immediately. Your doe may have ketosis, be anemic, have a selenium, Vitamin E, thiamin, and/or copper deficiency, or possibly an infection. You can give her BoSe, a dose of thiamin, and some molasses to give her a boost and take her temperature to see if she has a fever or low body temperature. Also deworm her. But do contact your vet so he can properly treat her.
Best wishes for your doe!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hello.
My doe had a premature birth about a week ago. She has kidded before and everything was going on fine until a day before the premature kidding. She was restless, noisy and pretty uncomfortable until she eventually passed out the babies (they were two and not well formed, no hair too). In my experience it is quite normal for kidded does to bleed (cleaning themselves out) after a successful kidding, and this shouldn’t be for long (a week is the longest I have seen). But my does is still bleeding and it’s days past a week now. Other than the bleeding, she looks healthy and responsive to feeding but she’s not very vibrant (she’s usually noisy and is a bully- reason I had her in isolation as she rams smaller does). Is there something I am missing?
Hello-
I am sorry the babies did not make it. Some goats can gave a bloody discharge even a couple weeks (or just slightly longer) after they kid. Usually it fades in color from bright red, to pink, then to a brownish color before it dries up. If it isn’t lessening in color (moving from bright red to brown) or the amount continues fairly heavy or increases, call your vet. It wouldn’t hurt to take her temperature (checking for fever or dropping body temperature). Make sure she continues eating and drinking and going to the bathroom as normal. Do continue to monitor the discharge and watch your doe for any signs of illness or weakness. If you see any of that, it is time to call the vet. Be sure to give her plenty of fresh water, quality feed, supplements, and minerals. She made need extra nutrition since the birth was so difficult.
Best of luck with your doe.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
So my mama boer goat has 3 babies last night. Everything went fine. This is her second time and she was a great mama. She is doing really well this time too. I’ve watched them try to nurse but not sure if they are getting any milk. Is it harder to tell when they are getting the colostrum? With the first one I could see the bubbles around her mouth when she would nurse. I am not seeing that now though.
Hi Jennifer-
You may want to milk the mama just a small amount to make sure she’s producing milk and it’s coming out. Check her for mastitis and clogged ducts, as these can cause issues with nursing.
Check the babies mouth to make sure they don’t have any issues. Also, the babies will cry a lot if they are hungry. So, if they seem content they are probably getting enough to eat.
You can also weigh your babies to see if they are gaining weight.
Best of luck with your mama and babies!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi, I recently got a new Goat about a month and a half ago. I didn’t get much info from the previous owner she was a rescue rehome. They said she’s been dewormed and and whatnot, but I don’t think much was actually done. I didn’t reAlize she needed a CDT shot before the baby and needs dewormed now until I read your article. A lot of what I’ve read I should do a fecal test before deworming but with the herbal dewormed is the fecal necessary? Do you do CDT shots?
She just gave birth today to a health little doeling and they are both doing well. Mommas taking care of her and cleaning and feeding.
ThAnks
Christine
Hi Christine-
Congratulations on your goats!
Yes, DaNelle does vaccinate for CDT. This article goes over what DaNelle does and doesn’t do when it come to vaccinations. https://www.weedemandreap.com/goat-vaccinations/
As for a fecal test, yes it’s a good a idea to do periodic tests to ensure whatever deworming method you are using is doing the job. This article goes into how DaNelle deworms and also gives some info on fecal testing. https://www.weedemandreap.com/natural-goat-dewormer/
I hope everything goes well your goats!
Best wishes! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
I just had babies thus chr morning. The mana is being a great mom. She still has after birth hanging out. Should I remove it?
Hi Laine-
Congrats on the babies!
If the mama has anything coming out the back end do not pull on it. As long as she has delivered the placenta she will be fine and she will clean herself up. Mama’s can have discharge for over 2 weeks after giving birth. It will change from brighter red to a darker brown and become less and less.
Best wishes for your new mama and babies!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
My Nigerian Dwarf doe kidded two bucklings 3 weeks ago. This is her first kidding, one strong boy and one runt. Both are healthy and growing well. Doe is a great mama! But I’ve noticed her mid section is still larger than normal. Any ideas why? Thanks!
Hi Sarah-
Goats can look bloated for several reasons. Be sure to deworm your mama goat, as internal parasites can make them bloated. Also offer her free access to baking soda and limit her grain. Sometimes feeding Chaffhaye can help too, as can giving her probiotics.
She may just look like this normally as some goats just do, but doing as suggested above will keep her healthy and reduce some of the bloat.
Best of luck with your mama and kids!
Thank you -Bobbi(DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi there! My goat is 9 days post partum. We noticed her chin swollen a few days ago. Tonight we noticed it and her face very swollen and her belly looks pregnant again. Help! Thank you!
Hi Kandice-
Most likely your goat is suffering from bottle jaw caused by anemia from barber pole worms.
You need to first deworm her and then treat her anemia, or this could become life threatening.
Here is an article on how DaNelle deworms her goats: https://www.weedemandreap.com/natural-goat-dewormer/
This info can help you treat the anemia: http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/wp-content/w3tc/pgcache/the-farmyard/goat-health/anemia/_index_high.html
I hope that helps and your goat is well and happy very soon!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hey Danielle!
I had a doe that kidded on the 23rd of july. One perfect beautiful lil doe. She takes great care of her and is a good momma. Baby is doing great bouncing around and jumping off of things..I noticed the other day that momma was bleeding a little bit (vaginally)
I have never had kids myself ( humans or goats lol ) so i dont really know what to expect about discharge and how long things take to “dry up”. I was wondering if this is normal and how long i should expect for her to still be discharging and whatnot. She is eating, drinking and acting totally normal. thanks so much for ur help 🙂
Hi Celeste-
Congrats on your new baby! So exciting!
As for your doe, some goats can gave a bloody discharge even a couple weeks (or just slightly longer) after they kid. Usually it fades in color from bright red, to pink, then to a brownish color before it dries up. If it isn’t lessening in color (moving from bright red to brown) or the amount continues fairly heavy or increases, call your vet. It wouldn’t hurt to take her temperature (checking for fever or dropping body temperature), but since she is eating and drinking and acting normal (I assume she’s going to the bathroom ok), then I think your doe is fine. Do continue to monitor the discharge and watch your doe for any signs of illness or weakness. If you see any of that, it is time to call the vet. Be sure to give her plenty of fresh water, quality feed, supplements, and minerals, and maybe just a little extra TLC. 😉
I hope that helps. Best of luck with your doe and her little doe.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi, there! I buy a doe goat with twins babies around 3 days olds . I saw her tits look like bumps on it .I try to attach the photos but didnt works . What can be and how can I treated? Thank you !
Lori
Hi Lori-
There are many things it could be, including genetics, a fungal infection, or staph infection, depending on what the bumps look like. You need to have your vet look at it so they can treat it properly and with a medication that is ok to put on and/or give a nursing doe.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
We recently had a first time mom have twins. She isn’t cleaning their bottoms and there is a runt. The runt cant latch to a teat but the mom isn’t rejecting. both have yellow poop stuck to their bottoms. We aren’t sure what to do.
Hi Madison-
Congrats on your twins!
Often 1st time moms are confused on what to do. Just give her a little help, and using warm water, wash the baby goats’ bottoms a few times a day and keep them clean.
As for latching on, hold the mom there and see if you can assist the baby in getting milk. If that doesn’t work, go for bottle feeding the baby. Just make sure the baby is getting enough to eat and is gaining weight.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi, good morning. my goat just give birth (two kids) yesterday morning .but she is not feeding them, she too is not eating and she is passing out faeces. what should I do please. it is her first birth.
Hello-
It’s difficult to tell what may be wrong with your goat, but your doe may of had a difficult delivery and hasn’t recovered yet. Make sure she wasn’t injured from the birth and that she did deliver the placenta.
As for the kids, some does simply don’t feed their young and you will have to bottle feed them. You can either milk your doe (if she is physically capable of being milked) or you can purchase colostrum to feed your babies.
The doe may have a nutritional deficiency or may have contracted something. You will need to contact your vet to have a look at her. In the meantime, try to get her to drink some molasses water to give her a little energy. Check to see if she has a fever and isn’t suffering excessive bleeding.
Keep offering her food and water and hopefully she will eat soon.
Best of luck.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi, I’m new to goat birthing but my doe gave birth to a stillborn Billy on Friday. I was very sad but incredibly relieved that my doe survived and seemed to be back to her normal feisty self, eating and drinking and being vocal as before almost immediately. However yesterday, Tuesday, (4 days after the birth) I noticed blood on her tail, and a couple of hours later there was a bloody mucus stream from her vulva – I hadn’t noticed any blood in the previous days. Is it normal for goats to bleed after this time? In all other ways she seems well and happy.
Hi Claire-
I am really sorry about your baby goat.
As for your doe, some goats can gave a bloody discharge even a couple weeks (or just slightly longer) after they kid. Usually it fades in color from bright red, to pink, then to a brownish color before it dries up. If it isn’t lessening in color (moving from bright red to brown) or the amount continues fairly heavy or increases, call your vet. It wouldn’t hurt to take her temperature (checking for fever or dropping body temperature). Check to see if she is eating and drinking and acting normal (including going to the bathroom ok). Continue to monitor the discharge and watch your doe for any signs of illness or weakness. If you see any of that, it is time to call the vet. Be sure to give her plenty of fresh water, quality feed, supplements, and minerals, and maybe just a little extra TLC.
