2013 Kidding Schedule

Finishing Up

Kidding Season Ends

5/26/13  We had 29 does kid this year giving us a total of 72 kids.  38 does and 34 bucks.  The does all look great and are milking incredibly well.  In general it was a very good, busy, interesting kidding season.  We have kept 12 doelings for our own herd development and sent kids off to Alaska, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah, and California.  Quite a few are actually staying in Arizona, too.  We thank everyone who has shown faith in our animals and brought them into their herds or started new herds with them.  We hope you are as blessed with these animals as we have been.   We also thank Amanda and Joan for their help during this busy time.  They are fabulous, hardworking friends that we really appreciate.

Our new breeding schedule will be posted in July.  Please check it out then and put in your reservations early.  Pricing is subject to change as our animals earn production awards or other titles throughout the year.  Prices for reservations placed before the price increase will be honored. 

Thanks for reading my kidding diary.  I hope it was interesting and helpful.  I hope to see you all next kidding season!

A Brilliant Ending To A Great Kidding Season!

Brill/Exotic Affair

5/26/13   Nubians like to hum when they are pregnant.  And the closer they are to kidding, the louder they hum.  Not Brill.  Brill hums very loudly all the time, usually right under the sound monitor that hangs in the doe barn.  And when someone else is kidding Brill acts like it is her - complete with pushing and grunting.   She can be so convincing that I have left other does while they are kidding in order to check out Brill.  So I figured that when it really was Brill's turn to kid that she would be very theatrical about it.

Today her udder was nicely filled, the kids had dropped, and the ligaments around her tail were loose.  We have a small 20 X 20 foot pen that we use when a dog is in heat or as a hospital pen if needed.  Usually the gates in to it are left open and it isn't in active use - unless you count the 30 plus goats that like to cram inside.  They have plenty of other places to be, but that pen seems to be a favorite.  Brill, and the rest of the herd, camped out in that pen all day.  The other does would occasionally go in to the barn to eat, but Brill stayed in that little pen.  I was getting a bit worried about her since she wasn't eating or looking like she was preparing to kid.  She had no noticeable contractions, no fussing, no separating herself off from the others.

I checked on Brill at 4PM.  She was still not doing much.  15 minutes later I headed out to give her some MFO Solution, which is a supplement of calcium and phosphorus.   I knew that Brill was carrying a huge load of kids and since she wasn't eating I thought I'd better give her the supplement.  At first glance it looked like Brill was sleeping with her head wrapped back and laying on her side.  At second glance  I could see that she was licking her side.  My third glance finally detected that there were many extra body parts where Brill was licking.  She was cleaning off her baby.  So much for expecting theatrics!

I radioed to David to get the kidding kit and meet me in the pen.  Then I started clearing the other 30+ goats out of the pen so that we could have some privacy.   David arrived and started helping Brill to clean up her kid.  The 7.1# black roan doeling was still covered in industrial strength birthing goo and had rolled in the dirt.   The wind was blowing hard, gusting above 30 MPH which didn't help matters.  But finally the little one was dry (through still dirty), wrapped in a towel, and tucked into a laundry basket.

Brill started pushing again.  I did a two finger check and found that she was planning a head first delivery.  I reached in further and found one leg.  That streamlined the birth and out came a black buckling weighing 6.3#.  Before he was fully cleaned off, Brill again started to push.  Again I checked inside and, again, I felt only a head coming through.  I found a leg and pulled it forward.  Out came a very splashy 8.4# buckling.  He had passed a lot of meconium.  It was everywhere.  Heck, he probably would have weighed another half pound or so if all that was still in him when we put him on the scale. 

We all continued to get totally sandblasted by the gusting wind. 

I checked back inside of Brill since I was expecting quads.  Sure enough, another head was coming through.  Not only were there no legs accompanying the head, but the head was upside down!  I was able to get one leg forward and the black 8.2# doeling was born upside down. 

Once Brill stood up I bounced her belly.  She was done.  I milked her, got her some molasses water and other treats.  What a sweetheart.  I guess she worked a lot harder all day than I had given her credit for.  She had been carrying 30 pounds of kids plus all the associated placentas and fluids.  That is a huge load and she did a great job.   The kids are absolutely stunning.

In the order of appearance, may we introduce Sandy, Clay, Dirty Harry, and Dusty

Thyme To Kid

Thyme/Rio

5/24/13   Yesterday morning Thyme didn't want to come in to the milking parlor for her grain.  She just went behind the barn and laid by herself.  She didn't want any company.  I put her in the outside kidding pen so that I could keep an eye (and ear) on her - we have both a camera and a baby monitor there.  She was very content to have the place to herself.  She pawed around, then checked out the food, then napped.  Her milk was coming in and towards evening her rump was quite soft.  I checked on her around 10 PM then I went to bed and let David take over "Kid Watch".

Just before 1AM we heard the unmistakable sounds of a goat in hard labor coming over the baby monitor.  This girl was bellowing!  I jumped into my barn clothes and headed out.  Thyme already had a head pushed out.  The legs were still folded back along the body inside the birth canal.  I got my kidding kit out, put on nitrile gloves, and as I was considering what to do about the head only delivery Thyme gave a mighty push and out came a beautiful 6 pound doeling.  She is black with red trim and was active right from the start.  David arrived to help Thyme clean the little girl up. 

Once the doeling was dry, wrapped in a towel, and put in a laundry basket to keep her out of trouble, Thyme started pushing again.  I did a two-finger check and felt nose and toes.  Out came a 7.7# brown buckling.  He, too, was ready to party.  When Thyme stood up I bounced her belly and didn't feel any other kids.  Thyme  stood like a trooper while I milked  her for the first time in her life.  She milked over a quart of rich, yellow colostrum.  Her teats are so wonderful and she milked so easily.  I'm sure going to love having this girl on our milking team! 

It took less then 20 minutes for her to get both of her babies born. 

Percy Pushes Out Twins In Record Time

Persephone/Splash

5/22/13   This afternoon Percy seemed quite ready to kid so I put her in the outside kidding pen along with her buddy, Thyme.  They snacked and snoozed for awhile.  At 1:45 PM I heard Percy start into hard labor.  I went out and set up a landing zone for the kids, put on nitrile gloves, and did a two finger check of the kid's position.  I felt one leg and a nose.  Percy's cervix wasn't quite fully open so I couldn't reach in further to find the other leg.  Percy pushed like a crazy woman, bellowing with each contraction.  I gave a little traction once the nose was showing, and I helped to stretch the vulva tissue around the big head.  Soon the 7.5# brown moon spotted fella with a bold blaze came out.  David arrived to clean him up.

Once the first boy was mostly dried off, Percy started pushing again.  I did a two finger check and only felt a head.  I reached in further and was able to pull one leg forward before Percy finished the job by pushing out a 6.4# brown buckling with one leg folded back.  

