We Made It

I am not a fan of this spring break.  If felt a lot more like winter break with the challenges of kidding.  On a couple of those cold days we had wind warnings as well.  It was sub-zero wind chills.  This was not kidding weather.

But we made it.

Penelope and doe in front. At one point I had 6 pens and 23 goats in the garage.

I really was starting to think I was wrong about Purl and Perdita and they were going to have April babies.  But, on Saturday, when I went out for one of my numerous checks in this cold weather, Purl had a little girl with her!  She was five days past her due date, but she finally arrived.

Do you see the baby? I had to move them to a warmer pen after she was born.

This one looks an awful lot like a grandpa Xerxes baby.

No name yet.

I still wasn’t sure what to do with Perdita because the garage was full. After Purl’s baby, I had 22 goats in the garage and I was still waiting on Cutie. That means I prepped the milk room for Perdita.  Because I still was leaning towards she had to have a baby now.  So I continued my every couple of hours checks around the clock.  And she did nothing overnight.

Perdita with Ostara, Heidi and Pretzel (It was easier to add them to this side than keep feeding them in the middle of the barn.)

I hate to tell these girls that I have to go back to work today.  I mean they should have all had them by then.  Cutie finally got with the program and went into labor Sunday morning.  Right at noon I went out and she was screaming.  I saw two huge feet and a nose.  I pulled the feet, and once the legs got straightened out, we had no problem getting this giant boy out.

Cutie and BJ

BJ. (Benji Jr.)

That just leaves Perdita.  But it’s warmer, and I’m getting more and more of the notion it will be an Easter baby, but I will still check her for a couple more days.  She’s not happy, but she’s penned in the Love Shack since we’ve warmed up some.

Perdita yelling because I have her penned alone.

I never want to do another spring break like this one again.  Now to get the goats out of the garage…

Melba Gets a Sweater

Melba is so little and we are so cold that she was still struggling to stay warm when she came out from under the heat lamp.  I found the coat I had for Uno.

I think this was his second or third coat. (with mom, Maisie)

But the smallest was about twice as big as it needed to be.

Melba lost the coat when she tried walking around.

So I spent an afternoon knitting one.  This one is an XXS.

It was even a free pattern HERE with a link to a video tutorial.

Hmmm…I wonder what size the cats would wear.

The sweater is happy to do its job.

And it fit perfectly!

So now I’m going to make the next size up and a couple more.

Because it’s still cold. And maybe just because it’s cute.  I’m thinking pink…

A Rough Start

The snow continued all afternoon and well into the evening.

goose headed into the barn

The hill is white again.

Throughout the day, when I checked the girls, I managed to catch a couple more to put on the side where we are kidding.

Athena in the greenhouse

I checked them all night, and somewhere early in the darkest part of morning, Onyx went into labor.  I came back every hour and then, when I checked her about six o’clock, I felt the baby’s bag.  It was still clear back and she wasn’t pushing, so I left her to give her a chance to push because she was not happy with me being there.  When I came back about fifteen minutes later she was lying down and pushing hard.

the next morning

I checked and the baby was head first, so I immediately went in and found the legs folded completely back, brought them in front, and pulled her.  But it was too late.  So many times, I have to wait for a vet or work for what seems like forever to get them out, but she was stuck where the umbilical cord could no longer provide for her and she wasn’t far enough out to breathe on her own, so we lost her.  I immediately went back in and pulled the second girl.

It wasn’t easy to get this one going with the cold (even in the buck room because of the strong west wind).  I finally put them in the soap room.  Sigh…

Baby was finally warm and sleeping

She and mom are finally doing well, but my heart breaks for losing the first little one.