Gary, first-time fresheners can be kinda slow sometimes. The experience seems to be quite a shock to them. I try to be there and hang around to make sure they lick the kids off, which is a bonding ritual, and also to make sure they get "plugged" in to get that first colostrum. We had boer/nubx goats that seemed to do really well the first time around. You may just have a "special needs" goat that could do better next time around. Personally, if she is a nicely structured goat and had nice looking kids, I would keep her around and try it again next year. Just my opinion.

Bonnie

Gary,
I'm just curious. Were your goats bottle babies? I have been wondering for some time now if bottle babies would be less likely to milk their own, as first timers.

nope, not bottle babies, and get this, there were two of them actually, one a pygmy the other not. both does cleaned the kids but then had nothing to do with them. i put them all together in the barn in a small corner. the next day two were dead (the pygmy had twins one dead) and one twin barely hanging on. so i warmed her and took her home but she did not make it either.

I give first timers a pass. But they better give me two and wean them the next time or they are gone.

I've got a bottle baby that is a first time mom!!
and when I say bottle baby, we gave her a bottle every day until she was 9 months old!! she would still take one proably...she is a great mom... with about every new mom
you have to get down there with the babies and help them get latched on to nurse..and sometimes you gotta show mom thats what she has GOT to let them do...remember these moms are still young...and they just had one or two big things to come from behind :o)