[Roxy]

My first day back at work following my finger discolation.  Fed all the animals and off I went.  Came home just after lunch.  Checked the hen huts for eggs, and looked in at the goats.  Due for kidding next week - but all was well when I looked.  Went off and did a few jobs round the farm, and at teatime started the evening feeds.  As I walked down to the goats they were making a dreadful racket, but this is usual when they know its feed time!  I started to put the buckets down. but Molly was still bleating and stood on her back legs looking over the gate - and I have kidded enough goats to know that was the bleat of a nanny looking for her kid.  Looked at her back end, and the afterbirth was just coming away.  Looked round the pen,  but no kid, looked in the bedding, incase it had got covered up ,.....nothing.

I have had goat kids which have rolled out of pens (and new born calves roll out of fields!)  Went outside the pen, in case the kid had somehow gone under the gate .....nope.  In desperation I even checked the hen huts next door.  By this time it was nearly dark and I was worried.  The hens were all clucking  getting ready to go in, the goats were all bleating, but then I thought I heard the faint bleat of a kid, and then it came again.  I had another look round, and could not believe it - there was a kid wedged in the small space between the goats shed and the hen hut.  Don't ask me how it had got there, but without dismanting the goat shed, no way could I get it out.  I rang hubby and he came rushing from work.  When he saw where the kid was, he too was wondering how to get it out.  In the end, I got a brush stale, and gently pushed  the kid towards my hubby, it was upside down at one stage, but we had to get it out.  Then we pulled a panel of wood from the shed, and there it was!
Mum and kid are now settled in the llamas brand new field shelter, and hopefully it will be none  the worse for its traumatic start.  Just realised I do not know what sex it is.  I will put my money on a male!











Mol

[manian]

goodness
on lucky kid......
  for you
Mx

[Roxy]

This is Mollys third kidding, and the third time she has kidded with no warning.  Yesterday there was not even a hint of an udder - but there is one tonight!!

[faith0504]

oh bless glad it all worked out ok, please can we have photos?? 

[divanp75]

   they are little critters and get in the smallest gaps

[Rosemary]

So glad everything turned out OK - hope th kid does well. Must be a good name in there somewhere.

[Anke]

How's the wee escape artist doing? Boy or girl?

have got two weeks to go to my first kidding this year....

[Cinderhills]

Glad you got him/her out.  What a good story. 

[Sandy]

That kid is lucky you looked!!!! Hope thats the last time it gets into trouble!

[Blinkers]

OMG    what a shock for you, what a trauma for the nanny and what an adventure for the kid     Bless all of you and thank goodness you found it in time.  Boy or Girl?        

[Mays]

norty kid! what worry!

[sabrina]

I had a mare who foaled and the poor foal rolled under the fence, a friend lost her foal as the mare foal into the bath tub she used for their water ...after hearing that we covered all our water troughs and put buckets in the field at foaling time. so glad your little kid is doing well, such a shock when something like that happens. 

[little blue]

poor little b**ger! and traumatic for you both, and Molly.
hope s/he is none the worse for the experience & doesnt make a habit of it!

[ballingall]

I had a mare who foaled and the poor foal rolled under the fence, a friend lost her foal as the mare foal into the bath tub she used for their water ...after hearing that we covered all our water troughs and put buckets in the field at foaling time. so glad your little kid is doing well, such a shock when something like that happens. 

Mhmm- have to say when the goats get to the point of looking like kidding we remove the water buckets last thing at night so they can't have the kid into the bucket. They get the bucket back first thing in the morning!

Beth

[Roxy]

I too, always remove water buckets at night, for fear of the kid dropping in it.  But, all my goats seem to kid late afternoon!!  Once they get near kidding, I actually remove their bucket all the time, and replace with a shallow bowl, which I replenish regularly.