I hope that helps. Best of luck with your doe.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
I’m new to goats and read ad watch your site all the time! Just to make sure I’m understanding this right on the herbal de-wormer…you’re talking about using formula #1 for the three days after kidding, and then continue with formula #2 on the subsequent maintenance place.
Thanks for your clarification!
Lisa
Hi Lisa-
Yes, you can absolutely do that! You can also make the deworming smoothie DaNelle uses and give it to your doe for the three days after kidding and also for maintenance. The molasses in it can give a doe a little energy boost after kidding.
Here’s the recipe:
? DEWORMING SMOOTHIE RECIPE:
– 2 tsp. Molly’s Herbal Dewormer Formula #1: https://www.fiascofarm.com/herbs/mollysherbals.php
– 2 TBS. Molly’s Herbal Dewormer Formula #2 : https://www.fiascofarm.com/herbs/mollysherbals.php
– 1 TBS. diatomaceous earth
– 2 TBS. molasses
– 1 TBS. probiotic paste
– 10 drops doTERRA’s DigestZen blend : https://shopoils.com/product/digestzen-blend/
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
I visited a farm the other day and she had a garage full of mama and baby goats with barely any space for them to move around. She said it was temporary and they would be moved elsewhere soon and that they didn’t expect so many babies. But it made me feel terrible for them and I wondered how long they hadn’t been in there and when exactly they would be moved. On top of that, some of the mothers looked so skinny you could see their ribs and they had lumps on their backs. I am basically from the city and don’t know anything about keeping goats but these things didn’t seem right. What do you think about the situation and what I should do? We visited about two weeks ago.
Hi Ally-
That’s great you are concerned for these goats. It is difficult to know exactly what the living situation is for these animals. If you really feel there is something wrong with what is going on at the farm, you can contact your local county extension agent and see if there is anything they know about the farm you visited and if there is anything you can do through their office. If you feel that doesn’t satisfy your concerns you can also contact your county animal control unit and they can handle the situation from there.
I hope that helps.
Best of luck.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hoping you can offer some help for what we should do about our doe. She kidded twins last week. She would not nurse her babies so we brought them inside and bottle fed them. We tried to reintroduce them to her in the morning and the buck started to nurse from her but the little doe would not. We ended up keeping the buck and his mama together and thought all was going well. But then one day we went out and she had killed him. He was covered in blood where she had bitten him all over and had lots of swelling. The vet said it looked like the mama had nipped him repeatedly and possibly kicked him due to the random areas of swelling. When we take the baby doe outside, the mama doe tries to bite her and pushes her down. When baby runs away, the mama aggressively chases her and tries to push her down. This is her second freshening, and she rejected her first babies as well. The previous owner had just pulled all her babies away and bottle fed/sold them with no problems. The vet suggests that we do not breed her again. We have another doe due soon and we are afraid that the babies will be injured or killed by this one aggressive doe. Suggestions?
Hi Tricia-
I’m sorry about your doe and kids. I would not let the aggressive doe anywhere near the other doe or her babies. She should be separated immediately. And I agree with your vet, you should sell her. I think she is not a good breeder and will do this each time she kids.
I hope all goes well with you goats.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi Bobbi! I watch Weed em’ and Reap all the time. I am going to pick up my goat this coming weekend and she has one kid. I’ve been to lots of websites but still, feel I need to know more to be prepared. I have not seen my nanny yet but I think she is in good hands. She is a Pygmy I have three Pygmys but they are all wethered boys. I was wondering if you could give me any more or extra information on what I need to know. Thanks!
Hi Alexis-
It sounds like you are really doing your homework on this and have experience with goats already. I am guessing you will do just splendidly with your new goats!
As for some extra information, just be mindful of your goats and make sure they are eating, drinking, and going to the bathroom and seem active and happy.
Know that a nursing doe needs more nutrition than other goats. Be sure she has access to plenty of high quality hay/grass and forage, as well as fresh water. Be sure to supplement her feed, give her adequate minerals, and deworm her. This article has a lot of that info: https://www.weedemandreap.com/optimal-nutritional-goat-diet/
Changing homes can be stressful for any animal, so give your new goats a little TLC and just watch for weight loss, fever, loose stools, lack of appetite, and anything else that seems out of place. And don’t hesitate to have a vet check them out if you think something is wrong.
Best of luck with your new goats!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi DaNelle-
I have a boer mix goat who kidded about 4 days ago. Her first time and she had 3! One of the babies was born weak, and didn’t eat on her own until the next day. At three days old, all babies were doing great. The day after that, the weakest one, Hope, was not acting like a baby goat at all. She wouldn’t even open her eyes for us at one point. She wouldn’t eat from mama, either. We called the vet, gave her Karo syrup, bottle fed her, and today she is the livliest one. We are bottle feeding her regularly. But her sister is acting like she was yesterday. Weak. The other baby goat, the boy, is acting somewhat weaker but he is very strong. I’ve squeezed the Mama’s teats for milk and I will either get a small stream, a few drops, or nothing. The Mama’s udder is also not as full and big as I thought it would be for 3 babies. Her udder is also kinda hard. Any suggestions on what I could do to make sure the Mama has enough milk, and that the babies are more baby goat like? It’s pretty cold and rainy down here in Georgia, and Mama and the kids are under a shelter with hay and heating lamps. I’m worried about a teat infection in Mama, and her not producing enough milk, and what the babies are drinking from her could hurt them.
Thanks so much for reading my comment! I love your blogs and your videos!
Thanks, Alie
Hi Alie-
Congratulations on your new kids! I’m sorry the feedings are not going well. That is great you are taking care of the kids and have involved the vet. Since your doe’s udder is hard it may be possible she has mastitis. Check to see if her udder is hot to the touch and if she is running a fever. It would also be good to do a mastitis test to be sure.
To increase your doe’s milk production, make sure she is drinking plenty of water, has optimal nutrition, and is dewormed. You can also massage her udder each day. Sometimes this helps the milk come in and drop.
I hope that helps and your kids and doe are healthy and happy!
Best wishes!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Thank you! We got the vet to come over and he gave Mama goat a shot. I have one more question, Hope’s sister, the one that was acting weak, was getting down every morning. When we would go out there, she would be so weak she would seem like she was dead. The vet came and gave her a shot of Vitamin B. We kept her in the house last night, and today she is doing better. The only problem with her is we have a hard time getting her to drink from a bottle. We are now bottle feeding all 3 babies, with a little help from what Mama goat is producing. (She did have some Mastitis) Every time we try to bottle the weakest one that we kept in the house (Raini) she doesn’t want to take it. But when we put her down, she goes straight to Mama and tries to suck. Also, today, the Mama goat keeps jumping off of the babies when they try to suck. I was thinking maybe her teats are sore, but I’m also worried about her rejecting the baby that we have to keep in the house sometimes. (Raini) I was wondering if you had any suggestions for making Mama let her babies suck, and making sure she doesn’t reject Raini, as well as getting Raini to drink from a bottle without trying to force her.
Thank you for reading my comment!
Thanks, Alie
Some baby goats simply won’t take a bottle and you have to run a tube down into their stomach to get some milk in them. Not usually pleasant, but better than the alternative of them not eating.
And yes the mama may be sore. Make sure you’ve treated the mastitis and she is all cleared up. Then if you can tie up the mama each day and let the babies suck this is your best option.
Some does just reject babies and you have to hold them and force them to feed the babies.
If you have a milk stand put her on that and give her some grain and let the babies nurse. That usually works fairly well.
Best wishes!
I also just had twins and after 3 hours they are not standing on their own. The doe will let them nurse if we hold them up to her udder. This is our first set of twins and they are much smaller than the single births we have had. Not sure how normal that is but we would rather her feed them then have to bottle feed because we are scheduled to heave town in 3 days. How long have you seen twins take to stand?
Hi Leslie-
Most kids stand up within the first half hour after birth. I’ve seen some take almost an hour, but 3 hours is too long. They need to get the colostrum as soon as they can and starting building strength and immunity. Keep helping them nurse from the mama. If they don’t take to this soon, you may need to bottle feed them.
If you have to leave town, and even if they begin to nurse, you still need to have someone come by and check on them. You may even want a vet to check them out just to make sure there isn’t something wrong with them.
Best of luck with your babies.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi DaNelle,
Loved your post! It’s so helpful to see a breakdown of the milestones. I have a question, I have a first time Mama goat at home who isn’t letting the babies nurse. She likes them just fine, one more than the other, and she protects them both from predators AKA the cats. I’m just wondering if you have any tips of how to teach her to let the babies nurse? When they go near her udder she whips around and buds them with her horns or bites. We’ve resorted to tying her and holding her to get her to nurse and that seems to be working but I worry that the babies will never be able to nurse from her without human assistance. Is this normal? Is there anything we can do about it? We’re in our 7th day now and still not much improvement. She’s a first time mom who was bred very early, only 6 months old at the time. Could that be the problem?
Hi Michelle-
Some mama goats won’t nurse their babies and not really sure why. Sometimes it’s because the kids are weak or the mama senses something is wrong with them. And yes, being so young when bred can cause problems. Goats shouldn’t be bred until well after a year, usually waiting until 2 years.
