Well, it must be that time...Anna decided to kid last night. This is her first freshening so we were a little more apprehensive about how she would do, but she did great!
A few weeks ago, when I was trimming everyone's hooves, I felt her for babies and thought I felt something. But then she wasn't very big and didn't seem to be getting that baby belly. We thought she might not have taken this time. Then as the other girls started getting udders, Anna started to fill up too. We thought she was so petite, maybe she was just getting a "sympathetic udder" - when there's so much estrogen in the air that all the girls get an udder regardless of breeding status. But we were wrong.
Last night, in the pouring down rain on the Sunday night after J had two weeks off at home, Anna decided to deliver. She had one baby and our dear friends called to tell us. The boys jumped in the car and headed over to see. While our friends were helping Anna over to the kidding side of the barn (we really weren't thinking she was ready to kid yet), she delivered her second. Both babies are strong, healthy doelings - a white one and a strawberry one. One baby weighed in at 8lbs 12oz and the other weighed in at 8lbs 8oz. Those are some great weights for first time babies and she certainly hid them well in her frame!
Looks like both babies are from Fool's Gold, our Boer buck. One of the babies seems to have a very flexible hind leg, but my guess is that she's just a rubber band baby and will solidify over the next few days. I am thrilled to see Anna doing so well. J said that she was letting the babies latch, albiet uncomfortably. Her udder is beautiful, round and well-attached with two straight teats. We'll see what she thinks of milking in a few weeks.
Another note - we gave Tumbleweed's doeling .2cc BoSe subQ last night. Her front legs seem to be getting stronger. I will be taking our boys over after school today to give the bucklings their shots - with these two being 4-H goats, the boys need to take care of all of their shots. M isn't sure that he can do it - says he doesn't like crying babies - but I'm sure he can help.
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