# Star is in labor!



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Star showed no signs of being in labor when we put her up just before sunset. She's due on Sunday, so I figured we had a day or two.
Went to the inlaws for dinner and countdown to the New Year.
As soon as I got home I went out to check on the girls and she had the first sack hanging out, that was about 1am.

She's been up and down, a little stretching, a LOT of licking, but then about 2:30am she ate a little hay and laid down to rest, chewing her cud furiously.

I've gone in 2x, she's open, but I don't feel babies. I think I can sort of feel a baby, but not sure what I am feeling, I'm worried it might be a tail.
As I said she's very open, I massaged her cervix, and tried to feel around really well, but I feel like I am up against a big wall? 
It's 3:49am right now. My daughter is sitting with her while I warm up. 

I did feel a baby trying to kick way down low on the bottom of her belly. 
I really hope she's just laboring differently from the other girls, and there isn't an issue.

If she hasn't progressed at all by 5am, I will wake hubby up and have him help before he goes to work. 

Fingers crossed...


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Fingers crossed. Hope all goes well...


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## Darlaj (Dec 10, 2013)

How is it goung


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## CapriGem (May 12, 2010)

On pins and needles. I hope everything is ok...


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

?? Hope all is well!!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks everyone, well, it's bad news unfortunately  She lost twins - doe and a buck. 
It was the worst delivery ever, topped her losing babies last year prematurely. This is just the worst experience ever with the goats by far 

First baby was twisted, I felt a head below, and something above, but it didn't feel right. By the time I got hubby up to help me, all he could find was feet. The head had twisted back and we just couldn't get it, cord broke, baby died, nothing anyone could have done.
Another bubble, but she just wouldn't try to push. I worked her cervix and worked it, bumped her belly, etc. finally went in and found another baby with it's head twisted back. 
Couldn't get that baby out at all, hubby had to leave for work, and I was stuck with no options.
Called the vet, who BTW are AWESOME! He met us at the clinic <my oldest 2 were helping>. He had to go in and attach chains to the feet and head in order to get them out. it was H*LL, but finally a really nice big buckling came out. 
Such a shame.

Star is resting in her stall, she's exhausted, and in extreme pain, but otherwise seems like she will be okay, so long as she doesn't get a uterine infection.
Vet gave her oxytocin and LA200, and I gave her Banamine when we got her home. Of all things I forgot to get the other day at TSC....LA200!!!! OMG yes, I am kicking myself! I asked my husband to see if the farm stores in town are open and get some on his way home this morning.

She is a mess, looks like she's been through a chainsaw massacre. We'll try to clean her up later when it warms up. Vet said to milk the colostrum, so we're definitely planning to do that, and try to keep her in milk, so... if she heals enough and looks for her babies/wants a baby, we might graft another does baby onto her. I'm too tired to think about that now, but that might be the plan.

Sadly though, Star will have to be culled  Breaks my heart, because we really do adore her. But this is the 2nd time, and I can't chance it again with her.

I'm okay mentally, and emotionally. But physically I feel horrible, my whole body hurts.... sooo much so that I haven't been able to force myself to lay down.

The crazy thing is, I've always had a bad feeling about Star this pregnancy. In fact, I can't remember the dream, but the last 2 nights I've had nightmares about her going into labor and something happening. I didn't sleep well both nights. So strange. Thankfully no nightmares about the others, well, besides missing a birth that I have been anticipating and finding healthy, dry babies!


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## Cedar Point Kikos (Oct 16, 2013)

Oh, No! That is so sad!


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Oh I am so so sorry  :hug:


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## Used2bmimi (Oct 3, 2012)

I am so sorry.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm so sorry.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Oh I am so sorry Candice :hug: I just found this thread !
Poor Star  How horrible !


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

oh, I'm so sorry!!!!! :hug: I'm so sorry. hoping she'll heal up nice and be able to raise some babies for you (so all will not be lost). :hug:


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Wow...that's a rough night! I'm sorry for your losses and glad that you are doing ok after all of that. The adrenalin will take some time to wear off..:/


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Oh, so sorry. This seems to be a bad year for kidding. Hope the others do okay. Keep your head up!


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

Oh no! I'm so sorry. If you have any preparation H to put on Star's vulva that would probably help her feel a little better.


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## Darlaj (Dec 10, 2013)

I'm wondering if giving colostrum back to a doe who has had such trouble would be beneficial ? Any thoughts on that?


