Just Kidding Update

April 14, 2011

Triplets

It was a busy day on the ranch for the Nebraska Prairie Girl.  I helped Cinder deliver triplets, one buck and two does! ( a great ratio)   When I went out to check on goats and do feeding chores, I took one look at Cinder and knew today is the day.    She usually meets me every morning at the delivery stall gate with a kiss.  Not this morning, this is how she greeted me. She was staring at the wall with a very serious look on her face, with her tail straight up.  So since she did not greet me with her usual morning kiss,  I went in a greeted her and we talked about how it was going to be alright.

I have had supplies out and ready for her to kid for over a week now.    I have long gloves, two towels and iodine.   The gloves are in case there is a delivery problem and I have to help.  Two towels one for each kid (as you see I was not planning  triplets)  Iodine to dip umbilical cords.   

Cinder cleaning babies

Three hours later she finally got serious and started pushing.   I was going out into the barn every twenty minutes to check for progress.   As I mentioned in the first part of this post I use a baby monitor in the house when I am not in the barn.   Once again, the monitor did its job,  I heard Cinder pushing and went out to assist.  

 

Baby number one was backwards and came out tail first.  It is kind of a surprise to be feeling for a head and find a tail.   Even though Chicory was backwards the delivery went well.  Within seconds, her brother was born.  I congratulated Cinder on a job well done and started to dry off babies.  But wait Cinder started pushing again and low and behold she had another doe who is named Clove.  My goodness, what a surprise to have triplets.  So, I helped dry off babies (this is where towel number three would have come in handy), dipped cords, made sure everyone nursed for the first time, then left to let the new family spend some quiet time together.   Of course I still have my baby monitor on in the house so that I can hear if there is any babies crying in distress.  ;)

Chicory Standing up

 

 

William the pig looking over his gate wondering what all the commotion in the barn is about.