It finally happened, the happy event!
For those who don't know kurohyou and I raise registered nubians and crossbred goats. That way you don't go, "What the hell is she talking about?" LOL
3:00 p.m. kurohyou and I went outside because I wanted to smoke and then we would feed the herd. While we were standing outside I said, "Wouldn't it be neat if our mother goat had her babies this afternoon when we go to feed. The sun would still be up and it would be a lot easier."
So I finished smoking about five minutes later and we went to scoop feed. Kuro went in and began to pour out the feed and noted that the mommy wasn't coming to eat so Kuro went and checked on her. "I think she's going to have them." Kuro said. So we watched a minute or two and the mother goat came into her stall and prepared to have her kids. Well I didn't have the supplies out there so here's what I did. I ran and got the towels, then Kuro said she wanted to call devilfoxnaruto to come and see the birth. So I ran and got Kuro's cell phone. Then I remembered to call my mom so I ran back to the house and called my mom to tell her. The next thing was that we forgot the flashlight (you need it to look into the birth bubble to make sure that the kids are presenting right) so I ran back to the house for the flashlight. I got that and remembered that I might need the antiseptic soap to wash with if I had to reach inside if something was wrong, so I ran again to the house for that. Finally it occured to me that we needed the syringe to clear the mucus from the baby's nose and mouth so -again- I ran back to the house.
So that was all of ten minutes at the most and the mother really started to push. Kuro took the first delivery! The mother was really pushing and the bubble started coming out, so Kuro checked and the baby was positioned correctly. We waited and watched, (poor mommy had to push really hard because it was a big kid) and finally she delivered her first kid so Kuro caught it and I handed her the towels and syringe and she cleaned it off with the mommy's help! Then I came into the stall and watched, waiting for the next kid to be delivered. The mommy laid down a couple times while she also attended the new born. He is beautiful! A big little buckling about close to eight pounds at least if not a little over! Eventually the mommy goat got down to business and I got the flashlight and everything was super good! So she delivered the second baby which I caught and cleaned off, used the syringe to clear it's breathing passages. It was a beautiful little doeling! She also was pretty large about at least eight pounds herself!
So the mother doe had two kids after all, they were just very large! We stayed with her and her kids to make sure that they did get up and drink their first colostrum. OH, and also D-Fox and my mother showed up not too long after the second kid was born! Thanks to both of you soooo much for coming over! So the delivery took about twenty minutes tops from first to last kidding and all went extremely well. The mother doe passed the afterbirth and the kids got up really quickly and nursed pretty soon after they were born which is an excellent sign of really good health.
Now the only thing I wish had been different is that our doe had two girls because most bucklings are unwelcome to herd owners. In fact some farmers just drown them at birth! If they do survive many people want to use them as meat to be slaughtered at about three to five months of age..... If they are fortunate enough they will get a home where they are either a stud or a pet. The little guy is just beautiful but we can't keep him, we have three bucks currently and one from a doe that we gave to someone who promised the buckling from the kids she had because he has superior markings, great conformation and show looks. So, now comes the process of watching the kids grow, weaning them and hoping to find a good home for the little guy. The doeling most likely already has a home since someone was interested in getting a doeling.
Anyway, they are absolutely adoreable, and yes we did manage to get piccies of them and will have to have them developed, but you will just melt at the cuteness when you see how tiny they really are next to their 150 lb. mother! They have little floppy ears and great coloring! I am so happy that everything went well and so afterward I opened the window out to the stalls and peeked in on them and they were up and waggling their little tails and toddling around all over while their mother cooed to them in her goaty mother voice which was so soft and gentle. Amazing really how they are instinctually good mothers and the kids are up, eating, toddling and can see perfectly well. Clean up afterward is routine. I gather all the supplies, wash the towels in bleach, clean the syringe, put stuff away and we get showered ourselves because you get covered with birthing material no matter how hard you try to stay clean.
In about five days the babies will go to have their horns removed so they cannot gore each other or get their horns caught in a fence and die or other dangers related to horns. Tomorrow we vaccinate them, since I'm trying to be a little less pro-active and allow nature and their mother care for them. And that wraps it up, so I'll probably have a peanut butter sandwich and goats milk for dinner since I'm spent from the excitement. If you ever consider raising any kind of farm animal, consider raising goats! I've had all kinds of farm animals and really goats are intellegent, clean and good natured! Plus their feed bill isn't like feeding a 1800 - 2000 lb. cow or horse! LOL
One more thing! Really, if you have property and want a pet. Get a neutered male goat and save a life! I need to tell you that a stud goat does not smell good because they have musk just like their wild ancestors do. Not to mention, they pee on their faces and legs, and give themselves head just about every day! LOL You have to really not mind sexuality and when they are in rut (the time they are most musky) to keep a male goat. Otherwise the neutered males are the most gentle pets that will LOVE you and take you as part of their herd. Also, goats do better in pairs because they are herd animals, they don't fare as well all alone.