It was 15 minutes from the time I heard Percy start into hard labor until her kids were born and I was getting her molasses water.  Now that is an efficient kidding!  This little yearling did great, milked wonderfully, and made enough colostrum to feed her hungry duo. 

Even though both parents are black - which should almost guarantee black kids - these boys decided to "buck" the trend.

Circus Cirrus

Cirrus/Hobs

5/16/13   After losing that buckling of Mia's I was plenty nervous about Cirrus' upcoming kidding.  When I saw her stringing birthing goo that had a brownish tint to it I decided to investigate.  Joan, David, and I went out and set up two landing zones for kids since I expected her to have twins. I cleaned up Cirrus' vulva area, gloved up, lube up, and while David held her steady I slowly inserted my hand into her birth canal.  She stood like a champ.

At the cervix I felt a head and a tail, both trying to come through.  Oh boy, it was a good thing that I checked this out early!  I reached in further and found the two front legs that matched the head and out came a splashy brown 7.4# buckling.  He was in great shape with no stress.  Joan cleaned him up.  I mentioned that a rump was trying to come at the same time and that it was a good call pulling the kid.  David suggested that if there really was a tail lining up, then I may want to go back in and get the back legs pulled forward.  Duh.  I had been so happy to get the first guy out so smoothly that I hadn't thought through that part yet.

I went back into the doe and found the kid's tail at the cervix.  I reached in further while carefully pushing the kid's rump back into the womb, then I pulled first one back leg into the birth canal and then the other one.  Once again it was a slick delivery once that adjustment was made.  Out came a 5.4# brown spotted buckling.  David worked to clean him up.

It was hard to believe but when I bounced little Cirrus' belly I felt a third kid.  I reached in and found that it was already entering the birth canal.  I felt one leg plus a nose.  I checked around for the second leg and finally discovered that it was on top of the kid's head.  The gorgeous spotted and splashy brown roan 7.1# doeling slid out looking just a little silly.

Cirrus looks like she will be a great milker just like her mom and sisters.  She is already very fun to have in the milking parlor and she is very excited when it's her turn to come in for milking.

Mama Mia

Mia/Hobs

5/16/13   Mia and her buddy, Cirrus, spent the night together in our outside kidding pen.  They both worked during the night to get their kids lined up.  Just before 5 AM Mia decided she was ready for the kids to arrive.  She would push hard for a bit then get up and come get some attention.  Then she would lay back down and push some more.  After about half an hour she pushed out a 5.3# buckling in nose and toes position.  He was feisty and ready to party.

While Joan worked to clean the fella up, Mia worked to push out a second kid.  When the kid's bubble burst, out came very yellow, meconium filled fluid.  This can indicate that the kid is stressed so I checked inside of Mia to determine if there was a problem.  I felt a head but no legs.  The head was stalled at the cervix but was trying to come out  with the top of the head first and the muzzle twisted to the side.  I felt that I had two options.  One was to align the head and pull the kid out with both legs folded back, or I could reach in further and find those lost legs.  The first option seemed much more likely to damage Mia, so I opted to go hunting for the legs.  I found them fairly easily but by then the head had wrapped back and was laying on the kid's side.  It took a bit of one handed juggling to get the head aligned while keeping the legs in the birth canal.  Finally, out came a 5.1# buckling.  He was limp and David worked to clear his airway and get him breathing.  It was a valiant effort, but the little buckling didn't pull thorough. 

Mia is looking great and her surviving boy is amazingly active, beautiful, and just as loud as Hannah's boy.

Hallelujah Hannah

Hannah/Rio

5/14/13   Our friend Joan is here!!  Joan is a graduate of our BMR Goat Management and Cheese Making Workshop.  She also helped us out at kidding time last year.  It's good to see her again. 

After feeding the growing bunch of hungry kids this evening, Joan noticed that Hannah was stringing birthing slime.  We got ready for her kids to arrive.  Around 11 PM Hannah pushed out an 8# brown buckling.  He came out with one leg folded back.  Joan worked to clean him up.

Next came two back feet.  I tried to get the stifles to straighten out but Hannah pushed the 6.3# blond doeling out without waiting for my help.

Both kids are active, healthy, and the boy is LOUD.  Hannah is working to make a very nice udder and should be a great addition to our milking team.

Mother's Day For Diva

Diva/Rio

5/12/13   We were gearing up for a busy day in the cheese kitchen, so before I "changed hats" for doing that I went out to check on all of the close up girls.  No one seemed ready to kid so I togged up for wrapping cheese and candy.  Then I glanced at the barn camera monitor.  Diva just happened to be in view and I saw her pushing.   David and I arrived and just as we were set up to catch kids Diva pushed out a 6.5# buckling in proper nose and toes position. 

Diva and David cleaned him up, then she started pushing again.  Soon a little doeling arrived, also in nose and toes position.   Alchemy did not hold the record long for birthing the smallest doe kid in BMR history.  Diva's spunky little brown girl weighed in at just 4 pounds. 

It was less than 20 minutes from start to finish.  Kiddings don't get any easier than this!  The kids are doing great.  Diva's udder is silky soft and looks like it will be quite productive.  Happy Mother's Day!

The buckling on the left, the doeling on the right

Tremendous Tory

Tory/Roy

5/8/13   I put Tory in a kidding pen today since she was showing all the signs that she was close to kidding.  All the signs except for pushing.  But it wasn't until 11 PM that she finally laid down and pushed.  David and I headed out to catch the kids.  Tory pushed on and off for 20 minutes or so.  I did a two finger check and found two feet and a nose.  Soon Tory had the 7.3# brown roan doeling on the ground.  She and David worked to clean her up. 

After getting the doeling cleaned and wrapped in a towel, I went to bounce Tory's belly to feel if there was another kid.  No bouncing was needed, all I had to do was touch her belly and I could feel a large kid lining up to be born.  We waited, I milked Tory, got her some molasses water, played with her doeling.  But Tory just wasn't pushing.  I cleaned her up and did a two finger check.  Once again I felt nose and toes in the birth canal, they were big toes.  Finally Tory worked to push out this behemoth that was trying to come in to the world.  I straightened out the legs to help streamline the delivery and out popped the head.  Soon the 8.7# red moon-spotted kid was born.  David and I both assumed it was a buckling due to the size and didn't discover that it was a doe kid until later.  We both checked her "parts" out several times to be sure.  She ties this year's record for largest doe kid. (Tory's mom, Tarragon, also had an 8.7# doeling.)  This newborn is more than twice the weight of Alchemy's doeling that was born a few hours ago.

