Kids for Lilo

Lilo kidded this morning.  I was in between dropping two-legged kids off at school and racing over to our friends' house...but they came before I arrived.  I always try to remind myself that it's best when you don't have to help at all, when you just walk out to the barn to find new babies on the ground.  But I'm always a little disappointed when I don't get to watch.

Lilo had two healthy little bucklings.  Actually, they were very good size and both are doing well.  We've decided on "Coffee" and "Creamer" for their names.  Creamer had a little trouble getting started nursing but seems to be doing well now.  Again, I have to remind myself to give momma and baby a chance to do it on their own.  All too often our instinct is to help when they don't really need it.  Trust the momma.  Trust the momma.

Lilo's False Labor

So there was some confusion about when Lilo was actually due.  And I think in hindsight, I'd follow the gal who had her when she was bred.  But it really looked like Lilo was in labor.

And she probably was.  She would arch her back, tucking her tailbone under.  She would stand alone and stretch.  She pawed the ground, got down, got up, got down.  But she was faking.  I don't know how we would know she was faking, except that the babies didn't come for another week.  And that's a little too long for a goat to be in labor without any complications.  But she did get a lot of attention out of the whole ordeal...so maybe that was her end-game.