Tying her up, or putting her on the milk stand and letting kids nurse is usually the only thing you can do if she refuses to nurse them. You can also milk her and bottle feed the babies, but that is your preference. If you have any other goats in milk you can try to use them as a surrogate, but that doesn’t always work either. The mama may eventually take them, but often they don’t.
Keep doing what your doing! I’m sure it is tiresome and time consuming, but the babies will be all the better for it!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Twin Nigerian Dwarfs born this past Sunday. 2nd birth for mom and she has done great. Everyone nursing, mom eating. But, mom is really ready to rejoin the herd. When can I put her kids out for the day?
Hi Andrea-
Congrats on your new babies! And that’s great they are doing so well! Two weeks after birth is a good time to introduce them back into the herd. Gives momma and babies time to bond and time for the babies to get old enough to handle other goats.
Best of luck with all your goats!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Had a pygmy Nigerian nanny birth over a week ago. She has been doing great though not producing much milk. This morning I went out to check her and she has a thick pick discharge from her vagina. I have given penicillin. She passed her afterbirth shortly after delivering so I have no idea what could be going on. She is still eating but I am worried. Should I be doing anything else?
Hi Opal-
That’s odd your goat is not producing milk. I assume you are bottle feeding the kid(s) then. Sometimes first time fresheners will not produce milk for a few days, but usually by a week they do. I would increase her nutrition and make sure she is drinking water. If you are in a cold area give her warm water and add a little molasses to it. That can help her recovery.
As for the discharge, some goats can gave a bloody discharge even a couple weeks after birth. Usually it fades in color from bright red to pink then to a brownish color before it dries up. If it isn’t lessening in color or amount call your vet. Do check her for a fever and make sure her udder doesn’t have bumps, bruises, or other type of injury, and also see if it is hot to the touch.
I hope that helps. Best of luck with your doe and her kids.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
My comment is not to this comment but I could not find the end of the comments, I have Saanens (2) that are pregnant, after delivery and a few weeks of the does being separated from buck, can they buck be placed back with the does, It is my understanding that saanens are seasonal breeders , Aug-Feb., so would it be safe to have him in with the does , until Aug.Thanks
Hi C-
You are right in saying that Saanens are seasonal breeders. However, I would keep the buck separated from the does. Even while they should cycle from August to February that doesn’t mean they 100% adhere to that timeline. If you don’t want to have any surprise babies then keep the buck separated year round. But if you don’t mind being caught off guard by a doe that cycles early or late then you can rotate the buck in during the “off-season”. I hope that helps. Best of luck with your goats!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Do you know of a lab that test goat milk? It is my understanding that even if you test your goat for diseases that you still need to have the milk tested to make sure it is safe for human consumption. I plan to pasteurize but even that does not get all disease that can be passed in the milk. Thanks
Contact your state department of agriculture and they can direct you to private labs that test milk.
Thanks -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hello,
Our Pygmy goat kidded two days ago! The kid is doing really well and very settled with mum! The following day from kidding (yesterday morning) she guzzled lots of warm water I gave her but since this has not drunk or ate much at all. I have left her hay and some Pygmy goat mix. Should I try anything else? This is the first time our goats have had kids as we rescue so they don’t usually come pregnant!!!!! Thanks Rachel
Hi Rachel-
That’s so great you have a new baby! Congratulations!
That’s good the momma drank yesterday. Do keep offering her fresh water (warm water if your area is cold right now) and having food available for her. She should drink soon and begin eating as well. You can give her some molasses, that usually helps. Check to see if she is going to the bathroom. If she is, then she’s getting some to drink and eat. Check her temperature and make sure she doesn’t have a fever. Is she refuses to drink or eat after a couple more days you can drench her with some electrolyte water. If she appears to continue to refuse food and water and looks weak call your vet. Just keep a close eye on her, they usually come around.
I hope that helps. Best of luck and enjoy the new baby!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
We just had 2 sets of twins, less than 24 hrs apart on Sun 4/29- so exciting- all doing great! My concern is, when should we allow both moms to pasture with her kids? When we allow them to all come out at the same time, each mom will head butt/push around the kids that are not theirs…& we get a tad scared as we don’t want anyone hurt. We have them penned up separately in the barn but have been letting them out everyday for about 45 min each. We’ve only been letting them out separate since they are head-butting other “kids”- any ideas?
Hi Ashton-
Yes, it can be worrisome when does act aggressively towards other’s kids. However, goats rarely hurt each other. They will get used to one another fairly quickly. Just let them out and watch them the first few times. After awhile they won’t even notice each other. Best of luck and Happy Goating! Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
I have Nigerian Dwarf goats. I’ve had several kids over the past couple of years and never had any problems. Almost 2 weeks ago, one of my does kidded. This was her 2nd kidding. The kid was really tiny, but active. The momma didn’t seem to want to let her nurse as much as I’d like, so I supplemented with replacement powder to ensure she was getting enough. She had been fine, then the night before she was a week old we found her super lethargic. She ended up dying in my arms. Yesterday, one of my other does kidded and had twins. These kids seemed fine and the momma cleaned them up good and was letting them nurse just fine because she’s a more experienced mom. They were fine when I checked on them at 9pm last night. Today I found one of them dead. These are the only 2 kids I have ever lost and I’m not really sure what is going on all of a sudden. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Angie-
I am so sorry about your baby goats.
I can’t say for sure what is wrong with your goats but here are some common things that can cause death in kids:
-Parasites can take a toll on goats even causing death. Stomach and intestinal worms could be a cause. If the goats showed signs of diarrhea it could be Coccidiosis or Cryptosporidiosis.
-Clostridial diseases such as blackleg, tetanus, enterotoxemia, etc.
-Vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies such as Vitamin B-1, E, and selenium
I also included DaNelle’s article on common goat diseases in case some of the symptoms matched what your goats had: https://www.weedemandreap.com/goat-diseases-signs-symptoms/
I would contact your veterinarian and local county extension office. They can give you more information on if there is something occurring local or help pinpoint the exact cause if they could examine your herd and review the specific list of symptoms your goats had.
I hope this helps. I wish you and your goats the best. Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Yeah, the rest of my herd seems perfectly fine… I’ve just lost 2 babies from 2 different does in the past week. Its just unsettling.
That is very unsettling. If possible, I would definitely have the babies that passed away tested to see what went wrong. I wouldn’t want the remainder of the herd to be affected. Again, I am so sorry for the goats you lost.
2day post kidding – doe just starting bleeding a lot just dripping out dark red- I haven’t seen any of my other does bleed like this- when should I worry?
Hi Kathy-
Since the doe has started up bleeding again, and it’s red and not brownish in color, in can be something to worry about. I would call your veterinarian to have her checked out. Let us know how she is. Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hello,
My sweet Molly is going to kid soon and a first for her and for me. I have watched your videos, along with many others, but I’m finding it difficult to find information on how to care for the newborn babies as far as what meds/vaccines to give, if any.
Thanks!
Hi Stacy-
So exciting your doe will be kidding soon! Who doesn’t love baby goats?!
Here are some articles DaNelle has written that should help you out:
https://www.weedemandreap.com/goat-diseases-signs-symptoms/
https://www.weedemandreap.com/goat-vaccinations/
If you want to know what vaccines are specific for your area contact your local county extension office and/or veterinarian.
I hope this helps and best of luck with the soon-to-be-here little ones! Happy Goating! Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Thank you again for getting back to me. It’s funny that I had watched that video before I even had found your website. Watched quite a few videos before Momma had her babies. The reason I was concerned about Baybe Girl was because the bubble thing. I was there for Mommas babies when they were born and everything went perfectly and was very easy. Anyways, everyone seems to be doing great today. Momma stopped the aggressiveness after BG had her kid. (Except the usual trying to steal her grains). BG did eat the placenta…or at least the start of it… sighhh she chewed on it until she got to the part that was still inside… I will keep checking on everyone for now and be sure everyone is doing okay. Thank you so much for easing my mind. I think I read too much about what could go wrong that I got overly paranoid. I appreciate your advice and knowledge.
It sounds like they are doing well. And you are just a good goat parent, and that means worrying a lot. “Sigh”, but the kids are worth it! 😉
Hahaha thank you ? well BG hasn’t been the best momma. I have yet to see her nurse him besides the couple times I helped out. He spends most of the day sitting under her. BG is scared of me since I had to check her after he was born. She runs away every time i try to help him find the utter. Which really upsets me since she seemed to be so trusting after I helped her kid. Went to the feed store and got some nipples just in case I need them. Going to try thing her up and getting him to nurse. If they don’t figure things out I’ll start the bottle. Sigh…She has to be milked because her teets are only a quarter inch she is so engorged. ?♀️ This is definitely been a learning experience…
Goats never behave as we’d like it seems. I think it is in their nature to be difficult. Yet, we love them all the same.
I have two pygmy goats, a mother and her 1yr old daughter, Baybe Girl. The mother gave birth a week ago. Babies are doing great except they breath a little fast when they sleep(which concerns me). Postpartum Momma has gotten aggressive towards her daughter, who is pregnant. I am worried about her because she shows all signs of impeding birth and has for over two weeks now. Ligaments are gone as well. Am I over reacting for should there be cause for concern?
