Anyway, I kept up my checking every hour as the evening turned to night. Eleven oclock I went out, Alex is laying down, but on her chest, munching cud and looking for all the world like she was just as satisfied with herself as can be. No contractions, no goo, nothing to alert me to imminent birth…

Midnight I walked into the barn and…

BOTH DOES.

We are 8 for 9 this year with does, one lonely little buckling in the yard, haha.

Now what I want to know is where did the color go? I expected big color from this one, and I got danged near solid white. One doeling is pretty much completely white, with just a very very minimal shading of red on the head, but not hardly noticable. The other has ‘eyeshadow’ and a couple little color marks on the very top of her head:

I don’t know how such a colored doe threw such colorless kids, haha, but I know one thing, these two does are HUGE. I swear the one is bigger than my two week olds in the other barn, and the other is about the size of the two week olds out there.

I’m just happy there were no problems. Alex delivered those babies and fast, by herself, and is a GREAT mom. She had them clean although was still working on dry, and I dipped their cords and feet, and made sure they were nursing which Alex handled like a champ. She’s very protective, she’s cool with me, but won’t even let the cat in the stall with the babies, haha, poor kitty she likes greeting the new arrivals. Mom says no go though.

Now I am just so befuddled, I have already picked two keepers from previous two kiddings, and wasn’t going to keep either of these since they’re just 50%er’s, but dang, they are beautiful big bodied girls, and I think they’ll follow in momma’s ‘no problem having big babies’ shoes. So, I think I’m gonna keep one of these too… oh lordy, potatoe chips anyone? LOL

Then on Saturday Bob and I made yet another trip down to Carisa’s just outside of Attica Indiana to bring her our late summer filly from last year in trade for Alex, and 50% Nubian milking doe. Alex is just beautiful, and at only 2 weeks fresh (just had her babies 2 weeks ago) already producing just one cup shy of a gallon a day. I’m thinking in no time she’ll be giving us a full gallon, and maybe a little more to boot every day.

Here she is today after all the squabbling of herd rank finished off yesterday the barnyard was peaceful once again this morning.

Here she is with Savanah (Savvy)

And here’s Polly ignoring them both while she catches some shade:

So after all the business of Friday and Saturday, it’s nice to have a peaceful, quiet Sunday to just relax and enjoy all the critters here on a beautiful Sunny day.

Okay, where was I? Ah yes–my quick run to Ellen’s to see the new babies. One was very weak. When there are quads that’s not at all too unusual, and when you add the selenium problems she’s been having to it there’s an even bigger chance of a weak baby. It’s how my first two came to live here. So that new little weak one came home with me. (Just when I had my first two moved out of the house and thought I was done with night-time feedings and goats in the house for the year).

I got her home and nestled in her crate while I did a few more chores. I went outside to fill some water troughs and noticed that Sylvia’s run was empty. I couldn’t see anywhere that she could have escaped so I figured she must have gone over. We hadn’t thought she’d do that being that she’s a very large dog and old to boot. I’ve only had one Border Collie in the past that could jump a six foot high run from a standstill. Apparently Sylvia could too though, because she was missing. I walked the entire property screaming her name and couldn’t find hide nor hair of her. Just about when I was sure she’d gotten hit by a car somewhere I decided to jump in my car and see if I could find her–hopefully in a neighbor’s corn field. I decided to head out down the side road going North and sure enough, about A MILE away there was a huge black and white dog in the middle of the street! Walking! (had you going for a moment didn’t I?) I stopped the car and jumped out yelling her name and she trotted towards me, kind of skiddish like she wasn’t sure if she would be punished. I just petted her for coming when I called and got her in the car (BOY was she muddy, my front seat is filthy now) and came back home.

That’s when I came in here to type what I did yesterday until I got the phone call that sent me running again.

Ellen called. The mother of the quads rejected all of the remaining babies. She wasn’t having anything to do with them, and could I come over and maybe take one more home to feed. So I went over and picked up a second little girl whom I”ve named Amelia. The first one’s name is Angel. I’ve named all the goat kids from this year starting with ‘A’. So now we have Annie, Amber, Angel, and Amelia.

So I bring her home and get her settled in, feed them and go out and feed the two outside. It was non-stop after that though with feeding, chores, and work. I’m just relieved that it all ended up happy. No lost dogs. All the kids are doing well.

Angel had a very lax tendon in her left hind leg (common in multiple births where they may have been crammed in the uterus in tight quarters and awkward positions, AND selenium deficiencies) but as of this morning it’s holding well and the leg isn’t buckling backwards at all.

Sylvia has suprised us in her desire to be a good ‘mom’ to the new arrivals. We weren’t sure how she’d take to farm animals since she’s spent her entire life in the city and has never seen a chicken much less a goat or horse. Here’s a picture of Sylvia ‘guarding’ her new little charges this morning.