McCarthy Farms Waiting Room...finally!

No babies yet! She’s having pretty big contractions and lays down then gets up, eats a bit of hay and repeats. Right now she’s just wanting snuggles!

This is our first ever kidding. How long before pushing do they usually start having contractions? Hers don’t seem very close together but they seem HARD. She nearly bends in half lol the poor darling.

 

Pam had triplets! The first was a beautiful little doeling, and the second was making its way out before she had even got her back legs out. I thought for sure it was twins and while she was cleaning them up, she started pushing again. i was expecting placenta but instead there were back feet! i had to help pull a little but all three are alive and well. One doeling and two bucklings.
still waiting on mama to pass the placenta and for kids to find a teat. they are all up and searching! I am so relieved!

 

Babies are really struggling to find her teats. Her udder is so huge that they’re aiming too high and haven’t figured out her tears point backwards yet. i’ve got a bottle i’m trying to give them but none of them will take it. Any tips!?

 

Okay. Was a bit of a wild ride but we got there in the end! Babies were all hungry and crying, so mama kept moving to try and find them. Just as I'd get one to the teat, she'd move and it'd lose it. They were also really fighting me, but I managed to get all 3 to have something.

The little doeling is the darker kid. I've named her Poppy. She was the first born, and had a big drink from the bottle (milked straight from Pam) as well as from mama's teat.

Next up is Pedro. He arrived before Poppy had even made it all the way out!

Percy is the little breech kid, and he fought me the most about taking the teat. It was hard to maneuver Pam's teat in because they are just so darn large!

Pam has passed her placenta, right into my lap as I was trying to get the kids to suck. Ah well. I've now had a shower and am ready for bed...it's only midnight!

Poppy and Pedro. About 10 minutes after Pedro was born Pam started pushing again and I thought it was her placenta...then I saw a back foot!

 

Thanks everyone! We are so beyond happy with them - more so after I had a shower and a quick snooze LOL. She had the kids about 8:30pm, and I didn't get them drinking until around 11. Headed in to bed around 1 and everyone was nice and happy this morning at 5am when I woke up

I still had to assist them this morning but they all latched the second I pointed the teat at them. Had to tie up mama again but she was much better this time - even more so when I let her stick her head in a bucket of grain!
She is very watchful and I can already tell that little doeling is gonna be trouble! She leaps and bounds around the place and Pam nearly makes herself dizzy trying to keep her eyes on her LOL.

I still think it will take them a few days to be able to find the teat on their own, but they are looking in the right place! Just not quite low enough or facing the right way. Once I get them on they are awesome.
All 3 have peed and pooped too, and no screaming this morning so I don't think they're too hungry, but will definitely be keeping an eye on them!

Already on it! She does get mastitis easily - with her last kid (born before we got them) she was probably twice the size of what she is this time around, and was severely engorged with mastitis. We make sure to milk her out and consistently feel it for lumps or hot spots. I will be starting to milk her after a week or so anyway which will help her greatly. As someone who has had mastitis several times, I am straight on the lookout with her because I know how painful it is!

Little Percy, the kid that was backwards.

Pedro

Poppy. I'd made up my mind to sell any of Pam's kids as pets but I'm gonna have a hard time choosing whether I keep this girl or not! I think I will, and breed her to Robin when she's old enough.

Double trouble boys! Pedro with the white on his head, and Percy.

Pedro. He made his way out of Pam before Poppy had even got her back legs out!

Poppy giving her brother a pep talk. She did this a few times - like she was playing leap frog! She is already such a rambunctious little lady!

Pam and her 3 sweet babies. She is such a good mama!

Little Pedro

 

My phone is already full of pictures of them! I have to work really hard to not post every single one everywhere I can, LOL!
Little Poppy is just gorgeous. Both hubby and I have already pretty much decided we are going to keep her.

They are all doing well today! I was a bit worried about Pedro - he doesn't seem as interested in feeding and whenever I peek in on them and they're sleeping, he's always off sleeping by himself while the other two are together near mama. He did wake up and had a big stretch and a pee and went over to pester Pam, so I guess all is okay. I will put them all back to the teats when they wake up just for my own peace of mind! So far, Poppy and Percy have been able to find the milk bar all on their own. I have milked Pam a couple of times to put some colostrum in the freezer just in case.

Overall, I am so thrilled with them! And grateful my first ever kidding went so well. Even the breech kid was a non-event! Now just to wait and see if Lacey gives us anything...I'm not convinced with her! In saying that - the vet ultrasounded her and said he saw nothing...but he also told me Pam only had a single!