I've been checking my does thoroughly every day patiently awaiting new arrivals and was finally blessed with a beautiful doeling yesterday. I had noticed Ivory's udder was bigger, but it didn't look tight like they normally do before a doe kids so I figured she was a few more weeks off, well she showed me! She gave birth to a cream and white little girl who I have not named yet. I am having a contest on Facebook to come up with the perfect name and have received an enormous response!
I was a little worried about the kid though. She was born in the field and her dam couldn't have picked a better day, there was plenty of sunshine yesterday and it was nearly 50 degrees. She seemed healthy and strong,but I wasn't sure if she had nursed and her dam is one of my unfriendliest does. Keith and I moved them to the barn and continued to watch for the kid to nurse, but she never did, she kept looking for the teat but we never actually saw her attach to it. Ivory didn't like us around her or the kid so we decided to wait and see because 90% of the time, the kid has already nursed and they just want you to leave them alone. She was up and walking and seemed fine, her mouth wasn't cold and she seemed energetic which normally means they have nursed.
We put in fresh hay, water and grain and left the two to bond. My bottle kids are in the stall right next to them so I figured I would check on them every time I bottle fed. I went back to the barn for the last feeding of the night around 10pm and the kid was laying in the corner. I made her get up so I could check on her and she did with no problem. But she was making a horrible crying sound, it didn't sound like a normal kid cry so I got worried and decided it was time to make absolutely sure she had nursed. I had the bottles with me so I milked some colostrum into one of the bottles. I gently forced the bottle into her mouth and she sucked it dry, I had only milked about two ounces into the bottle. After seeing that I milked another four ounces into the bottle and she immediately sucked it down too. I then put her under her mother and helped her get hold of the teat, she nursed and nursed so I'm assuming she hadn't nursed before then. I got out of the stall and continued to watch them, her mother moved around to get to the new hay I had just put in and of course jerked the teat out of the baby's mouth. She followed mom and got down on her knees and got hold of the teat and continued to nurse. After that I felt such relief. I haven't been to the barn this morning, but I pray everything is okay. I will make sure I see her nurse again before I leave for work this morning, but it's been my experience that after they nurse that first time, they know what to do and you don't have to worry anymore. I'm sure Ivory was uncomfortable from having such a full udder and the little bit of milking I did must have relieved some pressure, then when the baby nursed it all came back to her about what she was supposed to do.
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