May 04th, 2022

I had meant to keep up with all the updates, but I became extremely sick right about the time kidding started so I missed the first two kiddings.  But made it to the next three as I was the only one home, and had no choice.

Dassi kidded on Saturday night 4/30 with triplets - 2 does and a buck out of Ace.   Then Creamy kidded on the morning of 5/2 with twin bucks out of Tundra.  

On Tuesday 5/3 it appeared that Summer would kid that morning with Lotus and Gal probably kidding out that evening.  Dassi, Creamy and their kids had to leave the kidding stalls earlier than typical to make way for the next three does.  I staggered out to sit with them, and heard hollering from the main barn.  Went out to see the racket was about and found Creamy staring at the big water trough and one of her babies floating.  By the time I got him it was too late, he had drowned in only a few inches of water (It was purposely low- just in case.)  First time in 15 years we have had a kid drown.   Jump in and get wet, yes, but never drown.  She cried all day for her baby, it was so heartbreaking to hear.  But she seems to have moved on and is being extra cautious with her remaining kid.

Summer finally kidded around 8 pm with triplets - 2 does and a buck out of Ace.  Are you noticing the pattern?  Does bred to Ace seem to have triplets that include 2 doe kids.  Good job Ace!  Summer's first born was a tiny buckling who came tail first as was completely limp and not breathing when born.  It was touch and go for awhile but I got him breathing again and when my daughter came home she syringed fresh colostrum into him and eventually he gained enough strength over the next few hours that he finally managed to stand up and nurse on his own.

Gal looked very close to kidding several times, would start to labor and then stop.  I did a light exploratory around 4am but wasn't feeling anything to grab a hold of.   As I sat in the stall with her she kept trying to crawl into my lap.  

Lotus was in the middle pen and spent most of Tuesday screaming bloody murder non-stop.  She finally settled down around 4am and then got serious about kidding just before 6am.  Unfortunately she picked a spot to kid that was against the wire in the dividing panels and the kids hooves stuck between them and neither she nor the kid could move.   I'd like to say I "sprang into action" but after sitting up for almost 24 hours there was no spring left.   I did manage to drag her away from the fence and she pushed out a huge single buck kid.  Becuase he was born on May 4th (May the 4th be with you) and was a solo kid it was only fitting that we call him Hans Solo.  

I asked my friend Sarah to check on Gal for me and staggered to the house for coffee.  About 8am I got a text saying one had been born.  Apparently the first girl was trying to come spine first.  She was deceased by the time Sarah got her out, and was probably already gone when I was trying to figure out what the problem was.  The deceased was a very pretty darker version of her brother Luke Skywalker.  And of course the remaining doeling will probably be named Princess Leia. 

So the only one left to kid is Violet who was bred to Tundra.  This is his last chance to score any doe kids for this year and I sure hope he understood the assignment.