Nearly a week has passed since our sweet triplet kids goats were born. We ended up bringing the two weakest goats inside to monitor them closely, warm them up during the first 48 hours and feed them some medicine that we hoped would help them become stronger.
Of course, a few hugs and warm cuddles from the resident toddler was also on the medicine list.
Sadly, however, one of the babies died during the night. We were heart broken, but we also know that this is part of farm life. We have been through this before and learn something new each time.
Thankfully, the other two goats are doing very well. After the first little one died, we were nervous that the second weak goat would also give up. My eldest daughter took the responsibility of caring for the little spotted kid inside, feeding the kid goat milk from a bottle, giving her electrolytes and keeping her warm at night. Once, I woke up in the middle of the night to check on the baby goat, hoping she was doing okay, but I could not find her anywhere. We had a box set up close to the woodstove to keep her warm, but her box was missing and so was the little one. In the dark of the night, I whispered to my husband “Did the little goat die? Where is it?!” But he had no idea where the little goat was …
In the morning, I went upstairs to wake up the girls and asked them if they had seen the little goat. Lacey pulled back the covers of her bed and there, indeed, was the goat, snuggled up and warm in the crook of her arm. She had been feeding her goat it’s bottle during the night and making sure it was doing okay. Lacey was tired that day but her night shift worked – the little goat became stronger and is doing so well. She has transitioned back into the barn with her momma and, while smaller than her sister, is doing just fine being cared for her momma, even in the winter weather.
There is always something new to learn with each season. We are grateful that two of the kids have survived and are doing well.
by Gigi
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