3:00 p.m. kurohyou and I went outside because I wanted to smoke and then we would feed the herd. While we were standing outside I said, "Wouldn't it be neat if our mother goat had her babies this afternoon when we go to feed. The sun would still be up and it would be a lot easier."
So I finished smoking about five minutes later and we went to scoop feed. Kuro went in and began to pour out the feed and noted that the mommy wasn't coming to eat so Kuro went and checked on her. "I think she's going to have them." Kuro said. So we watched a minute or two and the mother goat came into her stall and prepared to have her kids. Well I didn't have the supplies out there so here's what I did. I ran and got the towels, then Kuro said she wanted to call devilfoxnaruto to come and see the birth. So I ran and got Kuro's cell phone. Then I remembered to call my mom so I ran back to the house and called my mom to tell her. The next thing was that we forgot the flashlight (you need it to look into the birth bubble to make sure that the kids are presenting right) so I ran back to the house for the flashlight. I got that and remembered that I might need the antiseptic soap to wash with if I had to reach inside if something was wrong, so I ran again to the house for that. Finally it occured to me that we needed the syringe to clear the mucus from the baby's nose and mouth so -again- I ran back to the house.
So that was all of ten minutes at the most and the mother really started to push. Kuro took the first delivery! The mother was really pushing and the bubble started coming out, so Kuro checked and the baby was positioned correctly. We waited and watched, (poor mommy had to push really hard because it was a big kid) and finally she delivered her first kid so Kuro caught it and I handed her the towels and syringe and she cleaned it off with the mommy's help! Then I came into the stall and watched, waiting for the next kid to be delivered. The mommy laid down a couple times while she also attended the new born. He is beautiful! A big little buckling about close to eight pounds at least if not a little over! Eventually the mommy goat got down to business and I got the flashlight and everything was super good! So she delivered the second baby which I caught and cleaned off, used the syringe to clear it's breathing passages. It was a beautiful little doeling! She also was pretty large about at least eight pounds herself!
So the mother doe had two kids after all, they were just very large! We stayed with her and her kids to make sure that they did get up and drink their first colostrum. OH, and also D-Fox and my mother showed up not too long after the second kid was born! Thanks to both of you soooo much for coming over! So the delivery took about twenty minutes tops from first to last kidding and all went extremely well. The mother doe passed the afterbirth and the kids got up really quickly and nursed pretty soon after they were born which is an excellent sign of really good health.
Now the only thing I wish had been different is that our doe had two girls because most bucklings are unwelcome to herd owners. In fact some farmers just drown them at birth! If they do survive many people want to use them as meat to be slaughtered at about three to five months of age..... If they are fortunate enough they will get a home where they are either a stud or a pet. The little guy is just beautiful but we can't keep him, we have three bucks currently and one from a doe that we gave to someone who promised the buckling from the kids she had because he has superior markings, great conformation and show looks. So, now comes the process of watching the kids grow, weaning them and hoping to find a good home for the little guy. The doeling most likely already has a home since someone was interested in getting a doeling.
Anyway, they are absolutely adoreable, and yes we did manage to get piccies of them and will have to have them developed, but you will just melt at the cuteness when you see how tiny they really are next to their 150 lb. mother! They have little floppy ears and great coloring! I am so happy that everything went well and so afterward I opened the window out to the stalls and peeked in on them and they were up and waggling their little tails and toddling around all over while their mother cooed to them in her goaty mother voice which was so soft and gentle. Amazing really how they are instinctually good mothers and the kids are up, eating, toddling and can see perfectly well. Clean up afterward is routine. I gather all the supplies, wash the towels in bleach, clean the syringe, put stuff away and we get showered ourselves because you get covered with birthing material no matter how hard you try to stay clean.
In about five days the babies will go to have their horns removed so they cannot gore each other or get their horns caught in a fence and die or other dangers related to horns. Tomorrow we vaccinate them, since I'm trying to be a little less pro-active and allow nature and their mother care for them. And that wraps it up, so I'll probably have a peanut butter sandwich and goats milk for dinner since I'm spent from the excitement. If you ever consider raising any kind of farm animal, consider raising goats! I've had all kinds of farm animals and really goats are intellegent, clean and good natured! Plus their feed bill isn't like feeding a 1800 - 2000 lb. cow or horse! LOL
One more thing! Really, if you have property and want a pet. Get a neutered male goat and save a life! I need to tell you that a stud goat does not smell good because they have musk just like their wild ancestors do. Not to mention, they pee on their faces and legs, and give themselves head just about every day! LOL You have to really not mind sexuality and when they are in rut (the time they are most musky) to keep a male goat. Otherwise the neutered males are the most gentle pets that will LOVE you and take you as part of their herd. Also, goats do better in pairs because they are herd animals, they don't fare as well all alone.