New kid..!

 Grace Goat has been looking very pregnant. By my calculations, she was due next week. She was showing some signs of kidding... the ligaments at the base of her tail were relaxed, but her udder wasn't filling up, and she was acting very normal. During a heavy rainstorm this afternoon, Chris came down from his office and said, "One of the goats is yelling a lot." I abandoned poor Rachel to the dog we were grooming and headed out. A brand new, soaking wet, tiny kid was just inside the door. Her mama and the other adult goats were on the other side of the cozy, staring in wonder at the wee dark blob.  Chris was right behind me with clean towels. I scooped the kid up, cleared her face, and gave her a good rubdown. 

In a moment or two, her new mother overcame the delivery shock and dove in to help clean the new arrival. I took a moment to check; it was a girl (doeling) and such pretty markings. 

After she was cleaned up some, we helped her get a little drink. She had no trouble grasping the concept. 

The family came out to meet the new arrival. The Owlet was a little unsure. 

In the past, we've had kids from full-sized goats. They were small, but not this small. Here is the new arrival next to my shoe for a size comparison. 

She is up, nursing, and looks pretty healthy and robust. Her mama is eating, drinking, and taking excellent care of her new kid. I am delighted with the latest life at FairWinds. We are casting about for the perfect name, so please feel free to send suggestions. (The current goats are as follows: Plenty, Grace, Glory, and Happy. A name that follows along a similar theme would be good.)

Welcome to the world, baby girl!