I woke up at 3 am and was uneasy....so I figured there was a reason for me to be awake. I checked the barn monitor and sure enough, Angel was making all the tell-tale noises that she was in labor. With such a difficult pregnancy, I have been watching her very closely. She has lost a lot of body condition and things just did not seem "right" with this whole pregnancy. Angel is the half sister to my beloved buck Exadore that we lost a couple years ago. She is also the daughter of my dear Legacy. I have been very concerned about her health this time. She is bred to Pete, and these kids will be very special to my herd...but I knew something just wasn't right.
At 3 am she was very uneasy and pawing at the ground. She'd lay down for just a few seconds, then get back up.
at 4:42 am she had the mucos discharge that signifies that kids are on the way soon. (we call it "goo"). Once a doe has "goo"....you know to watch for kids.
at 5:52 am she pushed for the first time. The birth fluids were amber colored, something that concerned me. That push was followed by a series of laying down, groaning....getting up....stretching her back out....putting her front end on the ground with her back end up.....
Over and over again. I think the kids were malpositioned...but I gave her time to work through this and give the kids time to position correctly.
at 6:42 am she pushed again. That push was followed by another series of up and down and arching her back and putting her forelegs under her and back up again. By this time I was VERY sure the kids were not positioned correctly for birth....but I do prefer to let the doe sort things. It is her body and God gives them the instinct and knowledge to know what to do. I'm just the hired hand.
At 7:20 she was pushing for a kid. She would get up and move a bit, but she was steadily trying to get the kid out. Within a few minutes I saw a head. The kids' forelegs were behind him so he was presenting with head and shoulders.
At 7:38 the first buckling was born. 5# 15 oz. Head and shoulders with forelegs back. A very long and hard delivery. Angel relaxed a bit as I talked to her and massaged her..... and her labor progressed...
At 8:09 the second buckling was born, 5# 11.6 oz. He presented normally and without complications.
I went in the house to check on the bucklings. Our kids are taken at birth and brought inside to be cleaned, dried, umbilical cords clamped and saturated with iodine and to be sure they are on their feet. I was a bit concerned about buck 1 because of the difficult presentation at birth.
At 8:32 the third buckling was born, 4# 13 oz. He presented normally and without complications.
I sent buck #3 with my daughter into the house for the routine cleaning, clamping, drying...etc. and focused my attention on Angel.
I gave her a big bucket of warm molasses water, which she drank very well. I also gave her fresh hay, cookies, and another good rub-down. Once she began to pass placentas, I removed them and let her rest.
I've been so excited to see these kids....but I was disappointed that they were all bucklings. Pete has always been a "doemaker". So far this year we've had 5 kids sired by him.....all 5 are bucks.
Back to Angel's triplet bucklings. I have handed each one to my daughter and by now it is nearly 10am. I was exhausted, my back hurt really bad from sitting on a milk crate in the birthing stall.....and my feet ached from being so cold (19º F during those birthing hours). Angel was doing really well and I went into the house to do my double-check on each kid and get some colostrum into them. I do them in birth order.
Boy 1 was re-dunked with iodine, cord clamp checked, and he got 4 oz of colostrum, and put into the playpen.
Boy 2 was re-dunked with iodine, cord clamp checked, and got 4 oz of colostrum, and put into the playpen.
Boy 3 was re-dunked with iodine, cord clamp checked, and as I was giving him his bottle of colostrum, I saw a problem. He wasn't able to suck well and that is when I got a good look at his face. He had a severe cleft lip. My heart sunk. I held him close and gave him the colostrum anyway because he was hungry....but I knew in my heart what had to be done. One side of his face was completely normal, the other side was not.
By 10 am what had to be done was done.
Angel is recovering from a very difficult pregnancy and birth.
Boy #1 is now known as Queenacres Faux Paus (because he should have been a girl) He has been sold.
Boy #2 is now known as Queenacres Frosty Frodo...and we plan to keep him
Boy #3 is now at the rainbow bridge...RIP little boy....
3 comments:
I am so sorry. It just seems so unfair in so many ways - to all involved - when such efforts are followed through with complete commitment. I just hope the babes and Angel will be okay, Hon.
So sorry this happened! Hopefully Angel will recover well from this birth!
From the amber fluid, I thought I was going to read that it was a red bag delivery. I'm glad it wasn't! Good job getting everything tended to, I'm glad the 2 are doing well and love their names. I'm sorry for the 3rd little fella's demise. RIP little fella.
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