We just recently bought two 4-day old male babies at an auction (we bought their mother as well) Unfortunately with these below zero temperatures we can't keep the babies outside. So we decided to try milking their mom (who is outside with all the other goats) and bottle-feeding. The only problem is that this was her first litter and we did not realize how hard it is to milk a goat with teats the size of peas! Like trying to squeeze water from a stone! Anywho, we brought the babies out to her to eat but doing this three times a day seems like so much work. What do you suggest I do? All our adult goats sleep in a heated shed but we are afraid that if we let the babies out there too, the other goats might kill them. Should we just let the babies outside and see what happens? Should we put them and their mother in a stall in our unheated barn? Should we feed them grocery-store cows milk? ANY and ALL comments welcome!! We need help fast!! :)

-- Amber Berman (Vanillypop@hotmail.com), January 26, 2003

Answers

Hi Amber, sorry for the delay. By now, you've probably decided what to do abbout the kids. But generally speaking; kids don't need to be brought in during cold weather unless they're sick or it's really really cold. It is best not to take kids away from their dam if you want them to keep nursing- the other goats usually won't harm them, and most mothers will not lay on their own kids. The mother keeps the kids warm.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), March 17, 2003.