We have 4 new kids!

I was reminded today by my dear friend, Shawna, that I need to post pictures of our new kids. Thank you, Shawna, for nudging me in the right direction!

Michael and Zachary had been camping out in the barn to be close to Mama Goat if she went into labor. On Saturday evening, April 5th, when they went out the barn to go to bed, they found that Mama Goat was giving birth. Zachary ran into house to get the rest of us. We grabbed a bright light and some towels and headed to the barn. When we got to the barn, we found this little guy.

So, I immediately started wiping it off. The kid turned out to be a strong little boy. Mama Goat started pushing again and out came a kid still in the sac. Andrew broke the sac and we starting drying it off. This kid turned out to be a girl. Mama Goat took quite a break at this point, so we just sat there and waited (cuddling the 2 kids). Mama Goat started pushing for the third time and the kid seemed stuck. Andrew realized the kid was breech, so he reached in and helped pull it out. Andrew gave the kid mouth to month resuscitation and we dried it off. Kid number 3 turned out to be a girl, too. Here are both girls (#2 & #3).

Mama Goat seemed to be done having kids, so we waited on the afterbirth. She started the push out afterbirth. It was stuck like kid #3, so Andrew pulled on it and out came kid #4 behind it. We were pretty shocked that she had 4 kids. Last year, she gave birth to triplets. But, wow quadruplets!!! Here is #4, who also turned out to be a girl.

What an awesome and amazing experience witnessing the miracle of birth!

Andrew wasn't feeling well, so I volunteered to stay in the barn with the goats. I stayed with them all night and Mama Goat never finished delivering the afterbirth. At 6:00 am, Lexie relived me and I went to bed. At 10:00 am, I was woke up by the noise of my children. Mama Goat still hadn't delivered the afterbirth. Our friend and goat expert, Kari Ann, arrived and told us that Mama Goat was in trouble and going septic. She jumped right in and doctored Mama Goat. Here is Mama Goat and kids on Sunday morning.

Mama Goat stabilized, but still hadn't delivered all her afterbirth. We called the vet and he told us that we were doing all the right things. He also told us that he would come out if we needed him or we could bring Mama Goat to the vet Monday morning. At the next morning feeding, Mama Goat still wasn't eating or drinking, so Andrew loaded her in the truck and Lexie and I took her to the vet.

The vet, Dr. Toni Brandt, gave Mama Goat a few shots, took blood, and flushed out her uterus. She let me help. It was a learning experience! Mama Goat's sodium count was low, Dr. Brandt decided to give her an IV. So, Mama Goat stayed at the vet for the rest of the day in a large dog kennel. When I picked her up at 5:00 pm, she was eating and drinking.

In the mean time, we started bottle-feeding the quads. Mama Goat is getting better and feeding two kids, while we continue to bottle-feed the other two with milk replacer.

I would like to thank Kari Ann and Dr. Brandt for saving Mama Goat's life. I would also like to thank my daughter, Lexie, for taking all the pictures and videos.