Well this all started basically on Sunday.
On Sunday Flicka kidded with triplets. All was good so I thought, until Monday when the tiny little girl (Little Bit) was all hunched up and very skinny. Obviously she wasn't nursing so I pulled her and tube fed her a couple times and was able to get her on the bottle. Brought her to work with me on Tuesday and accomplished getting her on the bottle.
Wednesday morning I noticed that the two remaining with Flicka were WAY to skinny! So I pulled them and tube fed (first tried the bottle) a couple ounces.
I put them back with their mom as i had to go to work. By that night they were so skinny again it was sickening.
I tube fed a couple more times that night before bed and then put them in a cage with their sister.
In the morning I tried the bottle again and it as worse. So tube fed once again a couple ounces.
Later on they were finally playing outside (oh they never played before, only stood there then layed down) their sister who is smaller then them mastered the steps while they flop down them Well they were calling to me because they were upset - I must have went around the corner and Flicka heard them. She finally started to call to them - never once missed them to this point. They ran to her and I was like, ok lets try this. I took Flicka out and we tried to get the kids to nurse........no interest. Then when Jasmine tried Flicka kicked her! :angry: but after kicking her she mothers her :shrug:
So I again had to leave them with her as I had to go to work. Go to work late (again) and of course worried about them.
Came home to same senerio. Took and tube fed again.
Also Flickas udder has been tight and full each time I go out there so they are not nursing. She had a congessted udder on Wednesday from them not nursing, but that is undercontrol now and all is well.
They are starting to play a little with some teeny hops but thats it.
at 6 days old and 3 ounces in their bellies
Coal weighed in at 4lbs 6 ounces
Jasmine 5lbs
Little Bit 3lbs 1 ounce (guess how she got her name LOL)
Let them be with their mom for 7 hours to see if they would get hungry enough to nurse and she would let them.
weighed again
Coal 4lbs 2 ounces (lost 2 ounces)
Jasmine 4lbs 8 ounces (lost 2 ounces)
Tube fed again 3 ounces each - forgot to weight them.
I have seriously tried the bottle with them and so has my mom to no avail.
I am seriously out of ideas. At only 6 days old I am not sure how long I can keep this tube feeding up as they already fight me great deal (and I know that they need it! or I wouldn't do it as I hate doing it).
I am the only one who can tube feed them so that means they only get fed when I am home which I am off to work for 7+ hours at a time 5 days a week!
I have a buyer for all 4 (Flicka and her kids) but I can't sell them with having to be tube fed!
I guess I just need shoulder to cry on about this. :tears:
It certaily is putting a damper on my excitement this year though I am trying to keep my spirits up it is hard when you have very little sleep and are so concerned that they may die without being tube fed.
On Sunday Flicka kidded with triplets. All was good so I thought, until Monday when the tiny little girl (Little Bit) was all hunched up and very skinny. Obviously she wasn't nursing so I pulled her and tube fed her a couple times and was able to get her on the bottle. Brought her to work with me on Tuesday and accomplished getting her on the bottle.
Wednesday morning I noticed that the two remaining with Flicka were WAY to skinny! So I pulled them and tube fed (first tried the bottle) a couple ounces.
I put them back with their mom as i had to go to work. By that night they were so skinny again it was sickening.
I tube fed a couple more times that night before bed and then put them in a cage with their sister.
In the morning I tried the bottle again and it as worse. So tube fed once again a couple ounces.
Later on they were finally playing outside (oh they never played before, only stood there then layed down) their sister who is smaller then them mastered the steps while they flop down them Well they were calling to me because they were upset - I must have went around the corner and Flicka heard them. She finally started to call to them - never once missed them to this point. They ran to her and I was like, ok lets try this. I took Flicka out and we tried to get the kids to nurse........no interest. Then when Jasmine tried Flicka kicked her! :angry: but after kicking her she mothers her :shrug:
So I again had to leave them with her as I had to go to work. Go to work late (again) and of course worried about them.
Came home to same senerio. Took and tube fed again.
Also Flickas udder has been tight and full each time I go out there so they are not nursing. She had a congessted udder on Wednesday from them not nursing, but that is undercontrol now and all is well.
They are starting to play a little with some teeny hops but thats it.
at 6 days old and 3 ounces in their bellies
Coal weighed in at 4lbs 6 ounces
Jasmine 5lbs
Little Bit 3lbs 1 ounce (guess how she got her name LOL)
Let them be with their mom for 7 hours to see if they would get hungry enough to nurse and she would let them.
weighed again
Coal 4lbs 2 ounces (lost 2 ounces)
Jasmine 4lbs 8 ounces (lost 2 ounces)
Tube fed again 3 ounces each - forgot to weight them.
I have seriously tried the bottle with them and so has my mom to no avail.
I am seriously out of ideas. At only 6 days old I am not sure how long I can keep this tube feeding up as they already fight me great deal (and I know that they need it! or I wouldn't do it as I hate doing it).
I am the only one who can tube feed them so that means they only get fed when I am home which I am off to work for 7+ hours at a time 5 days a week!
I have a buyer for all 4 (Flicka and her kids) but I can't sell them with having to be tube fed!
I guess I just need shoulder to cry on about this. :tears:
It certaily is putting a damper on my excitement this year though I am trying to keep my spirits up it is hard when you have very little sleep and are so concerned that they may die without being tube fed.