The Best Laid Plans ...
Today is my first day off work since our show last Friday. I planned to write a show re-cap and tell you all about Del's ribbon. I might even have been planning to write something about Jubilee's cria being due on the 25th. At this point, I don’t really remember the rest of my plans for the day -- except that they included picking blackberries, picking tomatoes, picking beans, and possibly some spinning or carding.
If you own livestock, however, plans change quite a bit in a big hurry.
When we went out to do morning chores, we noticed Jubilee was behaving a little odd. We can't describe any specific behavior, just that the behavior was somehow a little different. The girls were in the small pasture and we decided it might be a good idea to move the herd into the large front pasture we use as our birthing pasture. Jubilee wandered into the shed and cushed in the sand. The rest of the herd trotted out to the fresh grass and started grazing. We knew something was up.
By the time we had finished morning chores, we were certain Jubilee was in labor. Pam gathered the cria kit, then settled into a chair in the shade to watch with binoculars. I decided to start picking those berries. I think I had all of five berries picked when Pam informed me that not only was Jubilee in labor, but a little black nose was now visible. I stuffed the handful of blackberries in my mouth and helped move the cria kit to the pasture.
By noon, Jubilee's cria was on the ground. By 12:10 pm, she was standing.
Here she is less than an hour old. She's still a little wet with amniotic fluid and she's still figuring out how to move those legs.
Here she is about four hours old. Notice how she has dried out.
It's been a long day and I'm tired. The tomatoes aren't picked, I haven't touched fiber, and the beans will have to wait.
And there is another cria in the pasture. After four male cria our first two years, it is quite nice to have two female cria this year.
The new baby doesn't have a name yet. We have a couple ideas in mind, but so far, nothing has jumped up and fit the baby. We're trying to find Irish, Celtic, or Norse names that fit the baby and sound feminine. I'll post when she finally has a name.
If you own livestock, however, plans change quite a bit in a big hurry.
When we went out to do morning chores, we noticed Jubilee was behaving a little odd. We can't describe any specific behavior, just that the behavior was somehow a little different. The girls were in the small pasture and we decided it might be a good idea to move the herd into the large front pasture we use as our birthing pasture. Jubilee wandered into the shed and cushed in the sand. The rest of the herd trotted out to the fresh grass and started grazing. We knew something was up.
By the time we had finished morning chores, we were certain Jubilee was in labor. Pam gathered the cria kit, then settled into a chair in the shade to watch with binoculars. I decided to start picking those berries. I think I had all of five berries picked when Pam informed me that not only was Jubilee in labor, but a little black nose was now visible. I stuffed the handful of blackberries in my mouth and helped move the cria kit to the pasture.
By noon, Jubilee's cria was on the ground. By 12:10 pm, she was standing.
Here she is less than an hour old. She's still a little wet with amniotic fluid and she's still figuring out how to move those legs.
Here she is about four hours old. Notice how she has dried out.
It's been a long day and I'm tired. The tomatoes aren't picked, I haven't touched fiber, and the beans will have to wait.
And there is another cria in the pasture. After four male cria our first two years, it is quite nice to have two female cria this year.
The new baby doesn't have a name yet. We have a couple ideas in mind, but so far, nothing has jumped up and fit the baby. We're trying to find Irish, Celtic, or Norse names that fit the baby and sound feminine. I'll post when she finally has a name.
posted by Upper Alpacas | 8:03 PM
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