Hi Marlene-
I think your goats are doing just fine. Do check their airways though, and make sure they are clear. You may even try suctioning them out with a bulb to make sure. If they seem to be gasping for air, or do not grow or thrive that is when I would contact the vet. As for the mother being aggressive toward her daughter, she is most likely just establishing boundaries between her previous offspring and her new. When the babies get a bit older this typically goes away. Just keep an eye on them and make sure there is no belly butting or over the top aggressive behavior. If you continue to be worried about them, you can always separate them until each of the mothers’ babies have grown a little.
I hope this helps. Best of luck and Happy Goating! Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Thank you so much for the fast reply. Get this, Baybe Girl kidded at 1:10pm today. Good thing I heard her screaming. THIS BABY IS HUUUUGE! Bigger than Momma goats week old kids! Everyone is doing well. I am a little concerned about Baybe Girl passing her placenta. I bounced her after a fist sized bubble of fluids appeared and didn’t feel another kid. But I kept searching for answers and it had been an hour since the kid was born so I gloved up and gently checked her. Called the lady who sold me the goats and she suggested breaking the sack. Now it’s just what I assume is the start of the placenta. Has blood clot looking lumps inside it.
It can take some goats several hours to pass the placenta, but it’s a good idea to keep checking on them. Although, sometimes you won’t see the placenta as the momma goats will eat it.
DaNelle’s video here:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GBYBkmxfoVA
gives a good visual of what the placenta looks like.
Keep an eye on your doe and watch to see if she is bleeding, looking weak, or is stressed. Take her temperature and make sure she isn’t running a fever or her body temperature is dropping too low. Give her a little molasses for an energy boost and make sure she has plenty of fresh water. Let’s us know how she is doing.
Hello! We have two bred does, a 3yo Nigerian due in February, and a 2yo Mini-Nubian due in May. Can a bred doe be around a doe and her newborn kids? What precautions should we take? If needed, when should we separate them? Thanks:)
Hi Emily-
You can keep your does and kids together. Unless you notice one of the does acting overly aggressive with the other does’ kids, there is no immediate need to separate them. I hope this helps! Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Thank you, Bobbi!
Just had Twins. How long should you let them nurse before you can milk them for yourself?
Hi Cendy-
Congrats on the Twins! You should let them nurse for 2 weeks before you begin milking. This article DaNelle wrote gives some great info that may help out with you new babies. https://www.weedemandreap.com/raising-goats-milking-goats/
I hope this helps! Best of luck and Happy Goating! Thanks -Bobbi
Hi! We had 3 baby goats born on New Years Day! Yay! Mama and babies are in a sheltered area and doing great! My questions are… when can we let mama out to get some exercise and walk around? And how long should her “away from babies” time be for? Thanks!
Hi Elaine-
Congratulations on your new babies!
After the first couple of days you can let the mama out about a half hour at a time a few times a day. As the kids get older you can extend her time away from the babies as they will nurse less often because they will be taking in more milk with each feeding.
I hope this helps! Best of luck and Happy Goating! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hello. I have a question. I have had my goats for about a year and my female just gave birth this afternoon. It seemed rough. She was in slot of pain. Screaming. The baby came out fine and she gave birth to the placenta and ate some and is walking around. My first concern is she can’t jump upon her bed. I don’t know if this is normal(I would expect so but I’m not sure) and she still currently had a bloody discharge even after 7 hours. She’s nursing fine with the baby and she send normal other than these two concerns. I would greatly appreciate if you wrote back. Thanks!
Hello-
Congrats on your new baby! Some does have a harder time birthing than others, especially if they are small for their breed. Since your doe is up and moving and caring for the baby that is a good sign. Has she eaten and had some water? Those are key things to watch for. As for not getting up on her bed, she is just mostly likely sore and not feeling up to the exertion, but this should clear up in few says. As for the discharge, they can have bloody discharge for several days. Usually it moves from a darker red to a dark brown color and then goes away. If it is bright red then you may need to worry. Take her temperature a couple times a day and make sure she does not have a fever. If she does, this is a sign of an infection and can be a serious problem. Or if you find her temperature is dropping this could be a sign of her not recovering from the birthing process. In all 3 of those situations call the vet. I hope this helps and your doe and kid are fine. Best of luck. -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
So I am extremely new to goats and acquired them from two friends that were not wanting them anymore. Well the momma had a baby Monday August 28th (right in the middle of hurricane Harvey, we lost the twin which I am assuming was do to the stress of the storm ). They both seem to be doing well. I have 2 concerns. I noticed yesterday that the momma had some more bloody discharge, she hasn’t had any in a few days…is this normal? Also the baby has about 2-3 inches of dried umbilical cord still attached to her. I assumed it would be like a baby and would eventually fall off on it’s own. But it’s still on there, do I need to remove it? If so, how?
Hi Rachel-
That’s too bad you lost the twin, however so glad the other is ok. As for the umbilical cord, some babies don’t lose their cords for a few weeks. Do not remove it. Let it naturally fall off. Removing it could cause bleeding, infection, etc.
As for the momma goat and the bloody discharge, if it’s mucous-y and kinda brownish red, then it’s most likely just some natural discharge she is still having. If it’s thinner and brighter red then she is actually bleeding and not just discharging. Keep an eye on her and if it keeps up or changes color it may be time to call the vet. Also take your does temperature to make sure she doesn’t have an infection. Be sure the momma and baby are drinking and eating ok and maintaining/gaining weight.
Good luck with everything and I hope your goats stay healthy and happy! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Few have had a baby goat born this am sometime, sadly under a stressful situation perhaps…she doesn’t want the little guy around her zero bonding,,,what can we do do help the situation,,,any suggestions appreciated
Hi Natalie-
That’s great you have a new addition, but I’m sorry your doe isn’t wanting to care for the little one. To help with their bonding you can try separating them from any other goats to give them time to de-stress and to bond. Also, try to get the doe to nurse the kid (even if you have to hold her while the kid nurses) because the kid needs the colostrum she is producing now, plus sometimes once a doe begins nursing she is more apt to bond with and care for her kids. I really hope your goats do well and the little one turns out fine. Best of luck! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Thx for getting back to me, yes that is exactly what we have done, mom and baby are bonding well. The kid has nursed on his own twice today and mom allowed it, very pleased with the result of families tag teaming the feedings and looking forward to removing the barrier today.
Hi Natalie-
Oh that is fantastic! So glad it is going well for them! Good luck when you remove the barrier. Thanks for the update. -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi I was wondering about how much and often you use the herbal dewormer on a doe that just kidded? I have my doe land of havilah and I use it each week everyone gets a goat cookie;) made of flax seeds the herbs molasses and water. She is looking thinner than a week ago. She is 2 weeks into feeding her 2 kids. She gets free choice kelp, manna pro goat minerals, 1/ cup boss, 2 cups of grain, one cup of alfalfa pellets 1/8 cup flaz seed( new country organics goat grain and alfalfa.) 2 times per day. She is a n.d. she is thinning out and the spine is sharp, as well as her back hip bones. Should I get a fecal done? Worm her more with the herbs? I gave her a triple does the day she kidded. So 3 cookies and did thta for 3 days in a row.
Sounds like you’re feeding her an amazing diet. I would say that it might be the babies are taking too much out of her. Can you give her alfalfa or pellets free choice?
Hi,
We have Kiko goats one of our nanny’s gave birth a couple of days ago to 2 beautiful babies a boy and a girl.
Just a few hours after the babies were born she was flipping them up in the air with her horns.
We put her in the barn with the babies an secluded her from the rest of the heard to bond with the babies she stopped flipping them in the air.
She licks them and hovers over them and comes to them when they cry.
However she would not let them feed.
So we tied her and gave her a bucket of feed and she let the babies feed.
We did this for about 3 days.
She will not feed the goats on her own without being tied and fed.
We let her out of the barn today and watched her.
She dotes on the babies but still won’t let them feed without being tied
The babies will try to nurse and she just walks away from them.
I know it is best to have the mothers milk and I really don’t want to bottle feed her as I am bottle feeding another goad that the mother totally rejected.
Any ideas why he won’t let them feed on her own.
Hi Debbie-
It is very frustrating when a doe won’t let her kids nurse, and can be very worrisome. However, keeping calm and offering patience is the best thing to do in these situations so the doe doesn’t feel your stress too.
As for why she is rejecting her kids there could be a variety of reasons.
One thing you need to make sure is that the doe doesn’t have anything wrong with her udders that may make nursing painful, such as an infection or trauma. In fact, make sure she isn’t infected or injured anywhere on her body as this may cause pain and lead to her not wanting to nurse.
If she is a fist time mama she may be simply confused. I have seen this happen in nearly all breeds of animals I have been around, from kittens to horses. Usually the mama will snap out of it in a few days if you can just keep the little ones fed long enough to survive this postpartum confusion.
Another thing is if a mama is undernourished she may sense she cannot care properly for her young and therefore refuses feeding. Be sure your does has plenty of quality feed, proper supplementation, and definitely access to fresh water. Check out DaNelle’s article on these topics: https://www.weedemandreap.com/supplements-for-goats/
https://www.weedemandreap.com/goats-minerals-what-you-need-to-know/
https://www.weedemandreap.com/what-do-goats-eat/
A doe may also reject her kids when she is living in an overcrowded situation. This becomes a factor in 2 main ways. 1: she feels the stress of the poor living conditions and has difficulty producing milk and feeling the need and ability to care for her young. 2: the kids may be in such close contact with other does that they begin smelling like them and therefore the mama doe “unrecognizes” her kids and refuses feeding because she doesn’t think they are her offspring.
