2019 Kidding Season

 

2019 Babies In The Books

Little Man

2019 Baby Season has come to end. Thanking God for another successful kidding season. This year we had no major issues other than a handful of does deciding to have their babies at.the.same.time.

We were headed into work and got about half way there when the house called to let us know Charlotte was pushing. Lovely. Could have definitely been worse but, yeah, she waited until right after we left to go into labor. Goats.


So, I told the wife I'd drop her off at the store and head back for baby delivering duties. The kids are more than capable of delivering babies but, I like to be present when possible.

Goat Kidding Go Kit Fig.1 - Go Kit

With the wife running the store, I drive back to the farm and by the time I get there, the kids have Charlotte in the barn and have everything ready to go--towels, the "Go Kit", goat separated in a separate barn stall, toddy and grain ready for afterwards . Man, I love these kids something crazy.

Charlotte is thinking about getting serious about her labor but, not quite ready. So we wait. It's her game, we're just here for the show. Hopefully.


While we're waiting, Missie starts acting weird. Even for her. Missie and I have history. Long story short, her first time kidding (having babies), instead of nesting and getting comfortable in the barn like every other goat on Earth. She put her NASCAR uni on and decided to do laps around the barn. She delivered on lap 5 or 6, I think, with me in tow bent over trying to catch the baby as it came out. So, knowing this, we decided to get her into the barn before she got the itch for left turns. Missie was due the day before and I knew she'd go today. Apparently her and Charlotte were plotting during the night.


Meanwhile, Charlotte was getting serious about having babies. She had started pushing in earnest and the baby's head and front hoof were playing peek-a-boo. I look over at Missie and she's laid down. This was the first time in three days she's laid down. So here we go.

Mabel's pushing! Daughter with a sense of humor

Charlotte now has head and hoof out and is pushing harder. Missie has now started pushing and has a head and hoof peek-a-booing. Charlottes' in full throttle. Baby half way out. Missie hit the gas and hoof and head are out. Somewhere over my shoulder I hear another one our children yell, Mabel's pushing! "You're not funny". Time to divide and conquer. I tell Mihret and Birhanesh to go help Bette with Mabel. "Get the goats moved out of the pen to the other side and get Mabel by herself". I look at Atey and shift him over the barn stall with Missie. "Selam and Mahari, you two take Charlotte and when the baby's out, cut, clip, clean and give it back to Momma". By this time, my head is scanning back and forth like a tennis match.


Baby 1 out! Charlotte crosses the line first. Look to my left, Missie's got her baby out. Selam and Mahri are cleaning Charlotte's baby so I swing over to help Atey with Missie. Atey is starting the baby cleaning process when Missie stands up and literally pops out another baby like it was nothing. Somewhere before this insanity started, I thought it was a good idea to live stream the births on Facebook.



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At this point in time, there are literally no more hands available. I dimly recall shoving my phone in the crook of my neck while still streaming to pick up Missie's second kid to get the mucus off and getting the baby going when I hear that Charlotte's second kid is out. "You know what to do" I respond without even looking. The peanut gallery in the other barn has come over the intercom (Yelling at the top of their lungs) Mabel is starting to push harder. Of course she is.


After all was said and done. We had a triple double. 3 sets of twins in about 2 hours. Mercifully, Mabel decided to wait a bit long to deliver. Thank you sweetie. We were able to get the other two mommas fed with their post "victory" meals and drinks and get their babies dry, umbilical cords cut and sterilized and get them their first drink of momma's milk.


Final Score: Boys: 3, Girls: 3. All healthy and happy. Can't ask for more

Mabel: 1 Boy & 1 Girl

Charlotte: 2 Boys

Missie: 2 Girls

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