Chat
03-10-2018, 07:05 PM
Sugar kidded yesterday - on day 147. She's a first freshener. She was restless the day before and I just had a "gut feeling" so I put her in the kidding pen for the night.
Little Man has been in the barn & paddock with her the past week as her buddy. His 1/2 of the barn is on the other side of the gate from the kidding 1/2 of the barn so they can see each other. They slept next to each other on opposite sides of the gate all night. I love barn cams!
At 7:45 am yesterday morning I went out to move Sugar back into the main area. She was slow to get up. When she did I instantly saw a long stream of mucous membrane hanging from her vagina. Yup, we were going to have kids!
Little Man had a front row seat - lying in the feeder and watching the activity!
Sugar was in labor and doing well. At 12:08pm she started contractions. Having had kids myself I always empathize with the does. Everything progressed well. The front hooves were peaking out.
She was having trouble with the head. My friend, Debbi, was with me so she held steady pressure on the legs and in between contractions I gently worked on enlarging the opening. At 1:05pm out popped the head and shoulders. Another push and out came a buckling. He was so hairy he looked like a soaking wet Yeti! I put him on a pad and gave him to Sugar. She fell in love with the first lick! She was talking up a storm to him!
We waited for more contractions and another kid but there were none. We sure thought there were 2 in there from her size. After she'd bonded with the buckling for a bit we got her up and Debbi "bounced" Sugar. She couldn't feel any more kids.
We gave BoSe to Sugar and the buckling and treated his cord with iodine. Sugar passed her placenta at 2:42pm.
The buckling was immediately trying to get up and within 10 minutes he'd latched on and had some colostrum. I'm not sure I've ever had a kid be up and nursing so quickly. Sugar did everything she could to position herself for him to nurse. Yesterday he was nursing on both teats. She's been an excellent Mom.
Mom! I can't walk with you licking me!
His sire was polled and I think this little guy is, too! I'll know for positive in a couple days.
Unfortunately, with only one kid they tend to choose a side to nurse. This little one decided he wanted the left teat. This afternoon I milked Sugar (oh my gosh that girl has fantastic teats and orifices!) out on both sides and taped the left teat so he'd have to nurse the right one. After a few days of switching which teat is taped my hope is he'll nurse both. We'll see.
This afternoon his left ear decided to flop over. I think Sugar has "licked it into submission!" It should stand back up. The cartilage is really weak right now. It gives him an endearing look.
I had 2 buckling reservations so this little guy already has a home when he's weaned. I don't know what his registered name will be. The new owner gets to name him with the prefix of Sageland JS (my herd name and the sire's initials).
Little Man has been in the barn & paddock with her the past week as her buddy. His 1/2 of the barn is on the other side of the gate from the kidding 1/2 of the barn so they can see each other. They slept next to each other on opposite sides of the gate all night. I love barn cams!
At 7:45 am yesterday morning I went out to move Sugar back into the main area. She was slow to get up. When she did I instantly saw a long stream of mucous membrane hanging from her vagina. Yup, we were going to have kids!
Little Man had a front row seat - lying in the feeder and watching the activity!
Sugar was in labor and doing well. At 12:08pm she started contractions. Having had kids myself I always empathize with the does. Everything progressed well. The front hooves were peaking out.
She was having trouble with the head. My friend, Debbi, was with me so she held steady pressure on the legs and in between contractions I gently worked on enlarging the opening. At 1:05pm out popped the head and shoulders. Another push and out came a buckling. He was so hairy he looked like a soaking wet Yeti! I put him on a pad and gave him to Sugar. She fell in love with the first lick! She was talking up a storm to him!
We waited for more contractions and another kid but there were none. We sure thought there were 2 in there from her size. After she'd bonded with the buckling for a bit we got her up and Debbi "bounced" Sugar. She couldn't feel any more kids.
We gave BoSe to Sugar and the buckling and treated his cord with iodine. Sugar passed her placenta at 2:42pm.
The buckling was immediately trying to get up and within 10 minutes he'd latched on and had some colostrum. I'm not sure I've ever had a kid be up and nursing so quickly. Sugar did everything she could to position herself for him to nurse. Yesterday he was nursing on both teats. She's been an excellent Mom.
Mom! I can't walk with you licking me!
His sire was polled and I think this little guy is, too! I'll know for positive in a couple days.
Unfortunately, with only one kid they tend to choose a side to nurse. This little one decided he wanted the left teat. This afternoon I milked Sugar (oh my gosh that girl has fantastic teats and orifices!) out on both sides and taped the left teat so he'd have to nurse the right one. After a few days of switching which teat is taped my hope is he'll nurse both. We'll see.
This afternoon his left ear decided to flop over. I think Sugar has "licked it into submission!" It should stand back up. The cartilage is really weak right now. It gives him an endearing look.
I had 2 buckling reservations so this little guy already has a home when he's weaned. I don't know what his registered name will be. The new owner gets to name him with the prefix of Sageland JS (my herd name and the sire's initials).
Goatberries Happen!