Last year Tory was the largest doe kid born.  In fact, she is the second largest doe kid that has ever been born here.  She weighed in at 9.4#.  It's a good thing that she is such a big, well grown young lady since her two daughters were also super-sized.  The kids are doing great.  Tory looks lovely and like she will be a powerhouse in the milking parlor just like her mom, Tarragon. 

The first born Tory daughter cuddling with Alchemy's tiny doeling (right), the second born BIG girl (left)

Alchemy Works Her Magic

Alchemy/Habañero

5/8/13  Both Alchemy (AKA Kimmy) and Tory looked ready to kid today so I put them in adjoining kidding pens and kept an eye on them.  Tory pawed and stretched and passed cervical plug mucus throughout the day.  Kimmy alternated between standing up eating and laying down chewing cud.  She seemed very comfortable in her pen.

At 4PM, as I was sitting out in the barn with them, fending off my bottle of water from Opal, Kimmy started into hard labor.  Just like that, no pawing, fussing, or fretting.  Just pushing.  I radioed to David to come help out.  Soon Kimmy's water broke.  She went over and ate some alfalfa pellets.  Then her water broke - again.  Hmmmm, were there two kids trying to come through at the same time?

As I was pondering this, Kimmy laid down and pushed really hard.  A leg emerged.  Then a nose.  I checked and didn't find a second hoof.  Kimmy really pushed hard.  As the widest part of the kid's head was trying to come out, Kimmy panicked a bit but kept working.  I'm sure it hurt!  Once the head was out there was still a bit of work to get the shoulders to pass since one leg was folded back.  But Kimmy pushed like a trooper and out came the 5.1# brown buckling covered in white polka dots. 

I placed the fella on an empty feed sack and David started cleaning his mouth and nose.  Kimmy immediately started pushing hard again.  Out flew a 4.1# red doeling with dramatic white splash.  She is the smallest doeling ever born here at BMR.  Our previous record was 4.2#.  But what she lacks in size she makes up for in spirit.  She is feisty and rearing to go.  I'm not sure what Kimmy has been doing with all the groceries she's been eating, but she is now leaving the job of fattening up her kids to us.

Kimmy is a first freshener but her udder is looking great already.  We are excited to have her on our milking team.

Leg-Locked Lady

Lady/Splash

5/2/13  Yesterday Lady started to get ready for kidding.  Her tail head was raising, her rump softening, the kids had dropped, and her milk was coming in.  I put her into a kidding pen so that I could keep an eye on her using the barn camera.  I have a monitor for that camera in my office, bedroom, and milking parlor. 

Lady fussed around all day doing the preliminary work of getting her kids born.  In the evening I decided to do a vaginal check to be sure there wasn't a bad kid position that was causing a problem.  David held her steady, I gloved up, cleaned up, and lubed up.  I did a quick two finger check and didn't feel any kid parts in the birth canal.  It seemed that Lady just needed more time to get her kids ready.

David is a night owl, so he kept an eye on Lady (via the Barn Cam) until almost 2AM.   After that I started checking the camera regularly while still trying to get some sleep.  At 5 AM I saw that she was stringing mucus.  David and I headed out to the barn.

Once again, because of all the work Lady had been doing, I wanted to check inside of her to make sure the kids were in good position.  There was still no one in the birth canal but I could feel a hard round thing just on the other side of the cervix.  I worked my hand in slowly, using lots of lube.  Once I had my hand in the birth canal I could tell that the hard thing was not a head as I had previously thought, but rather a hock.  So the kid was trying to come backwards but his back legs had gotten folded underneath him.  I easily rotated that leg to find the hoof, and moved it into the birth canal.  Usually it's pretty fast to find the second back leg and get it aligned for a slick exit, but this time it just wasn't that easy.  The kid was sort of folded in half.  His rump was twisted to one side and his head and rib cage were bent around and heading back towards the rear of the doe.  I just couldn't find that second back leg.  I finally decided to see if I could pull the kid with just one back leg.  I gently tried it, but realized that it would not work without damaging Lady.  So I moved the kid back into the uterus.  Luckily, that movement brought the missing rear leg out from wherever it was hiding and I was able to snag it.  After that it was simple to find the hoof, move it into the birth canal along with the first one, and pull out the 7.4# black eared buckling.

He was stressed quite a bit, as was Lady.  She had started pushing very hard once my hand had entered her and she continued pushing hard even once this fella was out.  I laid the kid on an empty feed sack and David started cleaning him.  It took a lot of work to get the fella breathing well.  Lady continued to push hard, so once I had helped all that I could with the first kid, I checked back inside of Lady, who was now laying down.  Once again I felt one hock.  I manipulated the hoof into the birth canal and easily found the second leg.  The 5.8# brown doeling quickly slipped into the world.  So quickly that she just lay limply on the empty feed sack like a dead thing.  She didn't realize that she was now born and had to do some of the work herself - like breathing.  But once I had her mouth and nose cleared of slime, she got the hang of life outside of the womb and lifted her head up to look around.  Whew!  She had given me a scare.

Lady had still not stopped pushing hard so, again, I checked for a kid.  Nose and Toes!  What a nice delivery.  Out came a black 6.3# doeling with a bold white blaze.  Once she was stable, I checked back inside of Lady since she was continuing to push.  No one else was home, but Lady kept pushing hard.  I put one of the kids in front of her to lick which calmed her down and gave her something better to do.  She was finally able to stop pushing and relax.

Even though it sounds like a long kidding, it was less than half an hour for all three kids to be born and Lady to be sucking down some molasses water and animal crackers.  Once Lady was milked out and resting comfortably David and I had time to get the new kids fed, the older kids fed, and our chores done, plus still be on time for morning milking. 

Lady and the newborns are doing great.    

The buckling demonstrates how his hock was positioned before birth with both rear hooves tucked underneath.

Big Ariel Stunts

Ariel/Habañero

4/11/13  This morning around 10 AM when Ariel went into hard labor I checked inside of her birth canal and felt teeth but no legs.  I reached in further, much to her dismay, in order to find the front legs and straighten them out to streamline the delivery.  I was able to get one front leg pulled out before she pushed out this strapping big 8.2# buckling with one leg folded back.  Ariel is a yearling first freshener so I had been hoping that she was carrying small twins.  But she handled getting this whopper born like a pro. 

When she stood up I bounced her belly and felt another kid inside.  Once again I hoped it was small.  But Ariel presented us with an even BIGGER buck - this one weighed in at 8.5#, making him one of the largest kids born this year.  He, also, was born with one leg folded back.  Little Ariel had no problems with delivering her huge load.  She cleaned quickly and well, napped a bit, then went out to hang with her friends.  The two big boys guzzled their colostrum, stomped around announcing their birth, then finally settled in for a snooze.

Less then an hour old and already running around!

