Maria Had Twins! Lots of Questions Pics Added

[sweetshoplady]

She kidded these two about 2 hours ago. Both are clean and dry. How soon will they nurse if they're going to do it from mom? Maria's udder is really full, lots of milk in there. Maria is a Saanen. Should I milk her out? I know the next 24 hours she has that colustrum in there. I am hoping the mamas will be doing this. I have one little doeling that needs a bottle because her mama will do everything but feed her.

Anyway, this is all new for me. I don't want to rush things, but I don't want them not to get what they're supposed to get either. This is Maria's second time as a mama and the first time, if possible, the babies will be left on her.

I'll get some pics up shortly.

 

[2468herdsrgr8]

All I can say is congrats.....and I waiting with you....

 

[chels24]

Go ahead and help them nurse if they aren't already. After mine are born I don't leave the barn until I see them nurse. The sooner the better.

 

[sweetshoplady]

Here's Maria and her twin doelings:

With the amount of milk that's in her udders, will they be able to eat all that or do I need to milk her out? Wait to milk?

I'm off to see if I can help them.

 

[Griffin's Ark]

They should start drinking from mom just a few minues after the last kid is born. Saanen's are robust and should have been up and walking in minutes. The kids will drink her dry. The Saanen breed grows fast and they eat a lot. If they don't start drinking within 4 hours milk her out and feed the yellowish gooey colostrum to the kids, then work on getting her to accept them. We had to do that yesterday. Mom might be a little shocky and drained. Give her a gallon or two of water with Molasses in it (about a 1/8 cup per gallon is what we use). Then let nature take its course! Oh and make sure the after birth comes out within 4 hours. We have averaged about 2.5 hours for the whole process.

Chris

 

[helmstead]

Looks like Mom is engorged. Milk some out until her teats are soft and will fit in the kids mouths...and SAVE what you milk out for your freezer!

Congrats!

 

[sweetshoplady]

Thanks! I went out and put mama on the stand and brought the twins. If I held each baby on my lap, I could hold the teat so she could eat from mom. I could only hold one at a time. Maria's udders hang very low to the ground. I am hoping that if I keep helping that in time they'll find the right place. I also gave some of the milk in small bowls which they drank. When they finished eating, they laid down for a nap, I cleaned up Maria and took her and them back to the pasture.

Helmstead, should I be milking the mama out? I didn't but I plan on helping again in a little bit. Yes, she has a LOT of milk. Past couple days they looked like balloons. The other doe who I think is pretty close, her udder looks full but not like Maria's looked. They look better now that some of the milk has been taken out.

They did have quite an appetite.

 

[helmstead]

My Nubian was engorged for the first two solid weeks. We had to milk her every morning and at least one more time throughout the day to keep her teats soft enough for the kids to nurse. Don't milk her OUT...just milk her down...it's very common in high producing does.

 

[RedStickLA]

Congratulations on the new kids!

Mitzi

 

[sweetshoplady]

Griffin, you were 100% right about mama goat being drained and in shock. I did give her some of that molasses/water. She drank some, but was still pretty wore out.

I'd imagine that tomorrow she'll feel better.

Thanks so much for all the help. 2 down, 2 to go. And 3 out of 3 doelings.