A 2:30 a.m. barn check on Wednesday found Stormstruck already in labor with a mal-positioned kid who needed to be removed manually. Unfortunately, that first kid didn’t make it and I never made it back to bed that morning. I had to re-position a couple more kids, including one who was breech – presenting rump only. In a rump only presentation, you have to work inside the doe to carefully find and extend the back legs so the kid can be delivered.
Anyone who is raising and kidding goats, should be prepared to identify birthing problems (dystocia) and assist a birth or call a vet to help. One really good reference is What to Do in a Kidding Emergency from the Dairy Goat Journal. I recommend printing it out and keeping in it your birthing supply box, just in case you need it. Nigerians are known for having multiple kids and that increases the chance that the kids could be positioned wrong or “tangled up” inside and need help.
In the end, Stormstruck delivered four more beautiful kids, 2 does and 2 bucks, who are doing well and Stormstruck has recovered from her rough delivery. Now I just need catch up on my sleep because Taffy is due in a few days and she looks like should could have several kids packed in there as well.
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