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

[glenolam]

My friend that got me into goats used to milk hers from behind. She had 2 pygmys that loved to sit on the bucket so she'd use her forearms to support the doe's hips.

I milk from the side as katie said. Much easier to me - I tried copying the 'from behind' method...just didn't work for me.

I always strain my milk, even if it is just for soap. I'm sure you'll get much less hair in the milk if you shave their udders, but, again, I'm just that lazy when it comes to stuff like that. Shame, though, I'm sure it'd take just as much time to shave her as it would to strain the milk...

 

[savingdogs]

I'll have to remember to take a picture, but I think my does teats are large. Ginger has the supernumerary ones but they don't give milk and don't get in my way. She does not like them being touched, so I don't.

This morning, the weak buckling, whose name is "Buckley" by the way, I know, not very original. But in any event, he is about the same. Still not bouncing around like he has pogo sticks for legs like his sister. He gets up and follows Ginger but tends to go back into the stall where the lamp is and rest. Not horrible, not great.

He no longer looks bigger than his sister. He seems a little thinner too, not a huge amount though. When I pull up the skin like I would test for dehydration in a dog, he seems a little dehydrated. I checked his bottom, still dirty but not clogged. Ginger cleaned it while I held his tail up.... and I praised her. She and I have gotten much closer. She comes up to me and leans on me. She also seems concerned about Buckley. I gave him about a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in water and he really did not like that ! He fought me real well, nice strong yell even I can hear. Gosh it is hard to put medicine in a goat! So we will see if he improves. I hope so. I really can't sink money into a buckling, I'll never get it back and I'm not even keeping him.

And another thing, I could be wrong, but Molly's tummy seems to be looking like she is having contractions? She is acting calm and normal but every now and then I see a movement or tightening in her abdomen. She ATE the placenta remember so I know she passed it. Do they have contractions for a few days after like people? I did not observe this on Ginger. Molly delivered Tuesday. I notice her discharge has started as well. She and her kid are doing well. I opened both stalls up today and I'm letting them mingle to see if they will get along again now.

 

[glenolam]

Molly sounds like she's having normal after-birth stuff, but keep an eye on her just in case.

Buckley, too. If I remember correctly, he's the one who was always bigger, right? Eating too much we thought? Well, if he's now smaller than his sister and not nursing as much maybe now's the time for probios and B12.

With the baking soda, I make an almost pasty mix of it, put it in a 6ml syringe (about 6mls full) and get in whatever I can.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I sit with my right shoulder tucked into Dixie's right ribs, facing toward her udder. My stand puts her back right at head high, so when I sit, my hands are just at the right level and all I have to do is reach out. Right hand on left teat, and vice versa.

I'm afraid if I tried milking from behind that Dixie would kick me in the face

I used to have to finish out her right teat with my right hand since my left would get soooo tired. But once I built up strength & coordination (which I'm going to have do all over again...) I could zip through it without having to change hands or stop except to adjust my grip.

Could Molly's movement be rumen? Dixie's gets pretty active at times.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

I hope you are able to find out what's going on with Buckley and he improves. It's so distressing to watch them be ill and not know what to do!

As far as milking technique, I think we all probably just kind of ease into whatever works for us. I see a lot of different descriptions. It was awkward for me too at first, and I got sore, but you definitely get into a routine and it gets better. FWIW, I found it HARDER to milk my doe with tight attachments and a full udder (small teats and orifices too, so it was a trade-off).

As far as milking one or two handed, for me it depended on the doe's behavior. If I had to worry about them kicking the bucket over or putting a foot in it, I had to milk one handed into a jar. If I could trust them with a bucket on the ground, it was easy to milk two-handed. I learned one-handed first, then gradually got used to doing it the other way. I'm probably not that good at it though, since I'm almost as fast one-handed (and that not really fast, compared to most people on here, LOL).

The only thing I'd comment on is the training of a dog to go get Molly. I wouldn't bother. First off, it would probably upset her before milking. And much more importantly, long before you get the dog trained you will probably have Molly trained and she'll be standing there bawling her head off WANTING you to come milk her when it's time. Before you know it, she'll probably be running in there and hopping up on the stand.

