A Night of Firsts (and not the good kind)

[chels24]

Last night, while doing my nightly check, I noticed one of my does was favoring one of her back legs. I figured she had fallen on the ice or one of the other goats had done something to her. I took her out and put her with her sister who's in the kidding pen. I checked her over and felt nothing wrong, so I went ahead and went to bed. She showed no signs that she was getting ready to kid, but she was due next week. Around 3 am I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. I figured I should go ahead and check my kidding camera. Everything looked normal and I was about to go back to bed when I noticed something dark hanging from the doe I had just put in the kidding pen. I ran outside (which was a chilly -11) and I immediately knew something was wrong with the kid. It had some sort of deformity and was stuck. It had come out breach and after some maneuvering I was able to get it out. The doe was doing a great job and started to push another one out. After some pushing I saw a tail the problem was the tail was upside down. So now she was pushing a baby out butt first upside down and it too was dead. After some work we were able to get the kid out. The kids would have been beautiful they were both solid black Nubians, a boy and a girl. She passed the placenta and is up eating and drinking and seems to be fine.

First # 1 I have never had a doe kid and night #2 I have never and to assist #3 Those were the first black kids born here #4 The mother is a FF and the first kids from the sire #5 I've never had any babies born dead

Now I have two more does due anytime (including the sister) and I'm worried that something will be wrong with their kids also. I pray that they have easy deliveries, I don't think I could handle another difficult one right now.

 

[helmstead]

Oh, how tragic. So sorry! for your other does.

 

[lilhill]

So sorry! Hoping for uneventful kiddings with your other does.

 

[ksalvagno]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I know how you feel. My first kidding of the year were dead twins. I hope the rest of your births go well.

 

[glenolam]

But try to think that everything can't alway be perfect. I hope the rest of your kidding goes without problems!!

 

[emilypaonia]

So sorry for your loss. Anyone know why kids are born dead? It just happens I suppose. Trauma to the mom? Nutrition?

 

[poorboys]

So Sorry to hear that, Glad the doe is doing well.

 

[mossyStone]

oh this is so heart breaking Glad moma seems fine..... You did the best you could do

 

[chels24]

Thanks everybody!
This was my first kidding of the year so I'm hoping that I got the worst out of the way. My first thought was trauma since she was favoring her leg, but she is walking on it fine and the first kid didn't look right. Someone once told me than when you have a genetic defect there will be a lot of water when their water breaks, and there was, but I don't know how true that is. I also used Cydectin a little over a month ago and then later learned that it could cause birth defects. I was wanting to take one of the kids to the vet and have him look at it, but at -11 they froze too quick.
If there is one positive thing about my whole experience it did teach me how to assist a difficult birth and if I'm ever in the situation again maybe even save a life.

 

[rebelINny]

YOu can still have a necropsy done if the kid is frozen. I sent two off just a couple of weeks ago that were frozen to a big University. They said it didn't matter.