[enjoytheride]

Tim finally kidded and I missed it- I checked on her at midnight then fell asleep and didn't wake til dawn.
She had 4- all doelings but two were dead when I found them. Sounds heartless but that is better I think. I didn't want to bottle feed and three tore up her udder last year. She would have tried to feed all I know but I couldn't have let her do that- no more even three. So I would have had to pull them and tried to find homes for them.
The two dead ones I don't think ever breathed because their airways were not clear- they were still warm so I tried to get them to breath but there was no response..
Now I have a problem with Tim- I had seen that she was laying down a lot towards the last couple of weeks but she would come for her grain and scratches so I thought it was just extreme preggoness. But she still won't stand for long- I found her on her front knees while the kids nursed (eventually-one just froze everytime I touched her so it took awhile to direct her to dinner) -I wonder now if her front feet are bothering her. After she rests awhile I wiill try to get her to stand while I see what I can see.
I don't think I will breed Tim again- at least for a couple of years- she's just tooooo fertile and so many babies are hard on her. Her first year she had two, last year three and this year four- I'm scared about next year- so she gets a good long rest.
And speaking of rest- I need to crash awhile myself.

 

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Tim and the two girls were up and about this afternoon- so not as bad as I thought. I think she has a bit of hoof rot in one front foot- it looks a bit punky but couldn't see anything else.
The girls (for the moment White Ear and Brown Ear) seem to have full tummys and Tim is being her usual good mom. She's still working the afterbirth out - having no problem with that.

I definitely have to rethink how I go about this- I need a better handle on when the birth is coming. She was not restless or having contractions when I checked her at midnight- She was lying in her usual spot, singing like she had been for two weeks- ligaments had long gone, babies dropped days ago- there must be a way of telling better. Never have seen a mucus plug with her. Simply checking every two hours for days is something I can't manage.

Thank goodness that Tim seems OK.

 

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I read that too- it made me seperate the girls so Tim could go on straight alfalfa- I fed her alfalfa pellets and added crushed Tums to each meal. I also periodically dosed her with calium drenches. I'm giving her Cal-9-fresh now. But when it got sloser she refused the pellets and tums and only ate the hay.

 

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I am lucky that Tim is such a good mom- that was what was so scarey- that I might have lost her by oversleeping.
She is doing better again today- the little kids are more lively and begining to explore.
I know one traditional Boer looks like another but pictures will come as soon as it stops raining and hailing.