Tarragon's Second Childhood

Tarragon/Exotic Affair

4/9/13  Many years ago when Tarragon became a first time mom, she was laying in the kidding pen having mild contractions.  A few minutes later when I checked on her she had a kid laying behind her in a puddle of goo.  No prima donna screaming, moaning, or writhing.  Just a kid born with no fanfare.  In the intervening years Terry earned the nickname "Terrifying Tarragon"  due to a couple of bad kiddings.  Happily, this year was just like that first time.

It was a very busy day here today.  We had a lot of cheese to wrap and box for delivery to our customers.  Also, since we had over three inches of heavy, wet snow last night, the does hooves were perfect for trimming so we got 5 does trimmed up.  Plus milking, chores, and making cheese.  All the while Tarragon was in the kidding pen having preliminary contractions. 

I sat out with Terry on and off throughout the morning when I could sneak away from the dairy.  But at noon David said that the pizza was ready, so I went in for lunch.  Pizza - since we knew our lunch break would be short.  I took one bite before I saw on the CCTV monitor that Terry was starting into hard labor.  I went out and opened my kidding kit to get out some nitrile gloves.  As I was about to put on the gloves I heard a hard grunt.  I turned around and saw that Terry had pushed out a kid.  No theatrics, no fuss.  Just a kid laying in slime, in the straw and dirt.  I grabbed up the 7.1# black doe kid, put her on an empty feed bag, cleaned out her nose and mouth, and started rubbing her dry.  David showed up to help out.  He is just SO much better working with the kids than I am. 

Once the kid was dried off, cuddled in a towel, and I was able to get my gloves on, Terry started to push again.  A head emerged.  I checked inside and felt the kid's front legs folded up underneath it.  Before I could straighten out the delivery Terry pushed out a red roan 8.7# doeling.  That was not a streamlined delivery, but Terry didn't have a bit of a problem with it.  Gotta love Terry's roomy rump!

The kids were running around in minutes, Terry looks fabulous, and we are glad to get another doeling to keep for ourselves from this marvelous milker.

Hanging Out With Opal

Opal/Exotic Affair

4/7/13  This morning when Opal came in for lead feeding she didn't quite seem ready to kid, but she was close.  So after milking all the girls and cleaning up the milking parlor I headed out to make sure the kidding pen was ready and that my kit was well stocked.  Then I went to check on Opal.  She had been hanging out with me a bit and being needy, but then had left.  I found her hiding under the dairy deck. 

I moved her into the kidding pen where she immediately pawed a nest and laid down.  For the next few hours she had mild contractions and worked to get her two gorgeous daughters into position to be born.  I used this as an excuse to hang out with her and play Sudoku.   Around 2PM Opal started into hard labor.  Her vulva was quite dry and not elongated, but she was very loose in the rump and looked to have done a good job of pre-birthing homework. 

I cleaned up her vulva, put on nitrile gloves, and did a quick two finger check inside of her as she lay in the straw.  I felt nose and toes.  I went back to playing Sudoku.  After a few more minutes her water broke and she pushed out a 7.5# doeling.  The doeling was very tired from all the hard work of being born and once David and Opal had her cleaned off the newborn took a very long nap.

Just a few minutes after the first birth Opal easily pushed out the second doeling, also in nose and toes position.  This 6.3# doeling had no intention of spending time sleeping and was walking and jumping around in minutes.  In fact, she is STILL jumping around. She is a very active kid!

Later in the evening I went out to check on the does and hang out with them a bit.  I also brought out my plastic cup of white wine over ice (Yes, tacky, but more practical than glass in the barn).  Opal came over and tipped the wine right into her mouth, chugging the whole drink.  Then she proceeded to chew on the ice!  What a sweetie, she certainly did deserve a post-kidding cocktail.

Opal did a fabulous job of building such lovely babies and delivering them so easily.  She milked 3 pints of seriously high test colostrum out of a silky soft udder.  She is a joy to have in the milking parlor and we really look forward to having her back at work.

Harmony Plays For An Audience

Harmony/Rio

3/30/13  This morning Harmony did not come in to the milking parlor for her grain.  She stood in the barn and looked uncomfortable.  After milking I put her in a kidding pen.  Later I went out and sat in the straw.  She came over, laid down next to me, and started having contractions.  David brought me a red chili burrito for lunch, and I continued to sit with Harm.  She continued having moderate contractions.

After lunch, I decided to check inside of Harmony to be sure her kids were in good position.  David held her steady as she stood by the pen fence, I cleaned her backside well, gloved up, lubed up, and slowly slid my hand into her birth canal.  Her cervix was almost totally open but not quite.  I could feel a kid lining up to be born.  I decided to let Harmony do a bit more work.

Two folks from the Phoenix area arrived to pick up their two doelings.  They found David, Harmony, and I in the barn.  We chatted a bit, then I checked back inside of Harm.  The kid was progressing in the birth canal and I gave a couple tugs on the legs which helped the 8.2# buckling slid out in proper nose and toes position.

Almost immediately Harmony laid down and started pushing hard.  While David worked to get the first fella's nose and mouth cleaned off I checked inside of Harm.  I felt a tail.  Not a great position.  I pushed the kid butt back into the uterus and found the back legs.  Once they were moved into the birth canal it was a matter of seconds before the 5.4# doeling shot out. 

Harmony stood up and I bounced her belly.  I could feel another kid in there.  So I handed the two kids to our guests and put them to work.  They were buffing the kids dry when Harmony started pushing again.  I checked inside and, again, felt a tail.  I repeated the same maneuver as I had done with the second kid and out came a 5.6# doeling.

The kids are cute as can be, healthy, and active already.  Harmony looks positively terrific and we are happy to have her back at work again.

In the order of appearance

Twins For "78"

78/007

3/29/13  We have a very small flock of Katahdin hair sheep (plus two wool sheep) that is pretty new to us.  We really enjoy eating lamb so, being "Do It Yourself" type folk, we decided to raise our own.

Today "78" (her ear tag number), a yearling Katahdin, easily lambed with twins.  She is being a great mom - cleaning off her new babies and letting them nurse.  The lambs are sturdy, active, hungry, nursing well, and already cavorting a bit.

The Anatolian livestock guardian dogs have taken turns guarding the new family.  Melek even made the cows move off when they decided to check out the new additions.

We will be keeping the ewe lamb to build our flock, the ram lamb will get a great life here on the ranch - right up until he is "invited" for dinner.

Jumbled Up Jackie

Jackie/Roy

3/21/13  For the last few weeks Jackie has liked to put her front legs and her belly on top of straw bales or upside down water tubs.  She would drape herself over whatever was around and look quite comfortable.  Jackie spent last night in the kidding pen.  She was fussy, her milk was coming in, and she was quite loose in the rump.  She pawed around a bit but mostly settled in and slept.  This morning I let her out of the pen to hang with her buddies and to come in to the milking parlor for some grain.  She seemed very distracted.