 

[savingdogs]

Well I'm already so attached to the ten-year-old dog that when she dies, my heart will be torn out of my chest and I'll never be the same. The last thing I need is another reason to miss her. She is the awesome-ist. Molly is not afraid of dogs though....there are an abundance here and she head butts them. My dogs tend to be afraid of the goats not the other way around.

I did give Buckley the baking soda much as you suggested. Things look the same as earlier this morning. Molly still making funny tummy contractions. It doesn't seem to be bothering her much. Her kid Sebastian got to the other side of the fence (I'll have to do some repair work I see) and she was distressed......so I guess she has officially fallen in love with him. He seems to be doing well and everyone is getting along.

I sure hope you are right that soon Molly will be wanting up on the stand. I think she is kind of full right now.

Ginger LOVES me now.....go figger. I am her new BFF.

But I'm still not happy with how Buckley looks. I saw him nursing though and following Ginger around, he isn't totally out of it or anything. Just ain't doin' right.

 

[savingdogs]

I did give this...http://www.enasco.com/product/C24482N

I'm not sure if that is probios. That product name was also at Wilco, but this one was marked for kids and looked like somewhat the same thing.

I've given him that stuff twice....it says "as needed"..........should I do it again or should I have Hubby pick up some "Probios" on the way home?

 

[savingdogs]

Okay, now I'm in trouble.

Buckley is the same....but now he has poo all over his backside and it looks just like the picture on that link regarding scours.

And the doeling Emilee has it on her now too. She is bouncing around fine.

I think I need probios and vitamin B per Glenolam's suggestion...but the store is 45 minutes away and I want to make sure I get the right stuff.

There were so many reasons for "scours". I have been feeding herbal selenium to the does and I don't have any Bose nor can I get any today so I hope I don't need that. I don't see weak knees, weak legs or warmth in the legs. Baking soda did not do the trick.

The doeling is energetic and fine. The other two are resting. I don't see scours on Molly's kid, just Ginger's two. And the doeling seems really fine....at first I thought the scours on her was from her brother. I suppose it is still possible but there seemed to be too much.
He is not blocked, the poo is gooey and yellow and wet. Not mucoid.

Any hints on what I should get? I have a good feed store but no vet open, even the "goat" vet isn't open today and I have only the choice of the hack place. I did hear of a goat vet that is about two hours away but don't know if they are open today. I left a message for the person who told me about that one.

So....shopping list? I'm not sure what I'll find there. I know they had probios though.

 

[Javamama]

Probios is easy enough to find. I have heard that the B vitamins are near impossible to get right now due to manufacturing problems - there's a thread about it on BYH. I think the liquids are injectible, so you would need syringes and needles. OR - OFG gets B1 tables from the grocery/drugstore and crushes them and mixes with water to syringe feed. See her blog post. That's about all I know. I hope they improve.

Oh - maybe you should get something to treat coccidia, just in case? I don't know what the best thing would be for that. Di-Methox is one I hear often.

edit - I was doing some reading and it sounds like they are too young for coccidia. Goats are so confusing! Anyway you can also get something called scour-halt.

 

[savingdogs]

I have syringes here, that is no problem. I also have B vitamins but they are really old....I tossed the bottle, smelling them made me gag (2002). I have a prescription medication here called Sucralfate....it is for digestion issues for dogs....if this were a dog I would have given it. If anyone knows if this is useful let me know. I am assuming their digestive system is too different for doggie tummie relievers, but I have that.

I'm certainly going to get the probios (although is lamb and kid paste any different?) and I'll look for B1 tablets. Maybe someone can give me the dosage while we go to the store for the B1. I looked around the feedstore last time I was there for goat things and bought the lamb and kid paste thinking it would be like probios.

There is a smaller, farther away feed store I could try as well.

I might be able to get stuff from a different vet I know but I don't think she has Bose. She is a small animal vet but would have B vitamins. I personally HATE this person however but I bet she would sell me some to make a buck. I worked for her before and we did not get along. But I know she has B vitamins on her shelf and that she would prescribe it without seeing the animal. She doesn't stock Bose though. Her office is down the street from that feed store. I may just go in.