Let's Talk BBQ
General => General Discussion & Topics => General Discussion => Topic started by: SmokinKat on March 11, 2014, 05:08:20 PM
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One of my goats decided she wanted to celebrate Daylight Savings Time by giving birth a week and a half prematurely!!
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/cryingbabies_zpsfe7290c0.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/cryingbabies_zpsfe7290c0.jpg.html)
Wowzers, NOT what I had expected for my Sunday evening. I'd noticed Peanut (mama goat) had been acting a little funny that day, so I sat with her for awhile after James and I finished some projects, and sure enough, about 5 o'clock, I realized that she was going into active labor! I had the supplies ready in anticipation for NEXT week, but thankfully we had everything on hand, and she popped out two little ones within just a couple of minutes! She did great cleaning them off and doing nuzzling mama goat things like she's supposed to.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/sleepybuggers_zps38d380ca.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/sleepybuggers_zps38d380ca.jpg.html)
It was very exhilarating to be a part of! Definitely a first time for me, and was just miraculous to see it all happen right in front of me!
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/proudmama_zps50bc6846.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/proudmama_zps50bc6846.jpg.html)
Since this is our first time kidding, we didn't immediately notice anything weird about the babies... We got them dried off and warm, and waited for them to get up and moving. James made an excellent midwife helper. :)
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/hairstylinbabies_zpsfc40fd48.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/hairstylinbabies_zpsfc40fd48.jpg.html)
It was only until a couple of hours later when the babies weren't up and running around that it kind of dawned on us just HOW under-baked these two were. They each weigh about a pound (5-6 lbs would be average weight for their breed!) Definitely preemies.
The bugger of it is, since they can't stand up, they can't nurse mama goat normally, and aren't big enough to stay warm in the barn. So we suddenly found ourselves with two new bleating bunk mates! I also had to learn how to milk a goat RIGHT THEN so we had something to feed them! Thankfully Peanut cooperated and had at least a little milk coming in, so we were able to get them a bottle.
We made a little goat NiCU nest near the heater in our room, and have been taking turns getting up an ungodly amount of times during the night to feed and check on them.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/afterlunchnap_zpse65f767a.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/afterlunchnap_zpse65f767a.jpg.html)
We were really unsure if they would survive the night even, since just like humans, the lungs are the last to develop. For all their squalling and squawking though, those little lungs sure sound fine to me!!
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/babydoe_zps4c84c986.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/babydoe_zps4c84c986.jpg.html)
Day three today, and they're doing just great-- the little white one is a male, and he eats like a champ. He's perfectly content to just laze about all day between feedings.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/sleepybaby_zpsb5e869f1.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/sleepybaby_zpsb5e869f1.jpg.html)
First bath time! (Don't ask why we had to do bathtime, it was not pretty.)
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/firstbath_zpsacafe551.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/firstbath_zpsacafe551.jpg.html)
And the little girl could care less about eating, but she's already stood up once on her own last night! She reminds me of a baby moose-- just 90% legs and no body!
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/pushups_zps2409fffc.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/pushups_zps2409fffc.jpg.html)
Just praying our other two does keep their hooves together till they're supposed to!! Could use a couple of nights rest in between batches!
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Do I smell cabrito in your future....? 8) ;D :D
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Shhhhh... Not in front of the 'kids', they'll hear you! ;) hehehehe
But yes, my future smells delicious.. :) Though at home we are politely refraining from discussing BBQ while they're still so adorable. Think James might catch on if I name one "Ke" and the other "Bab" ??? Maybe I can get away with "Gyro" and hope he thinks I'm calling it "Hero"....
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Thanks Tee. Now I don't feel bad for thinking it.
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Shhhhh... Not in front of the 'kids', they'll hear you! ;) hehehehe
But yes, my future smells delicious.. :) Though at home we are politely refraining from discussing BBQ while they're still so adorable. Think James might catch on if I name one "Ke" and the other "Bab" ??? Maybe I can get away with "Gyro" and hope he thinks I'm calling it "Hero"....
