Thursday, February 16, 2012

Finally!

This has been, by far, the longest kidding labor I've ever attended.  Nettie started talking and hunching her back around Noon today.  She was out of the kidding stall for the morning and I figured I'd let her stay out until she started getting down & dirty about labor.  

I swear she was going to have another quick kidding.  Or maybe it was just wishful thinking.  She was having pretty regular contractions since about 1 o'clock.  But then she'd just completely stop.  I'd walk her around some to get things moving again and then she'd have a few more.

This lasted throughout the afternoon.  And through suppertime.  And getting darn close to bedtime.  Finally just before 8 o'clock she starting having really hard and fast contractions.  Normally she'll lose her mucus plug several hours before kidding, and her water will break before the "bubble" shows.  But this time she held on to the plug and water (or whatever you call that other water thingy other than the birth sack) right up until I saw the kid.  He was presented correctly, although Nettie was having quite a hard time.  He was in the "diving" position, but I ended up helping her along just a bit by gabbing hold of the front feet and gently pulling as she had her contractions.  I knew it was a male before the sack even broke because I could already see the horn buds on his skull.  

I helped clean him up and dry him off, expecting Nettie to hunker down and get busy delivering another kid, or at least the placenta.  But as of 9:45 there wasn't another kid, or the placenta, unless she already ate it (the placenta, not the kid!!).   


If there isn't another kid, this will be the only time Nettie has kidded with only a male.  I guess I shouldn't complain.  The first two years she gave me a single doeling each time.  The third and forth years she had twins - one doeling and one buckling.  The fifth year she had triplet doelings.  Not a bad female to male ratio.

The little guy was happily nursing when I left.  It's only supposed to be in the mid-30's at night so I had to put him in my homemade-five-minute-butt-ugly-goat-coat:

Warmth was the main objective.  Fashion was obviously a second thought.   

I'm off to bed before I do a face-plant onto my laptop.  Goodnight all!

22 comments:

  1. A great big "awwwwwww" from everybody here! Congrats on a very cute goat baby (and sweater). :o)

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  2. He's big! ...and look she's bagging up :-) Congrats!

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  3. So, so, so, so cute! What a relief that it's over and all is well. You'll be sleeping soundly tonight!

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  4. Glad he arrived safe and sound. After such a long labor, I bet you were getting a little nervous. Sleep good!

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  5. D'awwwwwwwwwwwww...he is so cute in that wee coat you made! Glad Nettie finally had the little bugger...and now you can get some sleep!

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  6. You know it had to be a boy, they are always late and cause the most trouble. lol I'm glad everyone is doing well, especially YOU! I love his jacket, looks like a lamb coat. Thanks so much for sharing. Is it nap time for you yet?

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  7. Very sweet, he looks just like his maaa! Glad she had him before midnight anyway! Catch up on your sleep and post more pictures tomorrow! :)

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  8. Boy, Mama and Baby sure took their own sweet time! In that one pre-delivery photo of Nettie, I saw three bumps on her sides so I thought she had at least two in there. Her little (big?) buck must have been stretched out and enjoying his cozy, warm facilities! Glad all ended well. How's the milk production going?

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  9. Yay! What a cutie! The placenta thing had me laughing because growing up we had a border collie that would get in there and steal that away quick, we would shoo her out and next thing you know she would be perched on top one of the pen gates in the barn LOL! Glad mama and baby are doing well, now get some sleep!

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  10. Congratulations, good job on the coat, it works, doesn't matter what it looks like, just needs to help keep him warm.

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  11. Congratulations Nettie! Great job, girl. :) He's a cute little guy, and it looks like the coat works perfectly.

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  12. Congrats!!! Hopefully, we will get our first round of Saanen babies this weekend. I NEED MILK AND CHEVRE AGAIN!

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  13. I hope you got some sleep - was it still just a single this morning? Hope Nettie and baby boy are doing well.

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  14. If you are there you might as well help with the birth...

    I'm so happy the kidding came off without a hitch. I have seen and read such sad things that every normal birth is a blessing!

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  15. Congrats! I think he looks quite dapper in his coat, too!

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  16. Oh, he is so beautiful~love his precious face! And he looks so handsome in his little goat coat!

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  17. What a cutie pie! What's not to love? What a good mama and labor coach:)

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  18. At last! Glad it is over and turned out well.

    So you don't have the worry of free-martins with the mixed sex twining? In cattle that is an issue you have to remember.

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