Posts: 1,491
Threads: 349
Joined: Dec 2013
Scary stuff! Praying Petunia is up and back with the kids soon! Did you milk out colostrum for them?
My doe, Fuzzy, was fine when she kidded but then went down within 12 hours. I tried to get her up but she was too shaky to stand and couldn't support her weight. The vet gave her calcium via the jugular vein and she immediately stood up and acted like nothing ever happened! It was like a miracle happened.
Fuzzy was a high volume milk producer. Is Petunia? The vet had me feed her a specific way prior to her other kiddings to keep it from happening again.
Goatberries Happen!
Posts: 4,593
Threads: 333
Joined: Dec 2013
She's up and taking care of her kids this morning! She's still weak and a little shaky (Taffy, no miracle cures like your girl Fuzzy), but she's a whole lot better. She's doing a lot of gulping and swallowing as that fluid from her lungs comes up. Petunia is a pretty decent producer but not nearly as high-volume as other goats we've had. I'm torn whether she had too little or too much calcium in her diet. I usually feed a little alfalfa toward the end of pregnancy, but this year I didn't have any. The drought last summer meant I had to buy non-local hay and I'm not sure how good it was nutrition-wise. On the other hand, I've been feeding alfalfa pellets and I recently started giving them calcium supplements in the form of gummy candies. It's possible the calcium gummies were not well-absorbed or that they were too well-absorbed. Either way, I think I'll leave those out of their diets from now on and just try to find a little alfalfa. Something else Phil observed was that we are having a very lush spring this year, much like the spring two years ago when we had all those kidding problems. Two years ago I fed too much alfalfa and every one of our does had kidding problems related to selenium, copper, and calcium deficiency. The difference this time is that Petunia looks really good. She's in excellent weight and her coat is sleek and well-colored. I couldn't say that about our girls two years ago. So it makes me lean toward possibly feeding too much calcium. Hmm... goats are hard sometimes.
Posts: 1,491
Threads: 349
Joined: Dec 2013
That's excellent news! I. SO happy to hear how well she's improved!
Goatberries Happen!
Posts: 4,593
Threads: 333
Joined: Dec 2013
04-26-2019, 12:24 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-26-2019, 12:55 PM by Nanno.)
Petunia decided to get down to business a day early. The smart little gal set up camp in the official kidding shed where we keep the camera and can keep an eye on her from the house.
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.1-768x576.jpg[/img]
She really built herself a nice nest in there.
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.2-768x576.jpg[/img]
Sometime around 2:30 she started the licking routine. Imminent mamas like to warm their tongues up and get in some licking practice just before the kids arrive. Phil’s hands provided a good workout routine.
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.3-768x576.jpg[/img]
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.4-768x576.jpg[/img]
Sometime around 4:00 we had our first arrival–a 9 lb. baby boy! He’s the most beautiful shade of rich, reddish brown.
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.5-768x576.jpg[/img]
Good thing Petunia exercised that tongue ahead of time!
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.6-768x576.jpg[/img]
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.7-768x1024.jpg[/img]
Bob Ross is watching you, Kiddo!
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.8-768x576.jpg[/img]
And what’s this? A spotted brown sister! Keep workin’ that tongue, Petunia!
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.9-768x1024.jpg[/img]
After the birth everyone stepped outside for a little fresh air and clean grass while I cleaned the shed. Mama’s still working that tongue. She’s always sure she missed a spot. Did you ever see such a fuzzy brown baby?
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.10-768x1024.jpg[/img]
Snacktime!
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.11-768x576.jpg[/img]
Petunia has the best ears in the world.
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.12-768x1024.jpg[/img]
Hi baby!
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.13-768x1024.jpg[/img]
Aaahhh!!! Attack of the giant baby goat head! It’s so fuzzy!!!
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.14-768x576.jpg[/img]
Petunia…
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.15-768x576.jpg[/img]
…so precious,
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.16-768x576.jpg[/img]
…so noble,
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.17-768x1024.jpg[/img]
…so kind,
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.18-768x576.jpg[/img]
…so thorough.
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.19-768x576.jpg[/img]
And who is this little cutie-pie?
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.20-768x576.jpg[/img]
What a beautiful baby girl!
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.21-768x576.jpg[/img]
What a sleepy baby girl!
[img=604x0]https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/42419.22-768x576.jpg[/img]
Posts: 560
Threads: 35
Joined: Dec 2013
They are both beautiful, colors are great. You can't argue about Petunia's ears, their nothing short of perfection.
Posts: 306
Threads: 21
Joined: Dec 2017
How cute!!!!
Happiness is a working goat
Posts: 4,593
Threads: 333
Joined: Dec 2013
04-27-2019, 02:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-27-2019, 02:39 PM by Nanno.)
Tigerlily and TinCup appear to be holding out, so I’d better post these photos before more kids come and steal the spotlight!
We decided to name this little fella “Buster Brown.” I call him Buster and Phil calls him Brownie. I wonder if he’ll be confused?
And this little gal is named Cupcake! Goes very well with Brownie.
Petunia is tired and still a bit weak, but she’s been puttering around the yard enjoying the sunshine so I think she’s going to be ok.
Ooh… a cave!
Petunia isn’t making much milk after her illness, but for now it seems to be enough.
She sure loves her little kidlets!
Finn and Sputnik prefer to keep out of the baby scene.
Posts: 4,593
Threads: 333
Joined: Dec 2013
04-28-2019, 07:13 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-28-2019, 07:13 PM by Nanno.)
Morning broke and TinCup decided it was a beautiful time to have babies. And she was right!
At 6:30 a.m. we had two beautiful bucklings on the ground. First came a very light tan and white with frosted ears and frosting around his eyes who we named “Yeti,” followed almost immediately by a rich brown and white boy we’re calling “Thor.”
And they're big, strong boys too! They weighed in around 10 lbs. each.
What a proud mama! Good job TinCup! We wanted boys and you gave us boys!
This is how we check for more. What's that hard little lump I feel? Not another one!?
Our surprise bonus was a beautiful 8 lb. baby girl! There she is standing out front. We’re not sure of the name yet, but possibly Mocha. She has a fun marking on her side that I’ll have to try to get a photo of tomorrow.
Three little kidlets all in a row!
They dried off quickly once the sun climbed and got warm. That's all for now, but brace yourselves for many more photos in the coming days and weeks!
Posts: 960
Threads: 62
Joined: Dec 2013
Skipper, Gilligan, and Ginger.
I don't drink beer, but if I did, I'd prefer Dos Equis. Stay thirsty my friends!
Posts: 560
Threads: 35
Joined: Dec 2013
28 lbs of baby goats! TinCup must be relieved. A bonus baby, what fun.
Chat