The best thing you can do is, like you mentioned, section off the mama and babies together and give them time to figure all this out. Feed your doe well, give her needed minerals, water, and be sure to worm her and the little ones. If you think she has an infection or injury be sure to treat it. Watch both your doe and kids to see if they are keeping and gaining weight and acting healthy.
I hope this information helps and your mama and babies are doing well. Best of luck! Thanks -Bobbi
I just had 2 babise yesterday at first my little male wouldnt stand up on his own for the first 2 hours maybe alittle more but the more i did stand him up & i got him to eat from momma he is doing better now the female she was fine from the start the problem i am having now is that momma wont stay with them she leaves them to go be with the buck i mean she does go back to them but not for bery long so i am milking her & bottle feeding them today.. My question is how long does the milk last after milking her & can i put it in the fridge & warm it for the babies… My other babies i bought milk suplment from the store for them but i dont want to do that with these babies because momma is still here & has milk
Hi Tasha-
That’s great you are caring for the babies so well!
You can keep the milk in the fridge for about 2 weeks. Store it immediately after milking and be sure to store it in glass containers. Do not microwave it to heat it up, instead heat like a baby bottle and test to see how hot it is before giving it to your goats.
Best of luck and Happy Goating! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
We have a dairy goat-a lamaucha- and she gave birth to triplets a week ago. Well she got mastitis and her udder got huge, we put her on antibiotics and dewormed her. Shes been on antibiotics for 5 days and its been 3 days since we dewormed her because she is wormy. We’ve been bottle feeding babies, but when would it be okay to get them to nurse on her again?
Hi Caroline, I would try as soon as possible. In fact, she may not take them back again, but you never know! Best to try and see!
I NEED HELP! Please… THIS IS EMERGENCY! My goat gave birth to two kids 9 hours ago. First and second both kids were born perfectly. Ok so problems start here.
1. First one is so weak that it is hard for him to stand still.
2. Main issue is that mama goat is behaving so badly after giving birth. She is not letting anyone getting near her. Not even the kids or any human being. Even the kids are starving now. But we are giving them in the feeder bottle. This is so irritating. Mama goat is bleeding continuously. We are confused about her. Some think that maybe there is 3rd baby inside her that she is not able to push? Or what? We all family members are in great tension. Please help. I don’t want mama goat or the kids dying.
Hi Amna,
Sorry for your emergency. I’m happy to help answer questions, but in a case like this, it would be best to contact a vet instead of post a comment here. If the mama isn’t letting the babies nurse, you can tie her up and force her to feed for a few days until she accepts them. But, in the case that there is a 3rd baby, you need to contact a vet.
We have a new mama goat that is feed ing her baby but not eating herself. How do we get her to eat?
They usually don’t eat a lot in the first day, but it should pick up rather quickly. If she’s not eating within 12 hours after giving birth I’d call a vet.
Hello! I’m new to goats… And one of our goats had 2 kids 2 days ago. Everything went great, and momma is being very good to her babies. Anyway, we’ve kept them in the barn since then, but today mom and babies were acting eager to get out, so I let them run around outside, and it seemed like the kids WANTED to be outside! They were jumping around, chewing on rocks, it was adorable. Anyway, my SIL who has experience with goats told me it was fine for them to be outside in the pen with our other doe (temperature is not an issue, it’s plenty warm here). I put them in the pen, and the fire is leaving them alone, but everything in reading online is saying not to mix them in until they are much older! I’m getting mixed information, could you help?
Hi McKele,
I normally do wait until the goats are at least 2 weeks old, but it’s up to you. As long as all goats are doing well, I wouldn’t worry:)
How long after kidding can the buck be around the doe? We have myotonic goats.
Not at all, unless you want her bred again. (It’s best to wait a full year to breed again.)
is thre anything i can give to my goat to give birt to triplets
Hi Billy-
Great question! I am glad you are looking ahead and planning for your goats upcoming breeding, gestation, and birthing. Planning ahead is critical to keeping your goats healthy and safe.
Most often your goats ability to have multiple births is related to genetics. I have found that my Boer goats were able to have 2-4 kids per doe while my Nubians averaged lower at 1-2 kid per doe. However, I don’t want to definitively say this was breed based, but more on the individual doe. My 2 main breeding Boers were sisters from a mother that was known to have 3-4 kids per birth. And these 2 ladies were great at doing the same. I have had other does (negligible of breed) that were consistently poor producers and so were their offspring.
However, beyond controlling genetics and culling your herd to manage for this, nutrition and lifestyle are your biggest factors. If a mama goat eats well (but isn’t fat), has room to move, isn’t stressed, and has constant access to fresh water and sunshine, she will out produce any stressed out, poorly cared for doe on any given day. Poor lifestyle conditions also lend to riddling your goats with parasites, which will rob your does of nutrition, and consequently your kids, which either results in low birth weights, poor production numbers, or even goat deaths. With obviously none of these being positive things. Worms are one of the biggest factors I have seen when it comes to breeding and birthing difficulties. Make sure your does (and bucks) are free of worms before you began you breeding cycles.
Another thing to note is that while you may be trying to get high production numbers for whatever reason, remember that even if a doe only produces 1-2 kids, her kids often have higher birth weights and larger rates of gain. (This is why I never worried about my low number producers, as long as their kids were strong and healthy).
Again though, most everything will come back to proper nutrition and the happy lifestyle your goats get to live. Attached below are a couple of DaNelle’s links on breeding and nutrition. Check them out and if you have anymore questions don’t hesitate to contact us back. Thanks for reading and posting! Happy goating! -Bobbi
https://www.weedemandreap.com/goat-breeding-101/
https://www.weedemandreap.com/goats-minerals-what-you-need-to-know/
https://www.weedemandreap.com/supplements-for-goats/
Hello, one of my pygmy goats had her baby a week ago. She won’t take care of him. She even hits him. I tried many things but she still don’t like him. I wish I could have been there when he was born. The baby is doing fine because I milk the mama and sometimes I hold her still so the baby can drink. Which way is better? Do you have any ideas?
It sounds like she rejected it. You can put her on the stand and continue to let him nurse her milk. They say once his poop smells like her milk (she’ll recognize her own smell) there’s a greater chance of her accepting it. Good luck!
We were given a goat Mama that is approximately 9 months old. The lady who owned her before was inexperienced and didn’t realize how early a goat could be bred, and she gave birth two days ago. This was our first time handling a goat birth. The first baby came out with very little difficulty, and immediately the legs of a second baby came out. For the next hour and a half the Mama cleaned up the first baby, letting him nurse. Then she appeared to go back into labor, but it never became strong, and after an additional 3 hours, her labor stopped completely. We were advised by our vet to pull the baby. It was very large and, obviously, didn’t live. Mama is acting normal and baby is very healthy, but she does have a constant drip of blood. My question is, how much is too much?
Sorry to hear about your experience, Rebekah. The blood is normal and will continue for about 2 weeks.
Hi,our boer doe had 2 bucks about 3 weeks ago (5/6/17)
She delivered fine,(her first)
She still has discharge, dark reddish brown, eating ok, how long is to long for discharge?
Hi Becky, just like a human, a goat can continue to bleed for up to 2 weeks after birth. It won’t be bright red, but it’ll be dark and come out in clots.
My baby pygmy was born yesterday and she is pretty healthy except that she sleeps a lot more than her sister, shes not as active, and some of her poop is orange and is hard to come out. Should I be worried??
Orange poop is normal, but less activity is not. I would mostly be looking for how often she nurses, and if mom is letting her nurse.
My pygmy goat recently gave birth to two pygmies, she feeds and cares for them, but often leaves her babies and wanders off like she is looking for something. Should I be worrying? She also only feeds her babies twice a day for like five seconds. Should I be worried
You can put her on the stand and force her to feed her babies longer:) Goat mothers are all different, but the short feeding time is normal.
Hi. I find lots of your stuff very helpful. I am new to goats and we just had our first mama have two kids this morning. One of the kids is already walking around and doing great but the other is still having some issues standing and walking. Her hooves are wet and soft too. She can’t stand up without help and is having trouble walking with her back legs. I was wondering if this is normal for them to take a while to learn how to stand and walk? I will say, she has longer legs then her brother, I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it. Thank you for all your blogs. They’re very helpful 🙂
She definitely needs to see a vet. It’s not normal for her to not walk. Baby goats should be walking in the first hour after birth.
Hello me and my husband are new to raising goats. We bought a little doeling on Feb 5th, she was born in May of 2016. We came home the other day and she had her first baby. We had no idea she was pregnant. Everything seemed to be going ok. I went to check on them yesterday and momma acts like she has no energy. She still nurses. Shes eating from what i can tell. She does have some runny stools. This morning she is laying starring at the wall, when i go out she will look at me and if i go to touch her she will get up and move. Im just very concerned. What should i do?
Sounds very serious, she could possibly have another goat in there. I would call a vet asap!
