Tuesday, April 24, 2012

More Babies!

Cookie kidded on Sunday with triplets! She had two does and a buck. Her ligaments were soft on Sunday morning. I told my husband that I was "100% sure that possibly Cookie might have kids that day". By 11am her ligaments were gone and I altered my assessment to "100% sure that Cookie will maybe have her kids that day". I called my friend and had her come over to watch the births and help out. Last time I called her over, we stood and watched Gloria for 6 hours and no kids came. This time I was pretty sure that maybe we would see kids soon.

After 2 hours of watching Cookie, she finally started pushing. She pushed and pushed and eventually a bubble appeared. I could see some parts in the bubble. Once I popped it, I grabbed a leg and pulled. The first kid was a big doeling. She came out fine with a little help and we hurried to clean her up. A little while after that Cookie started pushing again. A buck kid came out next. We cleaned him off and put him with his sister. I couldn't decide if Cookie was going to have a third kid so I waited a while. Eventually she started pushing and another doeling came out. We got them all cleaned up and into the house for some warm cow colostrum.

The buckling was having trouble getting his back legs under him the second day. He has very long legs and they wanted to splay out behind him. I had to go to a doctor's appointment that day and couldn't stay to help him learn to walk. When I got home I was shocked to find that my not-so-goat-loving husband had fashioned a sling out of one of his t-shirts and his boot laces. The sling helped hold the buckling up so he could get his legs under him and get some strength developed. That night I noticed that he was having trouble with sliding and slipping on the towel I had in the bottom of the kennel he was in. I made him a pair of booties out of rubber shelf liner and tape to give him traction. Today he is standing much better after his PT. He might be able to move out to the barn with the bigger kids tonight.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Baby Goats!

The baby goats are here! Gloria had triplets on Saturday. They are doing great!


This is Primrose. I might keep her to be another Alpine doe in the herd.



This is Brun. He's a big boy!



This is Bro. He was the last one out and is a little smaller than his brother.