Coco is still pregnant -- and huge. I was expecting her to kid a month ago, because she was already as big as the other goats who were due last month. She just keeps getting bigger, but her ligaments are still there. Her udder seems fairly full, certainly big enough to feed kids, but I know that her udder could get bigger. We're assuming that she won't give birth tonight, since she doesn't have any of those eminent signs of impending labor. Still, I'm worried. If she were to have three or more kids, she probably could not get all of them cleaned up before they got hypothermia.
Five years ago, Carmen was one of triplets, and we weren't there. She wound up with such severe hypothermia that she couldn't even suck for 24 hours, so we had to tube feed her. That was terrifying. I had absolutely no experience in doing that -- had never even seen someone do it! The local vet refused to help, other than to explain to me how to do it over the phone. I called my goat mentor for advice, and I checked online for advice. Then I finally did it. Obviously she survived. And I survived too, even though I was crying, "Please don't die" as I held her and fed her, hoping I had put the tube into her stomach and not her lungs.
I'm so glad that Anne did such a great job with her babies, even though no one was around to help her. I was out of town, and no one expected her to kid Friday afternoon. But with only two babies, it's not too hard for a goat mama to get them cleaned up. And I'm sure they're not Draco's -- I definitely think they're Tennessee William's babies. But since they're both boys, they'll just be wethered and sold as pets, so it doesn't even matter.
Well, it's time to get to bed. I have a busy day ahead tomorrow.
2 comments:
Hang in there. If you were closer, I'd offer to take a shift for you.
I think I felt the same way when I had to tube a calf. I was so thankful that I did it right. It will happen when it happens, but it sure is tough to wait.
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