Buenos días,
Three of my mom's shetland/highland ewes had babies yesterday morning!! two ewes had singles and one had twins!! two rams and two ewes! it was amazing! of course right after that it started 'slushing' (raining wet snow, when the ground is mud! it's May! now it looks like the middle of winter!? man alive...) But the lambs are doing great, their mamma's are doing a perfect job.After milking Star yesterday morning I went up to feed the baby goats their feed. They all looked fine too, jumping around in the snow. So I headed back with the milk, after I had fed them all.
I went out to check on everyone later, the lambs were doing fine, the mamma's were doing fine, so I headed up to the upper pasture to check on the kids. they all rushed over...all except Mocha...I looked around and he was lying on the ground, looking very stiff!!
I cried out and opened the gate as quick as I could. I rushed over to him. He was still breathing but looked like he was in pain. He groaned a little. I didn't know what to do! with tears in my eyes I tried to figure out what to do. I yelled because I saw Katherine, my 10 y.o sister, walking outside. She ran over, saw what happened and ran to the house for help. My brothers Zach and Angus and sister Hannah ran back from the house with Katherine. They rushed over and asked what happened. I told them I had no idea and didn't know what to do. Zach and Angus ran back to their fort and brought back a stretcher they had made for a church play, which had been months before. We gently picked up Mocha and laid him on the stretcher. He groaned and 'baa'd' at the movement. We carried him to the house and laid him on the ground in front of the wood stove. My siblings grabbed warm towels for me to wrap around Mocha and we stoked the fire. Zach grabbed the camera and took a picture of Mocha in his helpless state and I uploaded it to the computer to post on the Homesteading website so people could tell me if they knew what was wrong with Mocha. I also e-mailed the picture the Mocha's previous owners and asked if they knew what I could do. I began receiving e-mails with advice and help, I followed most of it, giving Mocha a hot bath to help him if he was too cold, I gave him baking soda, a mixture of oil, sugar water and molasseses, milk, and some colloidal silver, my Sister-in-law had given me.
There were times he seemed better, then there were times he seemed worse. Something seemed to be wrong with his neck. I felt for broken bones but I couldn't feel any. I kept him as warm as I could and kept giving him liquids and prayed.
I was so relieved that I had received so much help from people on the forum and Mocha's previous owners, they were all so wonderful for helping me.
However, early this morning, around 4:00 A.M. I lost my baby Mocha...it was sad but I am glad I tried to help him, instead of giving up. I just hope he hadn't been in too much pain.
Now I am keeping his brother and my other baby buck in a play pen indoors so it is warmer for them, as for Tarantella and Evangeline, they are in an enclosed barn with hay, water and some grain. They are older and are okay in the colder weather, but they are in a nicer place with more protection from the elements now.
Life is full of ups and downs. You just gotta live with it and be thankful for what you have and what God has given you.
Don't worry about me, I'm fine =)
Anywho, here are some pictures of the ewes and their babies! =D
Midnight and her beautiful baby ram (possibly being named 'Pitch Black')
Oveja and her baby ram Mouton
Here is Brownies with her beautiful baby girls CreamPuff and ChocolateCake!
In loving memory of my baby Mocha
Adios!
-Rebecca
Ups and Downs
Congratulations to you and may Mocha rest in peace...little cutie pie
