Tumbleweed Has Triplets

We've been waiting to see when the does will start kidding this year.  I was a little off as I expected kidding to start almost a month ago.  From the look of things, we guessed there were triplets in store for Tumbleweed.  We were right.

Let me back up a little.  Our farm is disjointed again.  We had to find temporary housing for all of the goats and chickens while we search for a house to buy.  The rental that we are in only allows for the two dogs, and that was lucky.  So, thanks to our wonderful friends, the does are all at one house (a seasoned goat 4-H family) and the chickens and bucks are at another house.

We got the call last night that Tumbleweed had kidded while everyone was at Target.  I had warned them that she would wait until she was alone to kid.  But that's what you want when you look at a breeding doe - one that handles the whole kidding thing all by herself.  It's always a little disappointing to wait for the birth and then miss it, though.

We hurried over (just five minutes away) and were there to watch everyone get cleaned up and nursing.  There were two bucklings and a doeling - all different colors - kind of a surprise when you look at their mom and dad.  The first buckling, K's fair goat, weighed 7lbs 13oz and was brown and white spotted.

Kobi decided pretty quickly that this little boy would be named Sagebrush - an homage to his mother's high desert roots.

The second born was the doeling, Z's for now - although she may be a meat goat, She weighed 6lbs 10oz and was almost all brown with white socks, a white star on her forehead, a white spot on her belly, and a white tip on her tail.

Our friend suggested "Little Red" but we're not sure as we have a very strong chicken personality named Red.  We've learned today that this little girl is having a hard time with her front legs.  She was probably curled up pretty tight inside momma.  We are going to give her BoSe and work on some muscle stretches and massages.  If any of them have to be a bottle baby, she would be the one we'd choose - not only because of her legs, but also because we don't want the boys raising their market goats as bottle babies.  It would be pretty hard to give them up after raising them like that.

The last born was the biggest buckling, weighing a whopping 8lbs 13oz and completely different than his siblings in color.  He is mostly white with black/grey mottled ears and muzzle.  A very lanky young buckling, he looks like his legs outgrew his body.

Marli will be showing this beautiful boy at fair this year.  He doesn't have a name yet, but we'll find something that fits.

All in all, the babies look fabulous.  There were some folded ears that we cannot correct - they look like they've been folded for awhile in utero.  And we will need to watch baby B's front legs.  But everyone was up and nursing within the first 30 minutes which is fantastic!

I have never had a doe raise triplets on her own so we will also be closely monitoring the babies and their health.  I would love to Tumbles to raise all three, but I want to be ready if we need to supplement for these little ones.

Triplets A, B, and C in birth order from left to right.

My next doe to kid...I'm thinking Lilo with twins.