Raising Goats On The Homestead | Helping a baby on the farm

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Two nights ago, my last doe (Annie) gave birth. It just happened to be the night of a crazy thunderstorm so the animals were loud and chaotic. All seemed well until she wasn’t taking to her third baby (she had triplets.) It was life or death for this baby, and I had to intervene.

She didn’t care to dry them off (I had to) She didn’t care to nurse them (I had to hold her and let the baby nurse.) I stayed up through the night with her. The two babies she took to were nursing fine, and I helped her rejected third one adjust. I was assuming the chaos of the storm and the animals just discombobulated Annie, making her less aware of her third baby. I went to sleep for a few hours and went back out.

Same thing, the third baby (Speckles I named her) was separated from the pack and alone in the corner. I made sure she got up and nursed. I noticed Annie was starting to sniff her, which was a good sign! A bond was forming. I helped Speckles nurse through the day as her and Annie seemed to form a relationship. This morning took a turn… I woke up to a sick Annie.

Instead of greeting me at the door, her head was in the corner and she didn’t turn to see me. Her food was untouched. My heart dropped—NOT GOOD!

I flew in and found her nuzzled by the babies (Speckles included.) No interest in hay or grass. Her eyes were BLANK. I immediately started treating her according to symptoms. She could barely stand but did so to nurse her babies like a good loving mom 😭 I cried, prayed, and waited with her.

The clock ticked on and I wasn’t sure how the tides were going to roll.

Soon, she was moving her head around and life was coming back to her eyes and she was up and nursing again. Slowly, she went to the branches I gathered and began to eat and through the day returned to normal!

My prayers were answered! She came back! Still closely watched for now. Speckles is still on the outside but I’m helping there too.

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