3 kids, 1 goat

One of our nannies gave birth to 3 adorable pygmy goats sometime today, but I only found them an hour ago. She seems to be caring for them and letting them nurse, but it's hard to tell and I want to be sure that they are getting fed well enough. I have powdered milk for them, but I've never bottle fed goats before, only kittens and pups. How soon should I start feeding them? I need all the advice I can get.

Three are touch and go. She might do fine. They will definitely do better if they get colostrum from her at the very least.

I would watch and see, I mean REALLY watch and make sure all three are getting a chance. If not, pull the runt (or the buck if you want more does) and bottle feed it. You might lose it, and it will not grow as well as the others, but it is your best shot to keep at least two of the three.

Watch first. Many goats are capable of raising triplets. I have used Land o Lakes replacer, Kid Lac and a homemade formula (1 12 oz can of evaporated milk (not condensed) + 1 gallon of whole milk). If you have too, I had the best luck with the homemade formula.

Doug Mac wrote: I had the best luck with the homemade formula.

Can you give me a recipe?

R Scott wrote:Three are touch and go. She might do fine. They will definitely do better if they get colostrum from her at the very least.

I would watch and see, I mean REALLY watch and make sure all three are getting a chance. If not, pull the runt (or the buck if you want more does) and bottle feed it. You might lose it, and it will not grow as well as the others, but it is your best shot to keep at least two of the three.

How will I know when to interfere from mama with the bottle? I checked on them after leaving them alone for a few hours and two of the three were cleaned. The one with gunk on it's fur is the one that I picked up after I found them. Would the mother reject her kid if it has my scent? What am I looking for when I watch them? The mother is skittish, so when I walk up, she runs and the kids can't always keep up. At this point, I don't know if they are all being fed.

The one not cleaned is at risk. It could be you got there too soon, it could be she didn't accept three. You should see it be active like the others. If it is sitting alone and listless you probably need to put it on the bottle.

Hopefully everyone is up and running around by now. If the little one hasn't been accepted by now, you'll have to bottle feed. Feed 4 times a day and put him back with the others in between so that the kid learns to be a goat. After 3 days go to three times a day. At two weeks go to twice a day and wean at 8 weeks.

Doug Mac wrote:Hopefully everyone is up and running around by now. If the little one hasn't been accepted by now, you'll have to bottle feed. Feed 4 times a day and put him back with the others in between so that the kid learns to be a goat. After 3 days go to three times a day. At two weeks go to twice a day and wean at 8 weeks.

That's very good to know. Thank you.
I'm up to 8 kids now. 4 mothers are in one pen and they all gave birth pretty close together. I guess it's because of the full moon. The first mother is neglecting her kids, but the other mothers seem to be taking care of that litter. I'm checking on them every few hours and I have a dog kennel lined with hay, just in case I need to bring them inside out of the rain. Midnight gave birth to one, but she is still very big, I thought she would have more. Yellow had two and all are doing just fine. I thought that one was born lame, but it just needed an hour to stretch it's cute little legs. Milkdud is very afraid of humans and I had a heck of a time rounding her up in the pen. She has two nipples on each udder, that doesn't seem normal. They stick out like fleshy forks. I can't get close enough to check if she has milk coming out of any of them. Her kids are very lively, they jump around and scream louder than all the other goats. They were born healthy, but I can't tell if they are getting milk.
The only alternative I have to mother's milk is powdered formula. I've read on multiple sites not to give them powdered milk.

Doug Mac wrote:Feed 4 times a day and put him back with the others in between so that the kid learns to be a goat.

We have one goat whose mother died giving birth, so the man caring for the farm before me bottle fed her and slept with her on the couch. Now, she sleeps on the porch with the dogs and will do whatever she can to get out of a pen. She doesn't see herself as a goat. She tries to help me herd the rest and act like a guard dog and in the morning, she's usually following the ducks and geese through the yard. She's a pain in the neck, but she's my baby and I love her. I don't want more like her though.

Ica Freeman wrote: She has two nipples on each udder, that doesn't seem normal. They stick out like fleshy forks. I can't get close enough to check if she has milk coming out of any of them. Her kids are very lively, they jump around and scream louder than all the other goats. They were born healthy, but I can't tell if they are getting milk.

Not normal but common, and a trait most people don't want in their gene pool. Usually not a problem for the kids, just for hand or machine milking.

Not normal but common, and a trait most people don't want in their gene pool. Usually not a problem for the kids, just for hand or machine milking.

Thank you. Fleshy Fork Tits turned out to be the most observant mother.
We are up to 9 kids. Mother Peace is a little itty bitty pygmy goat and her kid is huge. We have one more who might give birth soon. I hope she gives birth under the meteor shower.