Around 10 AM I put her back into the kidding pen and kept a close eye on her.  She didn't like that the rest of the herd was outside sunning themselves, so I went out to keep her company.  By 10:30 she laid down and started having some hard contractions.  Then she would stop pushing, get up, move position, lay back down and try pushing again.  After she did this several times I decided to investigate. 

David brought out some sanitizing wash water.  I cleaned up Jackie's vulva and my hands, put on nitrile gloves, and lubed up.  David held Jackie steady as she stood by the fence.  I slowly inserted my hand into Jackie's birth canal to check out the kidding position.  There were two front legs right in the birth canal, but no head.  It was the Dreaded Head Back Position and with each contraction the head was being pushed further away.  It took quite a bit of work, lube, and strategy to get that head moved into the birth canal.

Some of the strategies that I used were to lube up extra well - clear up past my elbow since I knew that the head was a long way inside.  But due to the two legs in the birth canal I still couldn't get my arm in deep enough to find that lost head.  I moved the legs back toward the uterus but left the hooves just inside the birth canal so that I wouldn't get them confused with the second kid that I could feel waiting to be born.  Then David pushed up and back on Jackie's belly to try to bring that head closer to my hand.  I felt an ear and pulled it shamelessly to get the head closer.  I got my fingers inside the mouth and around the eye sockets, finally I was able to wrap my hand around the crown of the head and drag it closer to the cervix.  The problem then was that the head, wrapped in my hand, plus those legs were not all going to go through the birth canal at the same time.    I opted to leave the legs behind and try for a head only delivery.  Luckily one leg came along, allowing the kid to slide out with just one front leg folded back.   The 7.7# brown doeling with white splash was born.

Once David had her stabilized, I checked back inside of Jackie.  I felt nose and toes!  Jackie easily pushed out an 8.0# buckling.  Both kids are doing great and so is Jackie.  She is such a delight to have in the milking parlor, it will be fun to have her back at work.

Can you believe that these kids are just an hour old in these pictures?!

Spring Has Sprung

Spring Thyme/Exotic Affair

3/16/13  Last year Spring surprised us by having her twins without us even knowing it.  She showed up with the two little ones already dancing around her.  So this year I kept a closer eye on the sneaky girl.  The other evening I saw her leave the herd and slip behind the barn.  So I put her in a kidding pen for the night.  She proceeded to paw a nest in the straw, then paw another one somewhere else...  The kidding pen is now full of craters.

In the morning I let her out to hang with her friends, but in the afternoon she again left the herd.  Again I put her in the kidding pen where, again, she dug nests in the straw.  Around 5 PM Spring was breathing hard and seemed very uncomfortable.  I had David hold her steady while I did a vaginal exam to be sure she didn't have a malpositioned kid in the birth canal.  Spring's cervix was just starting to open and I could feel a kid on the other side getting ready to be born.  Spring just needed a little more time to get ready for the kids.

We kept an eye on Spring throughout the night and at 3:30AM she seemed ready to kid.  David and I headed out to assist.  Again David held Spring steady while I checked the kid position.  I felt legs in the birth canal - really BIG legs.  The head was stalled at the cervix due to it being twisted to the side.  Had I waited to check this out there is a chance that the head would have wrapped back into the womb causing a head back situation - that's the kidding position that I hate the worst.  As it was, it was fairly easy to move that head in line with the birth canal.  It was harder to get that big, 9.1# black buck to slide out.  But Spring pushed and I tugged and he finally was born.  What a great looking fella!

Once he was cleaned off I checked back inside of Spring. I felt a head coming into the birth canal but with no legs accompanying it.  I reached in and found one leg before Spring gave a big push and the 7.5# brown doeling came screaming out.  And I do mean screaming.  Her head wasn't even out of her mom and we could hear her talking.  Evidently she isn't a fan of being born.  But once on the ground she was ready to rock and roll without missing a beat.

After she was cleaned and cuddled in a towel, I bounced Spring's belly to see if there were any more kids.  I couldn't tell - she didn't feel empty, but I didn't feel any kid parts either.  Since I had already had my hand in her uterus I went ahead and reached inside to check (after thoroughly cleaning my gloved hand and lubing up).  Way down deep I felt a kid.  I found its front legs and pulled them towards the exit.  The head came along nicely.  The gorgeous black 7.6# doeling was soon born.

Spring Thyme milked almost a half gallon of rich, yellow colostrum for her hungry crew.  She looks great and we look forward to having her on the milking team again. 

Liberty Rose Loses Her Load

Liberty Rose/Splash

3/13/13  Liberty Rose didn't seem to even notice that she was pregnant.  At least not until today.  Today she hung back from the herd and looked uncomfortable.  I put her in a kidding pen in the afternoon and kept an eye on her via the barn camera.  Throughout the evening she would stretch and push a little, then finally around 8PM she had some hard contractions.  David and I headed to the barn to catch some kids.

We hung out for awhile but Liberty's labor didn't progress.  I decided to check inside of her to be sure the kids were lining up well.  Unfortunately when my hand got to the cervix I felt a backbone and ribs.  The kid was trying to come with it's back first.  That was SO not going to happen.  The feel of the ribs indicated that the tail and rear legs should be closer to the cervix with the front end of the kid further away from that exit, so I went hunting for the rear legs.  I found one and pulled it into the birth canal.  Then I felt along that leg to the tail and down to the other rear leg.  I pulled it into the birth canal.  There was some placental materiel wrapped around one leg so I worked to untangle that and push it away.  After that it was a piece of cake to get the 5.8# brown, moon spotted and splashy doeling to slid into the world.   Thankfully, she was not stressed by the delivery.

I wanted to pull the next kid quickly since I didn't know why that placental material was coming out.  Out came a 6.7# brown buckling.  Honestly, I just can't remember what position he was in, but he came out fast and easy.  He was rearing to go, feisty and VERY vocal.

Once he was dried off I decided to get Liberty her molasses water.  As I was leaving the kidding pen I saw her push out what looked like an afterbirth bubble - it was dark, unlike a kid bubble.  Since Liberty was pushing hard I decided to check it out.  Surprisingly, tiny Liberty Rose was having triplets!  Inside the dark bubble was the head of an equally dark black buckling.  He was trying to come head first with both front legs folded back.  I was able to get both front legs into the birth canal and the 5.2# fella was born.

Liberty Rose is doing great, enjoyed her after-birthing treats, and is very eager to start work in the milking parlor.

Thank You, Amanda!!

3/13/13  Today was Amanda's last day here.  It has been terrific seeing her again.  She worked very hard while here.  9 goats kidded during her stay and Amanda worked some very long days and nights cleaning off newborns, feeding kids, and doing ranch chores.  Thank you very much, Amanda, for all that you did to make the week go so smoothly.

