Spot had her kids Friday.
I know, I know - I felt bad leading you on with pregnant Spot pictures but I couldn't waste those pictures and the post idea!
She was due May 20... but man oh man... her udder was getting huge, her ligaments were all loosey goosey, the bulge in her tummy dropped... we knew it would happen any time.
I was on my way home Friday night and I called Furry Husband to let him know I was on my way cuz we were headed to a H.S. graduation party.
He told me I should stop and get a pizza....
"But... aren't we going to Hannah's party?"
"No. Nope. Don't think we're gonna make it tonight."
"What? Why? What happened? (pause.... light bulb goes on) OH! Is Spot having her babies?!"
I can be a little obtuse at times...
She had a mucous string... I had a little bit of time to beat it home. I got home (yes, unbaked pizza in the car for later) and rushed out to the goat pen. She'd just had the first one.... a little buck.
I pulled Speck out and got her milked... went inside to check on the thawing colostrum... came back outside and we resumed watching Spot.
A second kid was born... this was a doe. SHEW! I was worried it would be an all buck all the time sort of year but I got my doe kid!
(especially since I bred to outside bucks this year so if I had a doe... I could keep her and use my existing buck)
After our fist bump and blowin' it up... we waited because Spot was getting ready for a third. The third kid was born... another doe!
Spot was licking the 3rd kid off, only a minute or two had passed and Furry Husband shouts..."There's another one!"
Sure enough, a fourth kid was hanging from Spot in a breech presentation.... yowza. A buck - you could see his ... "package" since he was breech. I grabbed his back legs and there he was....
Four.
Four kids were all up in there......
Amazing.
Spot and her babies are all doing well!
Sorry - this pix has all manner o' shadows...but I had to get one with Toe so you could see how small they all are. Four... they couldn't get huge... poor Spottie didna have enough room!
Another shot of how tiny they were... they all had crooked legs from bein' jam crammed together. They just need time for their ligaments to stretch and to get a little strength and everything will straighten out....
The two buck kids...
The two doe kids... which we'll keep
All four... how did all four of these fit in there??
6 comments:
YeeHaw!! Well glad for the prepost and the immediate post on the babies..at least there was no waiting. They are Gorgeous and How in the WORLD did all those babies fit??
That is alot of babies and if you think about it ...you had extremely good luck..cuzz just imagine all those legs all tangled up and twisted inside and what if....oh man...there I go with my worry about everything that might happen. (smile) What good timing too, instead of in the middle of the night. Yup..she earned her cookies on those babies..give her an extra scratchin for me. What a good Girl!! Your keeping the does? You will have a full herd before you know it!
Oh gosh!!! They are almost too cute to look at!!! AHHH!!!!
Do your friends think it is weird when you cancel plans for goat birthin'?
DebH - I KNOW - it's a reason I was worried with her. She's had kids tangled up before and I've had to go in (I HATE going in) and sort them out! Talk about nervewracking... I'm so glad they all came easily and there was no trouble! Such a good Spottie! Think this is her last kidding... esp. since I have TWO does from her. She can retire now. :) That leaves me with 3 milkers and that is just what I wanted! YIPEEE! Love it when things work out!!
Heather - Mostly our friends know we are crazy goat lovers and they know in the fall we have goats in heat and in spring we have babies. Two years ago we had people over for dinner and one of our does had her babies so they all drank wine and watched from the sidelines and helped us with the babies - towelling them off, weighing them and dipping navels...and of course feeding them! Dinner was awful late for them but I don't think anyone cared...
Luckily, Hannah and her family own goats which is how we met them and part of the reason we have goats, so they totally understood!
FOUR!!!! Gosh, they are so cute!! I want to put them in a snuggie and carry them around.
Are you keeping them all?
Congratulations to mama Spot and happy birthday baby goats!
Yay! I showed Paolo your photo of preggers Spot, and we both agreed, there *must* be four in there. Yes, I know they say you can't tell by just looking but WOOOOW was she enormous! So happy and relieved everything went well...apparently I don't only get nervous for my own goats' births ;)
Cheryl - just the girls... I try not to get attached to the boys... sniff.
Michelle - noooo - I always fret, fret, fret as they get bigger and bigger and bigger... grin. I'm quite relieved all is well and it's all OVER too!
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