A Kid Is Born

Calico was due on Saturday the 15th. So, she kidded on Saturday the 15th. Goats are very reliable like that, if you see them bred and write down the breeding date.

After waiting for 5 months for the blessed event, I missed it. I never go anywhere but did go to a graduation ceremony on Saturday evening. When I got home and walked into the barn, I heard a little "maa".

My DH was standing there and I started asking questions; Yes, it is a buckling, No, she didn't have any problems but he did assist her, No, he hadn't stood up yet and he hadn't nursed yet.

We then waited for her to lay back down and have the second kid. She never did! This is a first for me, all of my goats have always had twins. I have never had a single before. I am not complaining, this means that I will have milk much sooner than I expected. There is no way that he will be able to drink all of that milk.

I had to milk her Saturday night and then again last night. Today she has really come into her milk and she will probably have to be milked twice today. The bad thing is that my Husband just bought a gallon of milk. Her milk won't be good to drink just yet but it should be good in a few days. The dogs and chickens will be happy until then.

His Mother lost him and started yelling for him, he wouldn't answer. I finally went out to see what all of the noise was about and I couldn't find him either. He had safely hidden himself inside the hay feeder and his Mother and Aunt Collette had eaten over the top of him and covered him up with hay. I moved the hay back and found him. Now he keeps getting in there and his Mother can't figure out where he is and starts yelling again. Who said Goats are smart?

A Leopard With No Name

When last we spoke, I was sitting up all night with Jetta, waiting for her to foal. That was on May 6th, she finally foaled that next morning at 9:30, after keeping me up all night.

We turned her out of the foaling stall that morning, so I had to go outside and around the barn to see her. I had just checked her at 9:00 and nothing seemed to be happening, so I went back into the house. For some reason I felt that I should check her again five minutes later.

When I went out she was down, her water had broken and she was in hard labor. I came back in the house, called my DH at work and told him how worried I was that she might have twins and if she didn't have twins, it was going to be a really big foal. He said that he would come home. So, I hung up and grabbed my foaling kit.

I had been watching her the whole time that I was on the phone and she didn't seem to be making any progress. There was no white sack visible and that made me more nervous. When I got into the pen with her, I looked inside and saw the white sack, so I was somewhat relieved.

Finally a leg appeared but just one, not just a foot but a leg. I was relieved once more because it was a huge leg and I knew that it wasn't going to be twins. Jetta kept getting up and trying to reposition things but it wasn't working.

I tried pushing the leg back in but couldn't get it done, so I went in and found the other foot. I pulled on it and it pull back, I pulled again and it resisted, just like a horse! Finally, I just kept pressure on it without pulling hard and with Jetta's next contraction, it popped out.

At this point, I had both legs and the nose had presented itself, so I started pulling. This was a big foal and Jetta was going to have to have help. She did great! She didn't quit pushing and I didn't quit pulling. Finally, his shoulders slid out and his hips followed. If you have never delivered a foal or seen one born, then you might think that is a funny statement. Normally the hips do follow the shoulders but sometimes a foal will get stuck at the hips and that is no fun.

I pulled open the sack and removed it from his head, then towel dried his face and went to find a place to sit down to wait for my Husband to get home to finish the job. I was exhausted but not as exhausted as Jetta, she didn't even look at the baby or talk to him. She just lay there and rested, totally dazed.

When my DH got home, he got the big boy up and rubbed him all over with towels and put iodine on his navel. Jetta came out of her stupor and
started talking to the boy. I knew he was a colt without looking. Fillies just have a more delicate look about them and they aren't as obnoxious.

I still have not named him, he was born on one of my Granddaughter's sixth birthday, so he will be named for her on his registration papers but I don't know what to call him yet.

Here are pictures of Sissy and Jetta before they foaled, this is why I feared Jetta would have twins.

 

Here is Jetta's Leopard Colt. Name suggestions would be appreciated!

Foal Watch

I'm sitting up watching Jetta, our ApHC Black Broodmare. Her milk has turned white and tasted sweet this evening. She should foal tonight, she is pacing in her stall. I'm hoping that she goes early so that I can go to bed at a decent hour.

Our Oops Foal Is Born

Derby was born on Derby Day. She arrived at 10:30 Saturday evening. I was online when I heard her mother lie down. I woke up my DH and went out to see how things were progressing.

One leg was not in the right position, she had an elbow hung up. My DH helped reposition her and then assisted with the next contraction and she popped right out. Mom did everything right after years of experience. She let my husband dry Derby off and she just remained lying down and resting.

My DH was sure that she was a colt but I said that she was a filly. He finally ripped the sack off of her hind quarters and looked, I was right.

These first two pictures were taken right after Derby was born, when she first found her feet.

These next pictures were taken today at one and a half days old. Excuse the muddy stall and foal. We had so much rain over the weekend that the barn and stall are flooded.

This was an unauthorized breeding and normally an "oops" baby is stunningly colored but poor Derby is just Bay with a large star and white on all four feet. It has been suggested that perhaps Jazz, our Appaloosa Stallion, was trying to disguise the fact that he is the father.

Sissy, the mother, is an AQHA or Quarter Horse mare. I did wonder if maybe she had gotten with Badger (our AQHA Grullo Stallion) instead since this mare has always produced loudly blanketed foals from Jazz.

Then my Husband discovered white hair on Derby's rump. Nice try, Jazz!

Derby won't stay this color. Jazz is a 100% color producer, so if his babies are born solid or nearly solid like Derby is, then they roan and always end up being roan with spots.