We have a sweet Nigerian Dwarf that gave birth about 3weeks ago. She is desperately wanting to hang out with the other barnyard animals again, but we are hesitant to put her back with the buck. A friend told us he could get her pregnant again. I would love to hear your opinion on this!
Goats go into heat every 3 weeks (even while nursing) so she will definitely, absolutely get pregnant again. Please don’t put her in with the buck, they need to stay separated until next breeding time.
I hope you are still monitoring this site. We just had our first set of baby pygmies on Sunday, January 22. Today is Wednesday. It’s supposed to turn cold so I put sweaters on them earlier in the day. Now Mom won’t let them eat. I took the sweaters off but I don’t think it helped. Did I do damage by doing that? I’m very worried because I have no way to feed them as often as they nred to eat. Do you think she will start feeding again.
That shouldn’t have made mom not want to feed them. She smells their rear end to see if they are hers. I would take them off just for now to see:)
I hope you are still monitoring this site. My husband and I are new to the goat raising business but have 30 acres and needed some cleaning up. We acquired a buck after the grandchildren were unable to keep him penned up so we really wanted to have 3 or 4 and bought a nanny this summer. We got up this morning to find ourselves blessed with triplets. They seem to be healthy but my question is will she be able to feed three adequately?
Hi Jan,
Yes, she should! Most goats have between 2-5 goats at one time and they typically take turns. Watch closely though and make sure she is nursing all three, sometimes a mama goat will abandon the smallest of the bunch out of instinct.
Hello, my doe gave birth a little over 3 weeks ago. Everything went great the kid is very healthy and active. The past few days I have noticed that momma is becoming very aggressive with him (pushing, bucking and even humping). While she is doing this she is making a grumbling noise and today he started to cry out. If I’m in the pen they calm down and he stays very close to me. Is this normal or should I be concerned? I’m a new keeper so I’m still learning something new ever day.
Hi Shanna,
That behavior isn’t normal. Most goat mamas will kick their feet at them or nudge them a little with their head, but it sounds like your doe is trying to show dominance over her baby. Is she nursing him? Just to be safe, I’d separate, milk her, and bottle feed the little guy.
Hi DaNelle, I find your page very helpful for this first time goat raiser. Our mama just had two doelings 2 weeks ago today. Before giving birth, mom was in the other side of the barn with our other 9 Nigerian Dwarf goats. All wethers except one other doe. Mom is starting to get very anxious to be back with the others and will jump out of her pen leaving the babies, this makes me nervous as we are still allowing the babies to nurse and they do cry when she gets out. Also we aren’t sure when and how and if it safe to introduce the babies to the rest of the herd. We considered bringing another goat or two in with them to calm mom down bu are worries about the safety of the babies. We also are keeping a friends two large sheep in the pen with the goats right now, a ram and a ewe. I don’t feel it is safe for the babies to be in with them at all until they are full grown, the sheep are very large, what are your thoughts on this?
Hi Kara,
This is really common. We usually let a nice goat back in with mama, which makes her happy. I’d try one of your nicest goats.
Hello
my Doe gave birth yesterday afternoon to a kid ,who today is bleeding from her vagina
is that normal should i be worried ?
she is otherwise healthy
Very normal! Biggest worry postpartum is fever.
I have a 3 week old Nigerian dwarf she was doing amazing on her bottle yesterday I had a few chores to do outside an I let her out to follow behind I noticed she was eating on some leaves on the ground an some grass by night time she wouldn’t take her bottle an this morning she wont drink hardly at all an licks her side an grinding her teeth can u please help me im not sure what I should do or if im just worried for nothing im very close to her an dont want anything to happen to her
Hi Kacy,
I would call a vet, it sounds like she is in major distress by not eating. In the meantime, you can give her some molasses water. Sorry 🙁
I just want to stop by and say thank you for the great website and your gift of sharing knowledge. It has helped me tremendously with my goats. I appreciate your approach to animals, their care, and thoughtful responses to questions!
Thank you! I’m so glad you found it helpful!
My doe had 2 baby yesterday they where doing good last night. This morning the one had Diarrhea he was eating. when I can back home from work he was Dead
Hi Kody,
Baby goats can lose electrolytes fast. My best guess is they had coccidia or some kind of intestinal parasite.
I have 2 week old Nigerian Dwarf kids. The doe only lets them nurse for about 10 seconds as a time and the kids seem to really butt her hard right off the bat like they are starving. They are eating hay, forage, and grain but I’m worried they’re not getting enough milk. My other doe will let her kids latch on for a couple of minutes at a time. Should I be concerned?
Hi Megan, this is pretty common. Goat mothers can be impatient at the 2 week and beyond mark. As long as she still lets them nurse (even if it is 10 seconds or so) they should be good. I would suggest that when you start milking the mother, when she’s locked in the stand, let the babies come in and nurse a bit. This will give them a bit more and ease your mind about their nutritional needs.
Hi!
Great Website! How damaging are chemical wormers? Does it pass through the milk to the kids?
First time Goat Owner
Sincerely,
Evan
Hi Evan, I’ve never used a chemical dewormer, but I’ve heard you do have to toss the milk for a week when treating your goats:)
Hi,
Our girls started birthing 2 days ago, this is our first time. We have 2 healthy kids but have lost a set of twins, a twin to one of our live babies and then this morning I found another dead in the hay. I had checked my girls I am still waiting on and no sign that it may be there’s. What I’m asking is, is it possible that one of the mums who birthed 2 days ago to have delivered a still birth today?? I am not enjoying the process having lost 4 out of 6 born.
Hi Tina,
I am so sorry to hear that. I think what you’re asking is how to know which doe gave birth? A doe that gave birth would have discharge and would (hopefully) pass a placenta. I would take temps of everybody just to make sure you get ahead of any problems. Also, you might want to look into testing for your goats to check for diseases, it’s really rare to have so many stillbirths in a herd. Again, so sorry! https://www.weedemandreap.com/goat-diseases-signs-symptoms/
Hi,
I have 2 twins 3 weeks old born May 9 and another separate kid born May 1st. All were milking fine but today I noticed that both the mothers would not allow the babies to nurse. All the babies seem starving…So I took the mothers out and tried milking and there was nothing in their..What could be causing this and they seem to young to be weened. Should I start giving the babies a bottle? IF so of what exactly.. As I read they need to nurse for 4-8 weeks at the very least.
Hi Lorie,
Most likely, they babies have drank their fill and they are hoping for more. The mothers might be kicking them off because they think they’ve had enough. The funny thing about baby goats is, they’ll drink as long as mom will let them. In the beginning (Day 1-4) most mother goats are patient and let them have as much as they want but as they get older, the mothers start to kick them off so they don’t become greedy and are encouraged to eat grass/hay:) I would watch them and I would almost bet the mothers allow them to nurse about 10 seconds at a time throughout the day.
we had two Nigerian dwarfs born yesterday…mama doesn’t seem to be milking…what do we do?
Do you mean that mom isn’t nursing her babies? If so, you’ll have to pull them away (because she could harm them) and then you’ll need to milk her and feed the babies the milk by a bottle. They will probably resist at first but keep forcing until they start to suckle.
My doe had twins a 3 days ago. The delivery went well, both babies were delivered quickly, and up and nursing in a fairly short time. The second kid is smaller, and much quieter than her brother. I have seen her nurse, and she is peeing (although it’s hard to judge volume) and I does seem to be pooping, but I’m worried that her lower activity level is an indication of a problem. Her brother walks around, and even tries to bounce and play, while she seems to be laying down most of the time. There isn’t anything more specific than that.
Mama has plenty of milk, and is attentive to both kids. She is fed free choice hay, with alfalfa pellets and grain twice a day; she seems to be doing very well.
These are my first kids, and they were unplanned (neighbor’s billy goat got into my pasture). Is there anything else I should be watching for as an indication that she is not doing well, vs just not being quite as robust as her big brother?
Can you recommend any good reference materials to help me get up to speed with my new babies? Adult goats I’ve had for a while, kids are new and I want to make sure I raise ’em right!
I would make sure she is nursing, and I would watch and look for frothy milk on the sides of her mouth when nursing. Also, you can give her some electrolytes or even molasses to boost her energy a bit!
Hi, DaNelle.
HAve you ever experienced an aggressive doe after kidding. We have a mama who justy had babies last night. Formerly our sweetest girl. She bit my son’s forehead this morning when he bent down to pet her. Sort of ruined the excitement for him. 🙁 Didn’t draw blood, rather, it was more of a warning. She went after my face twice, as well, while I was trying to get the babies to nurse. She’s standing still for them, licking them, etc. They are just having a hard time finding the teats, so I thought I’d try to help. She’s a veteran when it comes to kidding… but we just purchased our goats last fall, so I’m not aware of her demeanor previously. I’m about to head out to the barn to giver her warm water; I’ve ordered the mo milk and herbal dewormer, but those items have not arrived yet. I need to get beeswax for the salve. Anything else that I’m missing? Any suggestions on what to do about the aggression? I’m so bummed about this turn of events. We were really looking forward to spending time with the babies, but I’m afraid someone is going to get hurt.
