Saturday, February 16, 2013

#8 and #9 have arrived! warning birth pictures

If you read my last post you know my doe lost her mucus plug and I was sure I would be helping to deliver babies at any time.  See that white bucket on the monitor?  That is where I sat until my butt was numb with cold.  Papa bear had set up the barn camera so we could hear the does when they were in labor.  They all get very loud and verbal.  Of course the doe who was showing signs of beginning labor got in the far corner of the birthing stall out of the cameras eye.  I finally came inside the house around midnight and while I was inside all I could hear was her pawing and shuffling over the monitor.

I awoke about 4am and pulled jeans and sweatshirt over my pj's and went to the barn.  I thought I may have slept too hard and not heard her.  Fat chance of that as the Marine knew I was in the livingroom on the sofa and called me every 10 minutes or so.  My doe was still just making a deeper and deeper hay nest.  No signs of hard labor yet.

I came inside made coffee.  At 5:30 I gave the Marine the last of his prednisone medication and at 6:00 gave him his morning meds, tube feeding and a breathing treatment.  At 6:45 I grabbed a blanket and was going to lay down for a few minutes when my doe started bleating...very loud.  Sleep is not to be.

By the time I got back to the barn I could already see a hoof and a nose.  She's pushing really hard.  In the past I have had to go inside of her and turn babies so I knew one of the babies legs was probably bent backwards and I needed to straighten it.  Before I could get my glove on and the KY jelly on my hand and arm she pushed again and the baby came out bent leg and all.  # 8 is a large male.  He is black and white and has wattles (we call them goat jewelry) He is a very strong boy. I helped Mama clean him up and before he is even dry good he is on his feet and nursing.  I knew Mama wasn't through.  In the past she has had 2, 4 and 5 at one time.  

Sure enough...she laid back down and I barely had time to put a feed sack under her.  It looked like # 9 just shot out of her.  

We use empty feed-sacks when the doe is birthing to catch most of the birthing goo.  This keeps the baby cleaner and I can just fold the bag up and take it from the barn so the doe doesn't try to eat it all.  It is their natural instinct to do this.

 I give Mama some assistance by cleaning the face and mouth  to make sure the baby is breathing good.



#9 is a female and a little smaller than her brother.  Mom is a Boer mix and the sire is a full blooded Nubian.  Was glad to see another female.  Mama has passed this round of afterbirth.  I haven't heard any more noise in the barn.  I am going to check on them in a few minutes.  I'll post again if there are any surprises out there!

We have one more doe who should kid at anytime.  I hope she waits a day or two.  Papa Bear has gone to the hayfield about an hour away for a load of hay.  The weatherman said there may be freezing rain mixed with snow flurries on the Alabama Florida state line.  We are about 45 miles away from Alabama.  It's windy and very cold now.  Crazy...It was 70 degrees here yesterday.

If all is well in the barn...I am going to take a nap! 

 
 

16 comments:

  1. get yerself a nap Mamma - you need it, ya poor gurl! those are some pretty gorgeous babies that you helped deliver! i can't wait to see more pics!

    your friend,
    kymber

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    1. Thank you my sweet northern friend. I had myself a 3 hour nap and feel like a new woman!

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  2. Awww congratulations!!!! I hope your having a nice nap right now ☺ Thanks for the pictures and the advise about the feed sacks! I'm a nervous Nelly waiting on my doe to kid! It's a first for both of us :/

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    1. Kelly..I am so behind on reading all of my friends blogs. When is your doe due? It is going to be cold here tonight so I just went out and put shirts on the kids to help hold in the body heat. I bought onesies at the dollar store for $1.50 each (I get the 3 to 6 month size) and cut the bottom off to make a long t-shirt. I cut a U shape out of the bottom for the boys and leave the girls whole. I have one more doe left to kid this year. I hope your doe's birth is uneventful and in bright, warm sunshine!

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  3. Mamma Bear,

    Beautiful babies!!! Go catch a nap Sweetie, you've worked hard and so deserve some rest.

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    1. Thank you sweet Sandy. I did get me a 3 hour nap, have dressed all 9 of the kids in a t-shirt and now I am going to get a big cup of hot coffee and be a couch potato! One more doe to go!

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  4. Great post! Congrats on the little ones. They are adorable. I hope you get enough rest to see you through the next round!

    Blessings,
    Red

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    1. Thanks Red...After this mornings birth, the remainder of the day has been uneventful...well almost....LOL

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  5. I am between Huntsville and Birmingham. It was high 60s here yesterday and I got half the car washed. Today, it was frigid with a hard wind. Tonight, 30 F degrees and it will be almost 70 on Monday. My body cannot adjust this fast. Cute babies!

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    1. Thanks Linda....For sure crazy weather we are having in the south!

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  6. Great post ! Have a good sleep, and I hope those babies stay warm. I use new large dog coats with velcro on baby alpacas (crias) when they are born in cold weather. Great job !

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    1. Good idea for the doggie coats and probably warmer than my little t-shirts. The older babies not yet two weeks have almost outgrown the 3 to 6 month size. Hopefully we have only a few more days of cold weather.

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  7. Congrats on the birth of the babies!!!!

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  8. Oh my goodness! Congrats Grannie! The new babies are beautiful.....

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    1. Thanks Glock Mom....I love the little black and white boy. He is so fuzzy. He reminds me of a Panda Bear. I've been calling him Panda!

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