Caught On Tape!

When we got to the barn this morning for chores, it was clear that Brook was in labor.  I called my friend, Ashlea, who had been hoping to be able to watch a live goat birth and she brought her kids, Jennah and Jaden over for the big event.  Brook was born here in 2008 and this is her 4th kidding for us.  Last year, she had her first set of triplets and raised them all to weaning so we have been hoping for a three-peat this year!  The Spencer family arrived just in time to watch Brook lie down and start to push out her first kid.

Unfortunately, Brook presented with a head only.  This is not a possible way for the kid to come out, so at this point, I had to stop the video (should have given it to ClaireAnna) and get an obstetric glove and fix the situation.  This is done by pushing the kid's head back in and fishing out the feet.  All I had to do is keep up with Brook, who decided to walk around in her pen during the procedure.  Once I had two feet in my hands, I let Brook take it from there and we resumed filming. 

 

The first kid is a boy! It's a tradition at Harmon PFarms to name any animals that are born when we have visitors after our guests.  So we named him Jaden.  Kid number two took only about 10 minutes to show up.

 

Our second kid came into the world in a completely normal way - two feet and a head.  It's a very large boy! We named this kid Al, after Ashlea's husband.  We're keeping it in the family!  Kid number three was actually starting to crown as kid two was born.  If you look carefully in this last video, you can see it.  However, Kid three is presenting in a very unusual way!  Watch this! 

Back feet first is a relatively normal presentation.  But butt first with folded up legs is neither normal nor easy for the doe.  I'm amazed that this kid was born so easily and that I didn't have to assist.  This last kids is, thankfully, a doeling!  We named her Jennah.  All three of these kids were good sized and, obviously, vigorous from birth!  This is normal for Brook! She's a great mama! 

Here is some great info on kidding, including birth positions with diagrams!

These kids are by our purebred Nubian buck, Jasper, who has since been sold.  Brook is half Nubian and half Boer meat goat so they are 3/4 Nubian and 1/4 Boer.  They will all be for sale at weaning.

Al



Jennah on the left, Al on the right.  We've never had this color
before - almost all white with a barely there silver look to their ears.  Very ghostly!

ClaireAnna and Jaden at 6 hours old.