Pearl kidded last night at 9:30 p.m. I have been checking my pregnant girl's ligaments in the morning and night when I go to the barn to feed. I had noticed that Pearl's were feeling pretty loose the night before, but they were still fairly easy to feel and I didn't want to separate her from the herd prematurely. I checked her first thing the next morning, and they were still faintly there. She was eating and acting normal. At 1 p.m. I went in to check her again, and her ligaments were complete gone. Her udder had also tightened considerably.
I put her in the kidding stall and checked her constantly throughout the day. She didn't seem to be terribly uncomfortable at all. She stood in her pen bleating very softly and looking at her tummy on occasion. I finally saw contractions at about 7:30, but she didn't seem to be in allot of pain or distress. She started pushing a little at 9:30, standing up, and after a few minutes she went down and got to work. It only took about 15 minutes for both kids to be born. They were lively and up within another 15 minutes and were nursing almost immediately. I was extremely happy to have zero complications with the birth, and strong kids! I've already spent plenty of time nursing failing kids through the night this year, and pulling very stuck babies! A smooth delivery was great, and earned Pearl a "keeper" star. I was super impressed by her body capacity, width of her rear stance, and elegant head and neck from day one. The stunning udder this girl filled along with her ease of kidding has cemented her a place on my mini farm. I'm glad I sold off my grade does, particularly Witch. She had several flaws, which resulted in the horrendous time I had with her triplets this spring. Without further ado, some photos of the new arrivals:
Pearl's buckling and first born of the two. (Above and Below)
It is nearly impossible to get a newborn into a stance that properly shows conformation, but I think this is a pretty decent photo. It does make his neck look a little shorter and coarse than it is because he kept wanting to look at me. However, I think he would make a nice buck prospect. I really wanted a quality buckling out of this doe, because I need a second one and she is so amazing all around. However, I also got this stunning doe out of her that I just can't see myself parting with:
How flashy! She is also a little more level out the rump than this, but she was just preparing to scrunch up due to my approaching dog. She is extremely uphill, very feminine and elegant....great rear leg angulation. Just stunning. I really don't need to keep a doe and a buckling from the same kidding, however. I really have to make my mind up on this one. I might just take them both to a show in July and see if that helps me make up my mind after getting input from three or four judges.
I also seem to have gotten the scouring in my two doelings under control. Scour Halt did the trick, and keeping them out of the alfalfa seems to be keeping it at bay. Of course my buckling started scouring after all of that, due to my husband throwing alfalfa to the goats (because he has selective hearing and didn't listen to me tell him not to.) Now that I know the cause, I started him on a two day treatment of the Scour Halt. I need to wash his little white bum however. White goats.....Why did I get a nearly pure white goat?
I am CUTE and I know it!
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