Here is a picture of Amanda with some of the kids that she helped bring into the world.

Marlyn Mixes 'Em Up

Marlyn/Roy

3/12/13  Marlyn carried her pregnancy fairly easily for an older doe, but for the last several days she has really slowed down and her right rear leg seems to be having problems, possibly from the kids pressing on a nerve.

Today when I saw Marlyn laying off by herself I put her in a kidding pen.  She enjoyed getting animal cracker treats and special attention.  Around 3PM she went into hard labor.  A doe kid was trying to be born with just her head coming first.  I was able to get one leg pulled forward and the brown 4.6# doeling was born.  She was very wet and hard to dry off, Amanda had her work cut out for her trying to get this girl buffed and polished.

Next, two very long back legs presented and out came a 8.6# white buckling in a backwards position.  He seemed a bit stressed and not breathing well.  David worked to clear his mouth and nose of mucus then finally ended up giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.  David felt something in the buckling's airway dislodge and finally the kid was breathing easily.

While David was working with that fella, I checked inside of Marlyn.  I felt front legs, but no head.  Reaching in further I found that the head was wrapped back and laying on the kid's side.  I had to work hard to get a grip on the head and maneuver it into the birth canal.  Out came a 7.3# brown buckling.

The kids are doing great.  Marlyn is being a bit slow to bounce back, but she is getting lots of special attention and should do fine.

Crammed Full Cora

Cora/Splash

3/11/13  Yesterday Cora really wanted to hide in an unused shed.  Since all the kidding pens were filled with other does, I moved her to the kid creep where we have a CCTV camera so that I could watch her from either my office, bedroom, or milking parlor.  I even let her best buddy, Jackie, stay in there with her.  Cora was NOT impressed.  So once we were able to vacate a kidding pen, I put Cora in there.  She was still not impressed but at least she was in a private pen yet surrounded by her herd.

Cora stood up fussing for quite a while, then finally laid down and chewed her cud.  She looked pretty comfortable for most of the night.  Even after I finally got to bed at 3:30 I would check the CCTV monitor often.  Cora continued to look comfortable.  I was perplexed as to why Cora didn't just get down to work since she was so loose in her backside and her milk was in.

At 5 AM, just as I was starting to warm up from having spent too much time in the 20 degree night, I heard the sound of hard labor.  I rotated the camera around but didn't see anyone pushing.  I zoomed in on Cora, who at first glance still looked very comfortable, and detected just a slight rythmatic pushing motion.  I jumped into my barn clothes and woke up David.  David radioed to Amanda that we had kids coming.

When I got out to Cora I saw that she had pushed a head out.  It was now tightly caught and not moving anywhere.  I tried to find a leg to pull forward but her contractions were too powerful and the kid's legs too long to manipulate out.  I helped her deliver the 7.8# buckling with both his front legs folded back.  Neither Cora nor the kid (nor I) were happy about that.  But the kid rallied well from the stress and Cora really enjoyed licking on him.

By then David and Amanda arrived and took over cleaning the fella.  I felt badly that we had called Amanda to come help since Cora would be finished pretty quickly and Amanda had worked so very hard all of yesterday and into this night.  Then Cora started pushing again.  As it turned out, Amanda was VERY needed! Cora delivered a 7.1# buckling with one leg folded back.  Amanda worked to clean him off but he was a really squiggly fella and tried to jump right out of her hands.  Amanda finally subdued him and got him dry.

Again Cora started to push.  I had only expected twins from her so that was a bit of a surprise.  I checked inside and felt the tiniest legs.  I told David and Amanda that there was no way that this kid was alive, it was just so small.  In a backwards delivery out came a tiny, limp body.  I sadly placed it on an empty feed sack for evaluation.  Even though we all totally thought the little thing was dead, David still tried working his magic.  He was cleaning mucus from the nose and mouth when it was as if a light switch had been thrown.  The 4.4# doeling sucked in great gasps of air and started squiggling just as much as the second born kid had done.  What a delight!  She was feisty and willing to fight for life.  You just gotta admire that.

I was getting ready to get some molasses water for Cora when she started to push again.  She pushed out an afterbirth bubble.  I thought it was a bit strange for her to push so hard to pass that, so I reached inside of her to investigate.  Behind the afterbirth bubble was a kid bubble which I broke.  The kid was coming head only so I reached in further and found the two lost front legs.  Soon a 6.2# doeling was born.  Once Amanda and David had the foursome under control I went to get that molasses water for Cora.  She really appreciated it! 

Cora's tiny doeling playing at her new home along with River's doeling

River Rafting

River/Habañero

3/11/13  River didn't feel ready to kid.  Her milk wasn't in and her rump was still pretty tight.  But when I checked her just after 1 AM she was starting to string mucus.  I put her in a kidding pen and kept an eye on her.

Once Joy finished kidding at around 2 AM, River started into hard labor.  It wasn't nearly as powerful a labor as the other does had been having and I decided to investigate.  I cleaned her backside up, put on nitrile gloves, lubed up, and slowly explored inside River's birth canal.  I felt a kid bubble and broke it.  One leg and a head were engaged in the birth canal.  I helped with traction while River pushed.  After a few pushing sessions a 7.4# brown buckling was born. 

Once Amanda had him cleaned off, I checked back inside of River.  I felt another kid bubble which I broke.  I found two front legs plus a nose!  Out slid a brown roan 6.6# doeling.  I bounced River's belly and didn't feel any more kids.  I milked her out and the kids were taken to our office to be weighed, navels clipped and dipped in iodine, fed, and collared.  Then we all headed back to bed for what we hoped would be a few hours sleep before getting up to feed all the new kids that have been born in the last 24 or so hours.

Juggling Joy

Joy/Habañero

3/11/13  It had been a busy day - birthing babies, feeding them, caring for the does.  I finally got to bed just after 11 PM.  At 1 AM David woke me up to say that Joy was shivering.  That didn't seem right.  Even though it was in the 20 degree range, she shouldn't be having a problem.  So I dressed, got a drench of MFO Solution for Joy, and went out to investigate.  I gave her the MFO, which is a supplement of calcium and other essential minerals, and kept an eye on her for a bit.  Within 20 minutes she started into hard labor.  Gotta love calcium for helping a doe push.

Amanda and David were busy feeding the newborn kids so I was on my own for awhile.  The first kid, an 8.4# spotted doeling, came out easily and was feisty right off the bat.  Then Joy started pushing again but nothing seemed to be progressing.  I checked inside of her and found a tangled up kid.  I straightened him up enough to get him out, but the poor fella was dead already, his lungs were filled with fluid and there was no spark of life.

Amanda came over and worked with the first born while I checked inside of Joy for any other kids.  I didn't want one drowning if there was a problem.  I found a splashy 7.3# doeling ready to be born.

