I went out to check on Baby, my reluctant mother goat yesterday and discovered that a) she was down in the back of the pasture looking very ready to give birth, and b) one of my sows had annihilated her pen and was running amok in the farrowing (new mom) pasture. Not doing any real harm other than digging a water pipe halfway out of the ground, holding her own quite nicely with the other moms, so I decided to let her stay out and set about reburying the pipe.
No sooner did I locate a shovel than miss Baby let out a heartrending, bloodcurdling, bleat/scream. I have never heard a goat do that. All my other goats gave birth relatively silently. Sent a chill straight up my spine. I tossed the shovel, scattering sows and baby pigs in the process and took off at a dead run. One gate between me and Baby. I undid the chain and yanked the gate open, not realizing that the chain had hung up at about the sixth link until the gate stopped moving and I charged face first into the gate post.
Swearing, I undid the chain and made it through the gate with out injury the second time. As I was securing the chain with trembling fingers, Baby let out another holler.
"I'm coming, Baby!"
I hooked the gate, swung around and took off at a run (again) and promptly tripped over Henry the duck. Went down on my right knee, squashing one duck. He took off across the pasture cussing, and I got up and took off in Baby's direction, cussing and limping. The other two mother goats watched this display, cuds in cheeks, eyes wide with wonder.
I finally got to Baby and sank to my knees beside her. She had given birth to one baby already and the second was just peeking, so I waited with a lump in my throat until she had it far enough out that I could give her a hand and together we delivered the second.
All I can say is it's no dam* wonder she put it off as long as she did. Two of the biggest kids I have ever seen. Legs go on for miles. I was never so tickled to see two baby goats come into the world. Baby was on her feet immediatley and tending to her younguns. I still don't know what sex they are, I didn't want to disturb them yet. I'll let ya'll know when I know. Two more to name. Life is good.
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