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acclimating preemie

2K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  janner 
#1 ·
My nubian gave birth 10 days early...I had to go in and get out three kids. Two were DOA although I tried everything under the sun to revive them. The one little doeling, Tuff Cookie is doing well. I have to hold the doe's leg up to make her let the baby nurse during the day and at night I have her in the house and bottle feed her. She was due on the 14th and seems really strong. My question is what is the protocol on putting her out in the barn all night with the temp so low. Should I leave her out there longer and longer so she is subjected to a little more and more of the colder air. She did have a problem maintaining her body temp for the first couple days, but seems good now. The other does and LGDs have accepted her. I realize I need to keep making mama nurse her until I see she is doing it on her own, but does the kid actually need to nurse at night, too and if so for how long?
Thank you,
janice
 
#2 ·
Trust your gut...if you feel like all is well go ahead. If not, it's so much easier to be safe than sorry.

I have a plastic dog crate and I shine a heat lamp on it so it creates a warm nest but my kids have their own stall so no big goats can mess with the heat lamp and I haven't had a single to deal with--when it's more than one they lay in the crate together and make a lot of warmth.

It's going to be cold and windy tonight so my twins are in the house for the night. It's supposed to be 50 tomorrow and they'll be back out in the kid pen for the day. I will wait and see what tomorrow night holds. I'm in Vermont and it's been such a nasty winter...I've heard about several people losing goats to the cold this year (full grown goats).

Trust your instincts!

Dona Davis
Purebred Nubians
Vermont
 
#3 ·
One thing that I've done, even with non-bottle babies, is to have a baby warmer available for them to go into. We make ours out of a 55 gallon plastic drum and a heat lamp. Cut a hole in the top for the heat lamp (and then wire it in there so that it cannot fall out) and a hole in the bottom of the side for a door. Show the baby that it is cozy in there and she can go in and out on her own. We haven't had problems with it in a corner of their run-in, even with adult goats in there. You could strap or bungee it in position if needed. There are pictures on the forum somewhere!
 
#5 ·
Stacey, that's a great idea! I've even got some of those food grade plastic barrels lying around--they are so useful. Little goats like to be somewhere small and covered...sometimes when I have them out playing I will look around and they will have crawled underneath the milk stand to hide.

Dona Davis
Purebred Nubians
Vermont
 
#7 · (Edited)
One thing that I've done, even with non-bottle babies, is to have a baby warmer available for them to go into. We make ours out of a 55 gallon plastic drum and a heat lamp. Cut a hole in the top for the heat lamp (and then wire it in there so that it cannot fall out) and a hole in the bottom of the side for a door. Show the baby that it is cozy in there and she can go in and out on her own. We haven't had problems with it in a corner of their run-in, even with adult goats in there. You could strap or bungee it in position if needed. There are pictures on the forum somewhere!
I actually have one of these, but I am paranoid that she isn't quite bright enough to go in if she gets cold...she won't try to find shade in the pasture and just lays down and pants. I babysit her with her mom and the other goats and LGDs in the pasture, of course. I am also very scared of her getting shocked by the electric fence, being so small. She is still not even due until Monday, so I think I will put the barrel up and watch her with a video baby monitor until I go to bed...and then I'm bringing her in the house:ick I am so scared for her, she is so lucky to be alive at all. I will play it by year for a few more days. I sure do appreciate y'alls input so much!
janice
 

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