Kiddings Over!

Although I had three does bred last fall, I only had to go through two kiddings this spring because I sold Ishtar before she was due.  So last night we had our second, and final kidding of the year.  

Annette was due on Monday, but Saturday morning she was "talking" more than usual and by the afternoon she was yelling pretty much constantly.  By six in the evening it was apparent that she was having some serious contractions so I put her into the kidding pen (which I just cleaned out the day before...talk about procrastinating!!)  and by seven-thirty, we had kids!!

Since it was the weekend, Paul was home and took Rhiannon while I stayed with Annette as her goat-midwife.  

Here is Annette in hard labor.  Earlier in the day she had contractions,
but they were mild enough that she would eat the grain I offered,
even right through them, pausing only slightly when it came on.

Up-close shot of the mucus plug.  Sometimes a doe will lose
this plug several hours before going into hard labor.

The first bubble(Chorion sac).  This may or may not break before
the second bubble (Amniotic sac), shows with the kid inside

Here you can clearly see both the reddish Chorion sac
and the yellowish Amniotic sac.

Her labor was pretty fast and before I knew it there were feet showing in the bubble, but no nose showing!  I went in to adjust the head forward and after being better positioned it came out with just a little tug on the front feet.  After it was out, I grabbed it by the hind feet, wiped the fluids from the nose & mouth & put it down so Annette and I could start drying the kid off.  

Annette having contractions while drying her first kid off.

Annette was right next to me helping dry her off when just a few minutes later she laid down and was pushing again.  This time there was only one foot showing, but at least the head was pointed forward.  I'm not sure if she would have been able to deliver like that, so after several hard pushes and having the kid get sucked back in, I went in again during a contraction, found the other foot (it was bent like it was laying down) and pulled it forward.  One last little tug at the next contraction and we had our second doeling!

After both doelings were dried off, I made sure they found their way to Annette's udder and were getting that first all-important drink of colostrum.  I went in the house to clean up and get a bite to eat so left Annette and her new babies alone for some quality time.  Less than two hours after the last doeling was delivered, I went in the barn to check on everyone and found Annette licking the afterbirth.  Some people let the does eat it, but honestly, I think it's icky so I took it away and put it in the garbage bag with the rest of the birthing goo.

Sorry I didn't take more pictures, but it was just me in the barn.  If you want to see a more detailed goat birth, click here for Nettie's 2011 kidding.

More cute goat kid pictures will soon follow!