Oscar night at our house

I had started to write a post about our trip and being home from Florida... but it will have to wait.

Everything changed yesterday morning. I got up, made coffee, had breakfast and headed to the barn. All was well. As soon as I got close to the barn I heard a kid cry. I ran into the barn and found the kids - Brie a first time mama had kidded early. She barely had a bag at all on her and she had no milk. None. I tried for an hour to get milk flowing and all I got was a teeny bit of Colostrum. The kids were about 2 weeks early.

I got the kids inside, they ate a little from a bottle but they were already super weak. They were cold, and their little teeth aren't even out, their feet not finished developing.

 Over the next few hours I managed to get some milk replacer and the teeny colostrum I had into them, and I got them warmed up. Even their mouths and noses warmed up and they were somewhat responsive. They've been in front of the wood stove in the living room ever since.

From the beginning the male was the stronger of the two, he could stand. The female was much weaker from the get go and even though I tried, I couldn't clear her lungs. From the moment she was born she couldn't breath properly. It might have been a development issue even, it's hard to know. Neither were ready to come out into the world and Brie was not even close to being ready. These are the first premature kids we've had born here on the farm. 

The odds were stacked against them from the beginning. I lost the little girl at midnight.

This morning at 6 AM the little boy woke me up looking for food, and he ate a little. He's having a hard time sucking, but he is trying and I managed to get some milk into him and he pooped really good. After he ate he got up and played with the dogs a little bit and then slept in my lap for about an hour while I had coffee. He's pretty convinced I should be holding him all the time.

It's still very touch and go but I'll hold out hope until there is none left.

Off to the Vet for a bunch of reasons this afternoon.

I promise a better post as soon as I get a few minutes.