Kids and Blooms

Papa Bear went to the feed store, came back and went to throw a bale of hay in the barn.  He heard a noise and turned around and our doe Sugar was over in the corner with two new kids.  We had put our other doe Jersey in the birthing stall as she is due today (Saturday) but the goats have other ideas... They are not reading my calendar.  Papa Bear gets Jersey out of the birthing stall and puts Sugar and her two kids in the stall.  I helped Sugar clean and dry the kids and checked her teats so the kids could nurse.  Both of the teats were plugged so I went to get a warm wet cloth, a milk bucket and nursing bottles.  I got the teats unplugged, milked her and gave the kids a bottle as they were still not finding the teats well.   Mama and babies settled down in their nice clean stall.  Big dark angry rain clouds were on the horizon and I went back to the house to start supper while Papa Bear finished the rest of the chores.  

I wasn't inside 30 minutes when Papa Bear called from his cell and said our other doe Cocoa Puff had lost her plug and was in labor.  Cocoa is not due yet either.    Papa Bear got her into another stall but it is all dirt and no hay down and it is small.  I am trying to spread hay whenever cocoa moves so the baby is not born in dirt.  By this time the sky has opened up and we are in the middle of a big thunder storm.

Cocoa usually has her babies very fast so I knew after over an hour of pushing something was wrong.   When Cocoa pushed I could see a nose but only one hoof.  In a normal birth, kids are born in a diving position with their nose in between both hooves.  Papa Bear got our medical kit and I put on gloves and jelled up to go in and feel what was wrong and to get the leg and hoof in the right position.  I felt all up inside her cervix and womb but what I was feeling was not right.  I could feel something else all wrapped up in the baby who was already trying to come out.  I told Papa Bear to call our vet as I couldn't get the baby free.  Our vet is on another farm call and is almost an hour away.  I knew then if I didn't fix the problem we were going to lose our doe and baby.   I put on fresh gloves , jelled up and said a prayer.  By this time my doe is almost screaming with every push.  I managed to free the trapped leg,  got the baby in position and pulled one leg at a time when Cocoa pushed.  I finally got the baby out and wrapped all around the hind quarters was another baby that did not fully develop.  This was a first for me and it was very sad but at least one of the kids were saved and so was our doe.  I got this one dried and he started nursing just fine and Cocoa was eating her extra portion of grain like nothing has happened.  Animals are amazing!

 This is the kid I saved.  He is so cute.  He has waddles.  He is the second one born  on our little homestead that has waddles.  The story doesn't end here....

So this huge storm is going on and water begins to rush into the corner of the stall.  Our livestock guardian dog had dug her out a huge hole right at the corner of the stall,  I took off to get the shovel and rake to fill in the hole so the baby is not in a mud puddle.     There is no more signs of labor from Cocoa.  I waited out in the barn for 3 hours for her to pass the afterbirth but it didn't happen so I will have to call the vet in the morning for a shot to help her pass it.


This morning I woke early, took care of the Marines needs, made a pot of coffee, went to the barn to check on the new arrivals and to see if Cocoa had passed the afterbirth.  If no signs of it I will have to call the vet for a shot.  

Imagine my surprise when I walked into the barn and found another kid with Cocoa!  She was all nice an dry and already exploring.  So if the other one had lived Cocoa would have had 3 kids.  Lat year she had 4 at one time.

 This is our doe Jersey , I call her Bat Girl.   See the white bat hanging upside down on her side?  She is the one who was supposed to have her kids today or tomorrow.    What is she doing?...just climbing up on the platform and looking at the new storm coming.

I took these pictures on my trips back and forth from the barn.  Our blueberries are loaded with tiny berries.

There are even some blooms still on some of the bushes.  I wish our bee's were here.  The only thing buzzing them were those big old carpenter bees.

 The roses on the trellis are beginning to bloom.  I think this is Don Juan.

The Bridal Wreath shrubs are extra pretty this year.  I love these in the spring!

The peach trees are blooming.

...and a baby pineapple has started!  Spring has sprung!  2 does down and 4 more more to go....I hope they are uneventful births.

Have a great weekend!