Busy...Busy....Week

To say we've been so busy we didn't know if we should scratch our watch or wind our butts would be an understatement. Never in my life will I ever again allow 14 does to be bred in a two week period.  Thank God 3 of the 14 didn't get pregnant.  We still have one more doe who should give birth around the 18th.  So far we have 6 sets of twins, 2 sets of triplets and 2 single births.  Eight does and twelve bucks so far.

 Papa Bear was so tired he laid down in one of the stalls that wasn't occupied at the moment and fell asleep.

 Goofy Lacie wants to know if she can have the stall when the big blue thing is finished.

Lacie had two beautiful does.  One is solid black.  We have never had a solid colored kid before now.

 I had to take her in and show her to the Marine










 


All of the kidding went well except for the last one.  I thought we were going to lose the kid and doe. She is a first time freshener.  The kid had one leg folded back and the does pelvic area was too small for me to get my hand in far enough to release the leg.  I even tried to push the kid back in to reposition it and that didn't work.  Our vet has moved and is over a hour and a half away from us so there was no need in even calling.  The kids tongue started turning black,  the doe was weak and screaming I knew I had to do something.  When the doe gave a couple of more weak pushes I held around the kid behind the leg showing and pulled down on the kid as hard as I could and got him out.

The doe was very weak and showed no interest in the new kid.  I got both of them cleaned up, gave the doe a shot of pen G in case of infection and then took the new kid around to a couple of does that had recently given birth hoping to adopt it out but had no takers.  I finally got one doe to stand still and let it nurse for a moment.  I even rubbed some of her milk all over him hoping to get her to take him in but she was having none of it.  I finally took the kid in the house and put him on a towel in a laundry basket and set him by my side of the bed.  I don't have any fresh colostrum in the freezer so I still have to go back out to the barn and wrestle a new mama to get milk for the new kid.  That was fun!  I finally got enough for a few bottles if I needed it.  I am glad the kid only woke once during the night wanting milk. The next day I took the kid back out to her.  To begin with I held her in order for him to nurse but now she has accepted him.  She doesn't do a very good job of cleaning him yet so I am still having to wipe his butt several times a day so it doesn't become plugged.  The does vagina is very swollen.  I can't tell if it's a prolapse or not.  I am rubbing Preparation H ointment on it to get the swelling down and will continue with the antibiotics twice a day.  If it continue to look bad I will treat it like a prolapsed rectum which I have treated before.  You do the same for a vagina or rectum.This week has had  several cold and frosty nights but everyone is doing well.  The kids only have a few hours of shaky legs and then leap around like they have springs on their feet. 

They are so joyful to be alive and a joy to watch.

Triplets and such an attentive doe.

Springtime.....So close!  I think we have had our final frost.
Our Camellia Bush is in full bloom.

 Almost every bloom has a honeybee in it.

Magnolia Jane busted out in full bloom.  I haven't noticed any bees on this one.

 I still have not planted the apple trees.

The little piggies are venturing out further into the pen.

When they hear Mama grunt or huff, they run scurrying back to their nest. They are too funny and look like they have doubled in size in a weeks time.
















The pear tree blossoms made it through the last freeze.  We may actually have pears this year!  Hang tight everyone.  Spring is just around the corner.