After several overnight watches, frequent checking, much preparation (including Fletcher practicing with the camera), and did I mention many nights of overnight shifts??, Zipporah FINALLY went into labor… in the morning!
Her labor was very easy, with her first kid presenting properly (nose and two front hooves first). Meet her first buckling – Castro!
Within 10 minutes, her next kid (also presenting properly) was born. Meet Cedar!
It was the day of the nasty ice storm, so Jade and Indigo worked hard getting them completely dried off.
Once they were dry, Jade and Brett had to keep them from nibbling on everything until Colter and Hewitt could milk out Zipporah’s colostrum.
Because the mama goats, called does (like deer), don’t immediately pass their placenta, we just milk them in the stall as opposed to getting them on the milk stand. It’s a lot easier on the does that way, too. Especially if they’ve had a tough delivery.
Then the children teach the babies to drink their colostrum. Greyden finds it is helpful if you model how to suck on a bottle for them.
No, it’s not root beer. The nipples we use for the newborn kids fit on top of soda bottles. We’ll use these until we have enough kids for it to make sense to fill up our multi-nippled feeder called a lambar.
Emery gave Cedar his collar before he took over the bottle. The pink collars mean that their sire, or dad, is our buck named “Substantial“. Babies out of other bucks will have different colored collars. Each kid gets a collar with his or her name on it so we can keep track of all of them!
Everybody is very happy that they are safely and finally here (even if they are both boys! LOL)
One pregnant goat done. sixteen more to go!
Kid count: 2 bucklings. 0 doelings.
#GMSKids
2014 Goat Birth Stories
I have always wanted a goat but never dared to get one. I just don’t know enough about there needs. I am learning a little at a time. I hope I know enough by next year. I am going to start with my chickens this year.
It’s hard to really learn about them without getting them. The best advice is to find someone in your area (so dealing with the same conditions) that you can go to with questions. PJ
My skin is so much better since I purchased the goat milk soap you recommend. My daughter asked me what I was doing different. I also love the candles. I bought the blueberry.
I’m so glad! That’s wonderful to hear. 🙂 PJ