Joy milked out easily and with lots of bright yellow colostrum.  The two doelings are doing great.

The Max Factor

Max/Exotic Affair

3/10/13  We were hoping that Max was carrying small twins, but sadly she had a well grown singleton buck.  Being a first time mom, Max had to work extra hard to stretch out her birth canal and vulva to accommodate the 7.9# red fellow.  She is a bit sore still from her work, but looking fine.  She really enjoys the animal crackers that she gets as treats and all the extra attention that Amanda has been heaping on her.  It was 8PM before we finished up and were able to go inside for some dinner. 

The Princess Reigns

Princess/Splash

3/10/13  Forgive me on the next 5 posts for the lack of specific details.  We had four kidding pens filled with does ready to deliver and the BMR Birthing Team of 3 was kept quite busy. 

Princess spent the morning pawing a nest in the straw and fussing around, so I put her in a kidding pen.  She built herself a lovely "throne"  of straw and dirt and laid on top of it most of the afternoon.  Around 6:30PM, just after evening milking, she started to get serious about kidding.  Since another doe was also starting into hard labor I went ahead and assisted Princess in delivering her triplets.

I cleaned her vulva area and lubed up, I felt inside for a kid, found one, and out came a lovely 7.9# brown spotted doeling.  She was quickly followed by an 8.7# splashy buckling and a 7.8# black spotted doeling.

Princess did great work, guzzled her molasses water, and looks wonderful.

Poppy Kids with Elegance

Poppy/Exotic Affair

3/10/13  For the last two years Poppy has had a singleton buck each kidding.  I thought she looked like she was carrying twins this year and was really hoping for at least one doeling from her.

This morning, right after Serenity kidded, I put Poppy into a kidding pen since she seemed ready to kid.  She was very content in there.  She lay in the straw looking quite regal even while having preliminary contractions.  Around 3 PM she started into hard labor.  David, Amanda, and I went out to assist.  Poppy hung out with David and when David sat in the straw, Poppy laid down next to him.  She started pushing hard and out came an ultra splashy, blue roan, 6.3# doeling in nose and toes position.  It just doesn't get any easier than that!

David worked to clean her up while Poppy started pushing again.  She easily delivered another ultra colorful kid.  This one was a 6.2# black buckling with white legs, black ears, and tan trim.

Once Poppy had delivered her kids and stood up, I could see that she was as clean as before kidding - no birthing slime or dirt on this regal lady.  How did she do that?

Serenity Starts the Day Off Right

Serenity/Exotic Affair

3/10/13  Last night Serenity didn't settle in to sleep with her buddies like she usually does.  She stood up for most of the night and looked somewhat uncomfortable.  I got up early today and checked on the does. Serenity didn't follow the herd out to see me.  She stayed in the barn and continued to look uncomfortable, so I put her into a kidding pen.

Amanda stayed with Serenity while David and I milked the goats.  I had just finished cleaning the milking parlor when Amanda radioed that Serenity was pushing.  David and I got to the pen and by the time we put on our nitrile gloves and got a kid landing zone ready Serenity was working to push out an 8.7# blue roan buckling.  He seemed stuck and somewhat dry and didn't move towards the exit easily.  I could feel that he was covered in placental tissue.  I could feel life in the fella and didn't want to tear the placenta so I worked to push it off of his legs and head while he was still in the birth canal.  After a few minutes he was clear of the tissue and moved out into the world.  He was a bit limp, but Amanda and David got him revived.  He was holding up his head within minutes - looking for food.

Next came another buckling.  This one weighed 8.5# and came in perfect nose and toes position. 

Serenity made quick work of the project, looks great, and we are so happy to have her back on the job.

Tally of Three

Tally/Rio

3/9/13  Amanda, my "birthin' buddy" from Phoenix is at the ranch for a week to help us with the goats.  It's great to have her here.  She is a great help with the goats and does a wonderful job of cuddling and feeding the newborns. 

With 10 does due to kid anytime, we thought today would be quite busy.  But it wasn't until 9 PM that one of the girls decided to cooperate.  Tally had been working hard since yesterday to get her crew positioned.  She didn't do a bad job either!  Once she started into hard labor it was just a matter of minutes before she had three beautiful kids delivered.

The first born, an 8.6# buckling, came out with one front leg folded back.  After a brief rest Tally pushed out a 6.3# brown spotted doeling.  Luckily this doeling was small and her brother had stretched out the birth canal since she came out head first with both front legs folded back.  Almost as soon as she was born, Tally pushed hard again and out came a black 7.5# doeling with one leg folded back. 

The kids were ready for life AND for a meal.  These kids were walking and jumping within minutes, and looking for their first meal. Tally milked close to half a gallon of precious colostrum which will allow us to feed them well and still put some in the freezer for emergencies.  What a great bunch of kids!  Tally looks wonderful and like she will be a powerhouse in the milking parlor.

Celeste - The Doe Maker Three Years In A Row!

Celeste/Roy

3/1/13  Celeste has been busy working to position her kids for the last several days.  I haven't been too worried since she usually kids late.  For the last two years in a row she has had triplet doelings.  As unlikely as it might be, we were hoping that she would do it again.  Unbelievably, she not only gave us three beautiful daughters, but she also added a son as well.  What an incredible overachiever! 

I put Celeste in the kidding pen right before PM milking and kept a close eye on her.  I expected her to kid soon but she just wasn't getting down to pushing.  Just after 9PM while I was watching her on the Barn Cam she seemed a bit distressed, so I went out to check on her.  Before I went out I asked David to bring some sanitizing wash water in case I needed to check inside of Celeste.

When I got to the kidding pen I set up a landing zone for the soon-to-be-born kids.  Just an empty feed sack with some newspaper on it.  Then I put on a pair of nitrile gloves.  At that point Celeste had a hard contraction and seemed very panicked.  She was laying down and was plenty well naturally lubricated, so I was able to reach inside of her easily and check the kid position.  I felt one leg.  I reached in further expecting to find a head but I found a tail instead.  Rechecking the leg I realized that it was a back leg and the kid was trying to come with one rear leg first - the other one was folded back and still in the womb.  Two back legs first isn't a bad position at all - as long as both back legs come together and the birth is achieved quickly.  In a backwards presentation it is possible for the shoulders to block off the umbilical cord and trigger the kid to breath before it is born, which can lead to the kid drowning in it's own amniotic fluid.

