Monday, March 16, 2009

Wendell, you're kidding!

That is what I said when he called me. I went to town this morning since it was Joann's birthday and Mary was going to do her hair. Kathy, Joann and I were going to lunch afterward. I checked Emma closely because I knew she could kid anytime. Wendell said he was working on the barn and he would keep an eye on her while I took a break with girlfriends. Besides, she had not been showing the classic signs of labor. When Wendell called and said, "It's a girl." I knew she hadn't waited for me. Though he has delivered literally hundreds of calves, I am the one that usually does the goat kids. He sounded nervous. Fortunately, Emma popped out triplets with no problem at all. The first was a black and white doeling that weighed 5 lb 14 oz. Then she had a black and white spotted buckling that weighed 8 lbs even. Not long after that she had a red and white spotted doeling that weighed in a 5 lb 10 oz. I cut my trip short and made it all the way back to Rainbow Valley just in time to feed the last doeling her colostrum. He had done an excellent job cleaning them up, dipping their navels in iodine and making sure they got colostrum as soon as possible. They are all adorable -- even when I have to get up (or stay up) for the midnight feeding.Luna loves her new charges! She is so gentle with them.