One should never name their "food"....emotional connections ensue...and - well they become "pets" ;D
Thanks Tee. Now I don't feel bad for thinking it.
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No problem...we all know I have a penchant for..."tact".....or lack of....which was it...? ::) 8) ;D
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Very, very cute.
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An amazing experience for you two!!! Great photos too and nice story!!! Don
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They are so cute ;D
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Adorable!
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c159/Kazutria/Stupid%20Yet%20Funny/funny-pictures-goat-gives-peace-sig.jpg)
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An amazing experience for you two!!! Great photos too and nice story!!! Don
I couldn't said it better myself! Just too darn adorable!
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They are adorable. ;)
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:)
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Cool. I am afraid I might get too attached to them... nah!
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I want that lil white one...OMG...too cute..but they won't even let me have chickens here in the township..Bummer . Ken..I knew you were waiting to say that..Nahhh. .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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Cute kids you have there and a great way to tell the story..
Better not name 'em....
Just sayin'...
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Nice looking twins! You don't need to use them as food they are way to cute ;)
BUT, if you do get Tee to send you some Swine an Bovine rub good stuff.
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Neat story and pics Kat!
My guess is those two kids since being fed by you will follow you around like puppy dogs!
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Probably, Hikerman... Dang it! :)
We got the mama goat last year when she was 3 days old and bottle fed her and her brother. They really are just like puppies-- wagging their tails every time we come by, and even recognize my car coming in the driveway.
(I've got a little video of them as babies wagging their little tails and just being generally adorable on my blog if you want to see it-- http://theroundsfarm.blogspot.com/ . It's a post I put up this February, entitled "Spring 2013 Part 2: Overwhelmed by cuteness")
That's why I was REALLY hoping for the mama goats to raise the babies, to avoid that kind of attachment! We're still praying that these little ones get big and strong enough to go back with mama and feed normally. Doing what we can with the unexpected! And heck, if worse comes to worse, we end up with two extra "Pet" goats to help with blackberry bushes. :)
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Well, we lost the one little one, but this little guy is eating and growing like a champ!
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/sunshinebaby_zps0f4801e0.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/sunshinebaby_zps0f4801e0.jpg.html)
One week old on Sunday, and he NEVER STOPS EATING!!!! Mama goat is not cooperating with my grand plan of her taking over motherly duties, so he's still up in our bedroom crying for milk at all hours.
Our golden retriever, Roxy, has decided that the little peanut is HER baby, and takes every chance she can get to snuggle and lick the little guy.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/roxybaby_zps9ddf1174.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/roxybaby_zps9ddf1174.jpg.html)
Little dude seems to be pretty chill about the tongue baths. He just gets confused when he goes to try and nurse on her, and comes back with a mouthful of hair.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/roxybaby2_zps57913de9.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/roxybaby2_zps57913de9.jpg.html)
Mama goat IS giving milk like a champ-- some of this is foam, but it was a good 3/4 of a quart she gave at lunchtime today!
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/milk_zpse86a106f.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/milk_zpse86a106f.jpg.html)
It's also becoming clear that I am going to end up with an ABUNDANCE of milk on my hands (especially when the other two does start in!) I found out my darling James is just unbelievably squeamish about the thought of drinking milk that he's seen come out of the animal. He says he KNOWS that that's where all milk comes from, but... he just gets all squirmy and squiggly when I ask if he'd like to try some (cold, from the fridge). Sigh... I might have to resort to sneak tactics.
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Sorry you lost one .
thanks for the update .
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Sorry for the loss of the little one.
I do like the pics and updates also ;D
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Our goat never gave a drop of milk...
We had to squeeze it out of her. :-\
I just couldn't resist
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Sorry about the loss, you might make mozzarella out of it, then he wouldn't know where it came from. I certainly don't miss my goat milking days in high school, but the milk and cheese is good.