While hunting for the matching leg, I found lots of other legs right at the cervix.  So I ran my hand along the leg that was in the birth canal, found the tail again, then ran my hand down the other side to find the correct leg.  I then had to push the kid back into the womb a bit in order to get enough room to rotate the lost leg into the birth canal.  Thankfully it went fast and slick.  Out came a red, 5.7# doeling.  She was gasping for air.  I was working to clear her mouth and nose of mucus when David arrived.  He immediately took over caring for the little girl.  David is absolutely the best at cleaning off and drying kids.  He also has a full bag of tricks to help kids start life even if they are overly stressed or not breathing.  Since the kid was now in the best hands possible, I turned my attention back to Celeste.  I work well with the does and am pretty good at assisting in delivering kids, but caring for newborn kids is just not my forte. 

I checked back inside Celeste since she was now pushing hard again.  I found an exact repeat of the last kid position.  So I again had to hunt down the lost back leg and pulled out an exact repeat of the first kid - a red doeling.  This one weighed in at 6.3#.  She was fine, no stress.  Since David was still working on clearing the airway on the first doeling, I took over drying this one.  Out of the corner of my eye I could see David working - he had to swing the kid to generate enough centrifugal force to move mucus out of the kid's lungs.  Then he held her, patting her side to encourage more drainage.  I was still working to dry off the second born when David declared victory and wrapped the first born in a towel.  She was breathing easy and just needed to rest.

When Celeste started pushing hard again I checked inside and found a head and one leg in the birth canal.  Out came a 7.8# black buckling.  I handed him to David to clean up since I was still working to dry off the second born doeling.  Once David had him fairly dry I put the buckling next to the kid that I was working on since Celeste now was in hard labor again.  I checked inside and found a head and one leg.  Out came a 6.8# red doeling.  I handed her to David to clean off.

45 minutes after going out to check on Celeste, the kids were born and I got her a dose of MFO Solution (a supplement to help replace the calcium she had used up during labor) plus a bucket of warm molasses water.  We brought the kids into the office to be weighed, ID collars put on,  have their navel cords clipped and dipped in iodine, and fed.  At one point I mixed up which doe was #2 and which was #4.  David, with a very straight face, said that the #2 kid was the wet one.  Sigh.  I really had tried to get her dry.

Celeste is quite thin from carrying this big load, but she milked great and has a great attitude.  I'm sure that she will bounce back amazingly well.  She says that more animal crackers and raisins will help a lot.  The kids are doing wonderfully.

In order of appearance. 

Tyler Makes It Look Easy

Tyler/Rio

2/28/13  Tyler and Celeste both spent the night in their own private kidding pens.  Both girls looked to be very close to kidding and it just makes it easier on me knowing where they are.  There is a pan/tilt/zoom camera in the barn so I can get a good look at what is happening even when I'm in the office or bedroom.  But this morning neither goat was interested in kidding so I let them out to hang with their buddies.

Later in the morning I saw Tyler separate from the herd.  She was stringing mucus and baby talking to herself.  I put her back into a kidding pen and kept an eye on her.

At 5PM Tyler laid down and started pushing hard.  A kid bubble emerged and soon a 6.3# buckling was born.  He presented in perfect nose and toes form.  Once he was cleaned off, Tyler started pushing again.  The 7.3# doeling was born with one front leg folded back, but otherwise a great entrance.  Right on her tail - literally - was her 5.5# sister, also in nose and toes position.  She was so impatient to be born that she wouldn't wait for us to get #2 cleaned up first.  Tyler, David, and I kept busy cleaning the handsome crew.  The impatient third born was trying to walk and suckle before she was even dry.

By just after 5:30 the kids were born, dried, weighed, navels clipped and dipped, and fed.  Now THAT'S a great kidding!

  In order of appearance

Gearing Up

Kathryn/David

2/23/13  Well, kidding season has started before I could even get my Diary Introduction done.  But here it is anyway.

I'm Kathryn, the BMR Goat Herd Manager.  Together with my husband, David, we live on a 280 acre Arizona ranch running an artisan goat cheese dairy.  David is the cheese maker and he also helps me with the goats.  During kidding season he holds the does if I need to do a pelvic check on them or while I help rearrange unborn kids.  He is also the driving force behind keeping the ranch running smoothly. 

I am a believer in not letting a kidding go too long before checking if there is a problem.  I've found that does that have long, hard labors don't produce as much milk and are much more stressed than if I do a pelvic exam and facilitate the kid deliveries.  In this diary I will write about the does kidding and I will tell it like it is - good, bad, or ugly.  Hopefully it will be entertaining and informative.  Hopefully the kiddings will go better than Penny's!   

Penny Jumps the Gun

Penny/Habañero

2/22/13  Last night I went out to the doe barn to check on the girls that are getting close to kidding.  Penny was sleeping and looked quite comfortable.  The ligaments around her tail head were very tight and her milk was just starting to come in.  I went to bed.

At 2:30 AM I heard "momma-talk".  And it wasn't coming over the sound monitor that hangs in the doe barn.  It was right outside of my window!  I thought I must be dreaming.  But then I heard it again.  Reluctantly I got up, dressed, and went outside to see who was talking. 

Penny eagerly came up to me and then lead me to the kidding pen.  I let her in and she went right to work pawing up the straw bedding and flinging dirt.  I had to scramble to get the pen ready and finish getting my kidding kit together.  Most of the items were already in the kit, but I had thought that I had several more days to add the finishing touches.  I knew I'd need some of the equipment for Penny since she was still so physically not ready to kid - her tail head was still very tight.

Since it was obvious that Penny's water had broken quite a bit earlier I cleaned up her vulva area, cleaned my hands and arms, put on nitrile gloves, lubed up, and went exploring to find out just how bad this kidding would be.  I had a very hard time just getting three fingers into the birth canal.  It was going to be a very bad kidding.  This was not how I was hoping this kidding season would start.

I added more lubricant to my hand and worked to get the birth canal and cervix to open up more.  After about 20 minutes of massaging I could get my whole hand in and felt two feet in the canal.  I could tell that they were back feet and that the kid was positioned to come out backwards.  Penny pushed, I pulled, and the kid moved just a little bit towards the exit.  The kid did not feel slippery or wet and once I could see the legs I knew the kid was dead.  The birth sack and placenta were tightly adhered to the kid and there was no amniotic fluid.

I filled a large feeding syringe full of J-Lube, which is a very slippery obstetrical lubricant, and used a feeding tube to insert the lube into the birth canal.  I did that several times and then rotated the kid back and forth to help distribute it.  With my husband, David, holding Penny still and comforting her, I worked to get the kid out.  After working for over an hour I was very concerned that the kid would simply not come out.  But little by little the dead doeling moved further out.  Once I could hook my finger around a front leg I knew we would succeed!  I rotated one front leg and pulled it out, then was able to do that same on the other leg.  The head was pretty easy to get out at that point.

We are very sorry to have lost this little doeling, but Penny has bounced back from the ordeal in great shape.  She does keep going over to the empty kid nursery, looking around and nickering.  I think she is trying to find her baby.