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## iiweazle (Sep 1, 2013)

What does culled mean? What are you going to do with her?


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Cull means to remove it from the herd either by selling her or butchering... She is not looking like she should be bred again...


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## lauraanimal1 (Sep 5, 2013)

Oh so sorry to hear this, Star your in everyones prayers Im sure, your in mine as well as You are Candice. So sad to hear this, I was so hoping to see the dozens of ND's following behind her and the look on her face of being "caught" :-o:worried::shocked::tears::hugs::shrug::-Dhlala::lovey::laugh::greengrin::hug:;-) 

Again, sorry for your loss, both baby wise and cull wise. 
Laura:sad::tear::hug::grouphug:


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## DancingHoovesFarm (Nov 18, 2012)

Have you thought about breeding star to a Nigerian dwarf buck next year? That would make the babies a lot smaller and easier to birth. Maybe if she raised some babies she would have a easier time after this. I always breed my first freshener a to Nigerians to make the kidding easier. I don't know if star is a dairy or a meat goat but the babies can always be sold as pets or for meat.


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

That's terrible, Candice!!  I was excited to see this thread, but how awful about the babies.


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

I'm so sorry, Candice. What an awful experience. I completely understand not wanting to risk a repeat. I'd probably make the same decision in your shoes...


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Oh Candice, I am so sorry. What an awful night for all of you! :blue:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I am so very sorry.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks Everyone, it means so much to me ♥
I managed to finally get some sleep, not much, but enough that I feel much better. Arms and hands are sore, mostly just muscle and joint soreness. 
My best friend came by and dropped food off for us on the side porch <I didn't hear the door, I was dead to the world  >, so it was awesome of her, I was so hungry when I woke up. Plus inlaws sent some yummy looking cake home with hubby when he stopped to pick up my youngest daughter.
THANK GOD we let our 7yo sleep over with her cousins last night. 
I told her about Star, and not to be sad. She asked if we'll give her a baby from another doe, and I told her we'll see. This was worst than last year, not sure if she's going to feel like taking on a baby.

Swelling is horrible, it's bad inside, and I can only imagine what her vulva looks like right now. I don't have preparation H, but if Kroger or any pharmacy is open I can try to get some to help her feel better. We'll give her another shot of Banamine tonight, I think it's what every 12 hours?

We bought her with the purpose of having fullblood 100% registerable boer babies. She's a big doe, and the vet said there is plenty of room inside, no reason this should happen in a normal doe <one that will try to position her kids>. She's 2yo and 150-160lbs. 
It's not her fault, just the way she is. But we can't keep her, I can't ever do this again with her, and I don't think she should ever be bred again. We'll try to sell her as a weed eater, as she's not really a 'pet' she's not loveable and attention starved like the others. But weed eater, yes. Otherwise, we'll have to take her to auction.
Not easy decision, we have had her in our small herd going on 2 years, she's one of my favorites mostly because she is too smart for her own good! She also always answers me when I call her name, no matter where she is, she always made me laugh. We will cry like a baby when she is gone 

BUT... I told my son depending on what our only other bred fullblood has, and after all kids are born, and we can sell what they aren't keeping for 4-H then I may try to buy him a nice fullblood doe. 
He's taking this better than I thought he would.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Aw, I'm so sorry Candice! How sad 

As odd as it sounds, I think the big deep bodied does have more issues with tangled kids, since there is more room for them to move in there. I have a big, deep bodied boer cross doe, and she has issues with kids from time to time, but most other times she does just fine.
The first kidding I had with her was triplets and she had them just fine. Then she has preemie twins, then she had quads just fine (she had them without me knowing, three does were cleaned off and nursing, but she never got the buck out of the sack so he didnt make it), then she had triplets that were a jumbled mess all bucks, we lost one due to not getting out there in time but saved the other two.
She's about 180lbs in prime condition, and a total blimp when she's pregnant, she doesnt have papers but the quality kids I get from her are better than some of my fullblood kids, and she is a far better mother than most of them all as well.

But, I do agree, with a small herd, you can't afford to put money into a doe who has had trouble twice with no kids to off set it. With the kid money and the money you get from her, you can get a really nice brood doe (possibly even two), perhaps you can find one with kids still on her so you can see them, and take her home after they are weaned.
I'm sorry your new year has already begun with a rough start but it will get better I'm sure of it! :hug: :cheers:


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

So sorry Candice


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

So sorry;-(


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