It's a girl!
Sparky was born at 9:15 last night. She's all black with one small white patch on her private areas. Moo took to mothering like a champ and started her cleanup less than a minute after calving. I noticed this morning that Sparky wasn't nursing at all and so we moved them both into the large barn stall where I learned the problem - Moo backed away and kicked her when she tried to latch on. We backed her into a corner and bribed her with buckets of grain and a large hay pile. After letting out a startled cry the first time Sparky latched on she calmed down and let her drain all but one of her bag sections. Geez, for being as full as they were it didn't take but just a minute or two and they looked like deflated balloons. That picture's not very good but I was backed against a wall. I'll get a better one later.
I had checked on Moo a little before 9:00 when we were heading in from chores and saw her contracting, even pushing. We all got chairs and sat quietly outside the coop for the next half hour and got to see the entire birth. Thank heavens it went well because I'm not sure how the kids would have reacted had there been a problem. They were all just in awe of the calf! It was interesting that her hooves were neon white when she was born but by morning were totally black. I'd never heard of that.
Sparky was born at 9:15 last night. She's all black with one small white patch on her private areas. Moo took to mothering like a champ and started her cleanup less than a minute after calving. I noticed this morning that Sparky wasn't nursing at all and so we moved them both into the large barn stall where I learned the problem - Moo backed away and kicked her when she tried to latch on. We backed her into a corner and bribed her with buckets of grain and a large hay pile. After letting out a startled cry the first time Sparky latched on she calmed down and let her drain all but one of her bag sections. Geez, for being as full as they were it didn't take but just a minute or two and they looked like deflated balloons. That picture's not very good but I was backed against a wall. I'll get a better one later.
I had checked on Moo a little before 9:00 when we were heading in from chores and saw her contracting, even pushing. We all got chairs and sat quietly outside the coop for the next half hour and got to see the entire birth. Thank heavens it went well because I'm not sure how the kids would have reacted had there been a problem. They were all just in awe of the calf! It was interesting that her hooves were neon white when she was born but by morning were totally black. I'd never heard of that.
3 comments:
their hooves are covered in a protective coating so they won't rip their mom on the way out. Baby goats are the same is why I know. Beautiful calf!
She's just lovely!
I hope Moo keeps letting her nurse and doesn't kick her out of the way again or you'll have your hands full raising a calf!!!
Wow what an adventure. Didn't check for a couple of days, and now there's a baby. More pictures please, and you have to let us know if she's letting her nurse.
kat
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