Updated 3/29/12 Melissa Farm Picture Journal *New Pictures Pg 10*

[SDGsoap&dairy]

Bet we will see pics of a lovely kid or two in the morning.

 

[Melissa'sDreamFarm]

When I got home Millie was maa, maa-ing continuously. It was soft maa-ing, not panicked at all. There was no goo so I feed her and she ate her grain like normal. So I decided to let her out of the milk room into the goat pen while I cooked supper, she seemed to want to be with her friends.

I went in a started cooking and then looked out the back door to check on where she was and she was laying down in the goat shelter and it looked like she was contracting. I had my husband go out there and he could not catch her. I finished cooking and shut everything off and locked her back in the milk room. She layed by the chain link gate that enters the goat pen. Maa, maa-ing softly. I give up and go eat supper. When I check on her at 7:00 she is laying by the gate with Jenny on the other side of the gate. She's quiet and looks uncomfortable, I check her rear end but not goo. I stay until 8:00. I go in a get warm and go to the bathroom and at 8:37 go back out check on her. She is laying down screaming her head off and I get to the other side and see a bubble. I call for reinforcements and start crying. She is screaming and I can tell its painful, my heart just breaks. A few pushes later out slides a dark baby goat. Millie seems relived and I wipe its face off and mouth and clean some of the goo and Millie starts licking and grunting. We finally get the baby somewhat cleaned off and there is still a lot of goo hanging out her rear. It looks like a fluid filled sack, I think its the placenta. It takes a long time for that sac ( 2 hours) to hit the ground and then I can't find it. I make sure he's eating okay and go back in to warm up. At 11:00 I go out and she is eating a long cord that has the placenta attached to it. I get it and throw it in a hole my husband dug for me before he went to bed. It was a fun and adventuresome night and now I have the hard decision as to bottle feed or not.

I did get some colostrum out, small teats but they flow really well. Here are the long awaited baby pictures. Throw all the advice my way. I need it.

Here is a picture of Millie's udder, how do I know the baby is eating? Last night I helped him attempt several times until his legs got more steady and he nursed on his own. I know he got the colostrum and nursed last night, but this morning he has really snoozing everytime I check on him. Her udder seems full, this is the only picture I could get without all the goo that is still there.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

CONGRATS!! A gorgeous little dark buckskin. Kids spend a lot of time sleeping the first week. Generally they'll want to nurse after a nap, so when you wake him up to snuggle he should head over to mom for a snack. You'll see him nurse for just a few seconds each time. Glad your long awaited first kidding was textbook!

 

[that's*satyrical]

What a cute baby buckling!! Congrats glad everyone's doing well.

 

[20kidsonhill]

Congrats.

 

[TTs Chicks]

cute !

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

If you decide you'd like to pull him keep in mind that the earlier you pull him the easier it will be to get him going on the bottle.

 

[Melissa'sDreamFarm]

Since I have no "buyer" I believe I'm going to leave him with mom. I was there for the birth, Millie has really warmed up to me and currently I'm not having a problem with her. Millie was dam raised and was a little skiddish, but not wild. She let me milk out the colostrum with no problems at all. I can pick up the baby and snuggle it. So if I leave her and the baby together, how long do I keep them separated from the herd and when do I start "milking" her? I will eventually separate him at night and milk her in the AM. Since I'm still pretty new to the baby scene and she's a first freshener, I really like the "idea" of wiggle room.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

You can separate them overnight and milk first thing in the morning. Some does will hold back and not let down completely when they have kids on them, but it will certainly lighten your work load and you'll still be able to get milk. There is a great article over at DGI about raising kids this way- I will send you the link.

 

[Melissa'sDreamFarm]

How do I clean up her tail and thighs. Warm wet towels? I almost want to take her inside and put her in the shower. She still has some "strings". I assume this is normal?