Hi Ana,
It sounds like you’re doing just fine! It can be common for a new mama to be a bit aggressive in the first few days. This should go down and I would say 2 weeks out she won’t mind at all. It really does depend on the goat. I’ve noticed goats are more aggressive when there is a young child the same height as them. You should be able to go in there and pet her, but if not, just give her some space or you can also have somebody hold her head as you check babies.
my goat gave birth to 3 babies 24 hours ago n she is still very weak n does not feed the babies. mother condition is half
dead. what should be done??
Hi Yimono,
I would definitely call a vet ASAP. She is probably going to need intervention right away!
Hello, I have a 1 year old goat that gave birth to twins 2 weeks ago. she was nursing ok for a while but has been having some sort of discharge that is covering her back legs and her bag since she gave birth. I thought at first it was just left over from the birth so the first warm day I had I cleaned her up with warm soap and water, the next day it was like that again, so I cleaned it again and sure enough it is worse than ever now and she is refusing to let her babies nurse. she is eating, drinking, peeing and pooping fine but she has not been her chipper self since giving birth. I am very concerned now that she will not nurse.
any ideas what the problem might be?
thanks
Michelle
Hi Michelle,
That’s a tough one. The drinking/eating tells me she is feeling well, but not letting her babies nurse sends up a red flag. I’d take the babies and bottle feed them. Also, I’d call out the vet:)
Hello My 1 year old goat gave birth to a still born a few hours ago and seems to still be in labor. Is that possible? We are not sure if there is another one still waiting to be born and if it is alive. She squats and pushes and some bloody liquid comes out then she is ok for awhile then repeats. Not sure what to do.
Hi Meghan, it does sound like there might be one stuck, though it could also be the placenta. I would suggest calling a vet for this one:)
Hi! my name is Jacob and we just had our first kid two days ago! We were super excited and everything went well, only one baby which I thought was a little unusual, but other than that no issues. Baby is nursing fine, and momma is a SUPER good mom. The only issue is that our buck has been acting strange. On the day the baby was born, he was full of energy and unusually playful and excited (which was really odd because he is NOT friendly) and this morning when I checked on all of them he was pretty friendly too, but when we just went out there to check them again he was NOT nice AT ALL. He was snorting at us, and was really going after our dog like he never does. Then when we were watching mom nurse he went up behind her and bucked her HARD. I was really concerned because I’ve never seen him act like this, so I sat out for a little longer to make sure everything was okay, and he full on bucked the baby, lifted the little girl of the ground and everything. Thank god shes okay, and we separated him from the mom and baby. I know the dads can get confused because they smell the blood and think the mom is in heat, but is this kind of behavior normal? Will we be able to put them back together? Would really appreciate the help. Thanks!
Hi Jacob, bucks should NEVER be kept with baby goats. They are mean to them and WILL kill them.
Most people keep bucks separated from the herd at all times, until breeding season comes around again:)
Had 3 babies sat
It is wed and she is bleeding and it looks like she still might hav one in her
Hi William, it’s common for goats to bleed for a few days afterwards up to a week. As long as it’s not copious amounts she should be fine. She most likely doesn’t have a baby in there, what you’re seeing is normal bulging on the sides due to a healthy rumen (stomach). You’d know if she had a baby if she was in distress, pushing, or acting like she’s in labor.
I have a Nubian/boar doe that is 4 and just gave birth to quadruplets. This happened late night4/7. All babies seem fine, eating etc. But mama will hardly eat and just wants to lie down. She does not baa at all. She dropped her afterbirth last night, but she seems to still be having contractions, she will lift her tail and push a couple times. It looks like she just pees while she is laying down, there has been large wet spots with some blood under her when we check on her. I gave her a shot of antibiotics….I put my fingers in her, but felt no solid objects…she usually has two babies, she was huge, all babies are normal size, not small, what else can I do?
I would DEFINITELY call a vet. It’s possible she has another stuck in there which could kill her. So sorry you’re having to go through this!
So I have two questions on March 20th, my 2-3 year old doe had triplets( 2bucklings, And 1doeling). So my first question is just today when my husband went to milk her he felt a lumb size of a quarter, and the milk isn’t coming out that great. What do you recommend, massaging it, warm compress???? Help
Second question so my doe gave birth on March, 20th, 2016, how long before I can breed her again; month, two months?
Thank you have a nice day.
Hi Chasity,
It may be mastitis, in which case you might want to read up on it here: https://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/mastitisketosis.html
You should never breed a goat that soon. Goats are bred ONCE a year. So, if she had babies on March 20th, then you’ll want to not let her have babies until spring of 2017.
I left a question yesterday and now it is gone. any idea where it went?
Hello! I have a Nigerian dwarf kid that I was told was born on March 12, 2016. this makes her 18 days old supposedly. She just started pooping brown partially solid poop yesterday, and today she pooped some actual pellets. My concern is she still has her umbilical cord? Everything I have found says she should lose it by the time she is 2 weeks old,. Is that true? Her eating habits were all weird too. she was eating roughly 4 oz every 3-4 hours and then stopped that and was going every 6 hours and eating 10+ oz. Then yesterday and today she has not ate right. so I waited for her belly size to go down and her to cry to eat. she ate 8 oz at 9:30 and sucked it down great. so any info about these few things I talked about would be wonderful. I do have other goats and I bottle fed the one and he did great. I think she was way younger than what the person told me. Thank you!
Hi Jennifer,
Young goats can often get bloat because of the transition to pellets from milk, or a combo of the two. She will need some probiotics to help get her rumen going as well as some baking soda to relieve the gas. Do that and I’ll bet she’ll start eating again. Also, you should snip her umbilical cord off if it hasn’t fallen off by now, and rub it with some rubbing alcohol afterwards. Also, here’s some more info for ya’ https://www.weedemandreap.com/how-to-care-for-baby-goats/
thank you! I know the yellow poop was normal was just concerned about her eating habits. she has her salt and soda available at all times too! do you know of a way to tell actually how old she is? they said she was 5 days when I got her but she only ate and acted like a 24 hour old goat.
this question is about the same goat I wrote about before. she has been doing very well up until a couple days ago. she is 6 weeks old now. she was eating hay and a little grain and her minerals and doing well. all of a sudden she got sick. her temp was 105.1. I have started her on a penicillin yesterday. the only symptom she is having is the fever and she gets tired easy. she is peeing and pooping normal. I have not given her any milk in 48 hours. she is drinking about 16 oz of electrolyte solution a day. plus she has fresh molasses water she drinks out of thru out the day. she also has fresh hay. I am just not sure what else I can do or why she seems ok but not 100%. she is mobile on her own just don’t act like herself. any ideas or suggestions ASAP would be wonderful! Thank you!
Hi Jennifer, that is really odd, sounds like you’re doing everything correctly though I would give her milk again. I think it’s best to take her to a vet.
Hi,
I have 3 baby goats that was born at after midnight on the march 26 and I’m not sure if they are getting enough to eat. They pee and have yellowish poop is that normal for a baby goat that is just a few days old?
Please Help!
Hi Candi,
Yes, that’s totally normal! Just like humans, baby goat poop is yellow for the first couple days:)
We recently purchased a mama goat with her two kids (2 weeks and 3 days old). Today when I went out to milk mama goat (to establish milking routine etc.) I noticed mucous and bloody discharge on her vaginal area. Is this normal so far after birth? I don’t notice a foul smell and she is eating/drinking/behaving regularly.
Hi Christina,
Yes, that *can* happen, but I would check her temp for another week just to be sure that she didn’t have a piece of the placenta in there. If that has happened, it can cause infection.
Hi Melanie,
I have Boers, a Nubian, and a couple of mini Nubians and the yellow poop is normal. Once their rumen (stomach) starts to function their poop will gradually change. As far as the milk sac, if they have been bred before to me they always look like the have a small milk sac, but if they were ready to kid usually it is easier to tell because as their milk comes in that sac becomes much larger. We have had 11 kids born since March 12th so I have done a lot of reading in the past couple of weeks.
I posted a question a few days ago but I don’t think it went through. I have two goats that had there babies 3 weeks ago and they are doing great. I have been milking the mommas for a week now and everything is good. I saw on here that you should worm the mothers after the babies are born and wanted to know if I should do this now or if I have to wait until we are not milking them anymore? If I wormed them now would it affect the milk we drink? Thank you!!
Hi Tamara,
If you’re deworming them with an herbal dewormer, then you can go right ahead and keep milking. If not, then you’ll have to toss the milk for about a week.
My Nubian just gave birth 2 days ago. I am new to this. My first one. The baby is popping yellow. It’s this normal? Do you have to milk these goats. I wasn’t planning on it. I have another female also but I don’t think she is having a baby but she had a milk sac. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I don’t know what to do for them. They seem fine but I want them to be ok. Thank you
DaNelle’s assistant here. That kind of poop is totally normal!
My pet mama goat has given 2 kids on 11 march..But today (18 march), i just saw that she is bleeding badly..I don’t know the reason why?If you please let me know the reason and what to do in this situation?
Sometimes they can bleed later, but I would say a week is pretty late. Take her temperature to see if it’s high and then watch her closely. If she acts weak at all, I would call the vet.
My doe just gave birth around 3:15 today to twins. One of the twins isn’t standing up all the way yet still and mom doesn’t seem to want to go to her when she is crying. What should I do?
