Kidding season..!

It is officially kidding season.  I knew this morning, when I was doing chores, and Spirit goat was talking, and talking, and talking some more. She had the low, rumbling voice that goats use with their kids. She kept away from the rest of the herd, and was restless. I kept an eye on her.

We cleaned out the goat cozy and pony shed, and put deep straw in the calf hutch that Spirit likes to hang out in, in case she wanted to kid there.  It was a colder day than I would have liked to have kids born to, but that was out of my control. All day she paced and muttered. I checked on her often. Her udder was getting bigger by the moment.

She was up and down, digging in the shavings, obviously uncomfortable. I hauled a crate out to the cozy and sat with her. I brought her warm molasses water and special hay. She drank deeply and nibbled.  Around 7 PM she began to push.  I sent my good veterinarian a text and she called me right back. Gave me moral support.  So did Marion, she has delivered lambs and calves and is always the voice of reason.

 She pushed and groaned and pushed some more. One large hoof made an appearance, then vanished, then back, then gone.  Finally, after an eternity, a little nose and pink tongue  showed. Both hoof and head were large. Spirit pushed standing, then she laid down and pushed and groaned, grinding her teeth. We held flashlights and lent moral support. The other animals were curious.

We all stood vigil while Spirit labored.  And labored some more.

Finally, with a great deal of effort, a large kid was born.  I broke the umbilical cord, wiped the mucus from its sweet little face, and dragged it up to its mamas head. She began cleaning with a vengeance.  Steam curled up off the small kid. I dried it's hind end with a towel while mama cleaned its face and front.  There was a whoosh and a wet sound. I went to investigate and found a second kid, lying in a pool of birth goo and shavings. Again, I severed the cord, dried the little face, and brought it up to mamas head.

Meanwhile, Chris, who had stayed with us the entire time, went to the house to fill a bucket with warm water and goat electrolytes.  The kids wobbled to their feet within moments. I helped guide them to Spirit's full udder, and they drank.  I never cease to be amazed, watching kids unsteadily get up on all fours minutes after they enter the world, looking for sustenance. And the way their silly little tails begin to wag the moment the milk finds them.

We tucked Spirit and kids into a calf hutch bedded deep with clean straw, and warmed with a heat lamp. I'll go check on them before bed, but I think they'll be fine. Spirit is a natural mama, just like her mother, Luna was.  I am excited to get to know her babies, and watch the little family grow.

These goats... they have taught me much, and bring me such joy. And the joy multiplies.