The Birth of Nigerian Dwarf Goat Kids in Pictures

Penny kidded today.  We were so warm and cozy in the greenhouse that we didn’t notice the blustery, blowing snow outside at all.  It was such a lovely experience, a textbook delivery of twins with no need for assistance.  I sat back and watched while shooting these photos.  From labor to delivery, here is a Nigerian Dwarf goat birth in photos.   Continue reading “The Birth of Nigerian Dwarf Goat Kids in Pictures”

So You’ve Gone in and Assisted a Birth. What Next?

I am reminded today why raising goats isn’t for the faint of heart.  Things are great when they’re great, but it sure can be intense when they’re not so great.

I heard Silkie making noise and went out to find her already pushing, not progressing well with a backward breech who came out easily enough, but after low intensity contractions and no progress pushing on the second, I went in to find a mess.

This isn’t my first mess, but I felt like sharing this glimpse of goat life for those of you thinking you might want to someday find yourself elbow deep in a screaming doe. 😀

The second kid, much larger than the first, was upside down with his head wedged beneath the birth canal and a single front foot out.  Continue reading “So You’ve Gone in and Assisted a Birth. What Next?”