Hi Brittany,
I would put the baby close to the mother and make sure she licks it and nurses it. Keep it around her and stay with it until it’s up and nursing:)
Hi,
We have had goats for a yr and a half now and love them. We are planning to raise them and just had a first time boer momma deliver twins yesterday afternoon and all is well. She is a fabulous mom and the babies (a boy and girl) are strong and eating well. Like you we are not vaccinating our animals on our farm. What is it that you test for and how do you go about testing them? I want to be sure I’m testing my herd. Since I intend to raise/sale them.
Thank you!
Hi Angela!
You can go here: https://www.weedemandreap.com/goat-diseases-signs-symptoms/
I’ve got lots of info on testing your goats!
I have a sannen Alpine cross doe that had triplets about a week ago. I took babies off and started bottle feeding her due shes loosing soo much weight? I’ve been feeding her molasses grain and as much hay as she wants. Lately I haven’t even noticed she hasn’t been eating as much hay and still has some discharge? What should I do?
Hi Marnieta,
Have you weighed your doe? Sometimes, towards the end, their babies “drop” and they look sunken in around the spine/hips. That could look like she lost weight but really, it’s just her body prepping for labor. As far as the decrease in eating and increase in discharge, I would say she’s probably going to have babies soon! Watch her closely, if she gets worse, I would call a vet!
Hi there!
I need some help please! My doe just gave birth 48 hours ago but her appetite seems off: Throughout her pregnancy she went crazy over any and all food – hay, alfalfa pellets, grain – but now she will barely finish a cup or two, and hay in small frequent quantities. She also used to drink in large quantities, but now it’s in small amounts. Is she simply trying to recover and get back to normal, or should they have a big keen appetite 2 or 3 days after kidding? Her poop/urine doesn’t have a sweet smell, so I think that means she doesn’t have ketosis? She does have some gooey afterbirth mucus hanging down. Thanks so much!
Hi Claire,
Most goats go back to their normal eating/drinking patterns about 24 hours after giving birth. I would probably take her to a vet to be sure:)
Hi,
I have a mother that has 3 kids, and were born 11 days ago. They seem tone nursing well, but am concerned, because she is starting to now walk away when they try to nurse. I held her today while they nursed, is this something I should be concerned with. They seem to be striving, and very happy. Also, aren’t they supposed to have certain shot at the age of 2 weeks?
Thanks for the help!
Doris Brennen
Whoops I meant “to be”.
Hey Doris! This is fairly normal, as long as mom still stops and lets them nurse. Babies are pretty greedy and will nurse given any chance. Some mothers tire of this early on, while others are more patient. Watch her udder. If it starts to fill up and become hard throughout the day, then that means she isn’t feeding them enough. If so, I’d advise to milk the mother and feed the babies by bottle.
We don’t vaccinate on our farm, but many people do, so you might have to look elsewhere for recommendations for vaccines:)
Our Nigerian gave birth today first time, single kid. She is still huge and seems very gassy. She is eating and drinking fine. The baby appears strong and is nursing well. Mom is attentive and will charge the others if they get to near. I and concerned about her belly still being so large.
Hi Teresa,
I would be concerned as well. They are usually very ‘deflated’ after birth. I would get her ultrasounded to see if she’s got another one in there.
I have a Sannen who just kidder foe her 3rd time but lost the twins.
Her milk sack is full but we don’t milk her. Should we release the pressure? She was not happy that I tried to touch them at all. Any suggestions?
Hi Amy,
You should absolutely milk her. Her udder would be extremely painful, so she’ll jump and try to get away, but do it anyway. You can continue to milk her, but I wouldn’t drink the milk until you have her tested for diseases to make sure she is healthy. I have an article on testing here: https://www.weedemandreap.com/goat-diseases-signs-symptoms/
what about older goats can you cut there horns off how can you do it
Hi Claudia,
You can do it, but you have to go to a vet as they can bleed a lot.
Hi,
I have had one kid who is five days old and has a infection at the umbilical cord area. Is there any treatment to remove the infection and vaccine we can give? The umbilical cord was dripped with iodine when it was born and she is the only one who’s having problems. I am truly at a loss of what else can be done.
Hi Samantha,
I’d recommend calling a vet ASAP, as umbilical cord infections can spread fast and kill the baby. Good luck!
hai,
mama goat ate the placentas after the delivery at the night around 2pm. she has 2 kids at the first kidding. there is no milk from the mama goat to the kids. what we do for the mama goat milk to the kids?
Hi Rekha,
If her udder is not full, I would start bottle feeding the goat with either the milk from another goat or a powdered goat’s milk replacement. If her udder is full, I would massage it, and clean the openings well and try to get a squirt from the teats.
Have a third time momma, all is well, except around 10 days after birth I am seeing an occasional slight watery bloody discharge from the vulva, She fully delivered the placenta at the time of birth. She is behaving normally, feeding, good colour on eyelids, recently given oral wormer. Is this anything to worry about. (We have precisely zero vets for small ruminants in this country – Belize.
Hi Sue, I would say she is most likely fine. It’s common for them to have bouts of light bleeding. If it is watery or thin and if it doesn’t smell or look off-color, then she should be good! Continue to check her temperature though just to be save. And just so you know, many small animal vets will see goats in an emergency:)
Thanks, I have come to the same conclusion. Haven’t seen any mroe discharge. And our vets might look at our farm animals, but they have zero idea about how to treat them. We are effectively on our own here except for other smallholders!.
regards,
Sue
Hello,
My first time Nigerian had 2 healthy bucks this Labor day weekend. All is well so far, but my question is later on after the weaning process, I am wondering what to do for mom after her milk is dry? I lost 2 Saanen does earlier this year after their kids were weaned, both just lost a bunch of weight & no matter what I tried for them, just withered and died. Yet the kids are healthy as well as no other goat in my heard had any of the same symptoms, just the 2 moms. What did I miss? How can I prevent this from happening again? Is this hormone related? Thanks in advance for your thoughts. 🙂
Wow, Jodi! I’ve never heard of that. Normally weight loss can be attributed to worm or parasite overgrowth. I’d do a lot of deworming, and increase grain consumption when weaning.
We are very new to goats and surprisingly had our first kidding yesterday afternoon. My question is, how long do I wait before I start milking her and get momma goat on a milking schedule?
Great question, Megan! I have a bunch of info on that here in this blog post: https://www.weedemandreap.com/raising-goats-milking-goats/
Hello,
My family and I are also new to caring for goats. We have a 2 1/2 month old Alpine mixed male goat. His umbilical cord is still attached and is dry looking and dark in color. Yesterday, it started bleeding and it seems to be bothering him. What could be wrong with dried cord? I am hoping it’s just itchy from drying and it’s bleeding from him messing with it but I am also concerned that there is something more serious going on.
Hi Leslie,
It’s possibly he got it caught on something. I would trim it and clean it with a betadine swab:)
my nubian gave birth for the 4 th time last Feb. She always has 3 kids. This time she has gotten very thin. I’m concerned. Is this normal? What should I be doing to help her. I dont plan to let her have any more kids but she is a great milker and I have a child who can only drink goats milk. Help if you can. Thank you, kat
She may have worms or lice. I would give her herbal treatments for both (I get them from Molly’s Herbals) and then if you still have trouble, you will need to take her to the vet:)
my Nubian goat just gave birth last night at 11.00 pm. she has been very attentive until late this afternoon. now she keeps taking off and leaving him (the baby) all alone. is this normal behavior?
Is she feeding the baby? She should still be rather attentive and I would keep her in a small pen with the baby with no other goats so there are no distractions.
My female boer goat had a kid 2 days ago. This is her second time (first time she was awesome). She is very attentive and loving to her baby but the kid seems to be having a hard time feeding. Even when we place her on the teat the baby WILL NOT suck. We really didn’t want to bottle feed but the baby seemed really weak this morning so I gave her a bottle of milk (not replacer just full fat milk). Also I milked momma so I can feed the baby later on with the moms milk. Like I said the mother is great with the kid so we have them together and are just hoping the kid catches on and we don’t have to continue with bottle feedings. Has this ever happened to anyone else? Any advice?
Hello. I am new to goats and have two swiss alpines. One has given birth to two very cute healthy kids. The other just gave birth Sunday to 3 stillborns. This was her first pregnancy. I did not try to milk her until Monday, then again Tuesday. She will not let me touch her. Her teats are swollen and red. I tried warm towels as well. Is there any other way to dry her milk up besides stopping grain? What else can I do for her? I know she is in pain. I appreciate any advise you can pass along. Thank you.
You could try to apply peppermint essential oil to her udder to help dry it up and relieve pressure, but if I were you, I’d definitely try to milk her out. Being a first timer, I’m positive she’s jumpy because she just hasn’t been milked before and is less concerned with the pain of squeezing. Goats are pretty hardy creatures:)
We have a Boer goat, she just gave birth to two babies sometime in the middle of the nite. We knew she was ready any day and had her in a stall by herself, when we checked her in the morning she had thrown her babies out of the stall. It’s very cold where we live in NJ, the babies were frozen, that was terrible. What did we do wrong?
This is one of the reasons why I try to watch for labor signs so I can be with my goats when they deliver. If they’ve already proven to be good mothers then I’m not as concerned, but I still try to make it. I’m sorry, that’s SO frustrating! Sometimes, with all we do, we still miss the deliveries 🙁