One of the new Sable Pt does was due on the 13th. The other the 14th. I didn't realize it was Friday the 13th until someone mentioned it. Now, I've never considered Friday 13th a bad day for me. I've never had an unlucky Friday 13, so I kind of think of it as a lucky day. Of course, it's probably just another day. I'm not a lucky person and I don't think there are lucky days for me.
I thought it would be cool if I could name a litter for Friday the 13th. You know...lucky type names. Plus, another cold snap was coming so it would be lucky if the litter was alive if born at night. Well, this litter did turn out to be lucky. I hope.
I caught her pulling fur yesterday morning when I went out for chores. I gave her a box and she immediately began bundling hay. I should have paid more attention. She's a proven and experienced doe and pulling fur probably was her routine just before kindling. But I don't know her and just wasn't thinking. I didn't look in on her again until late afternoon when I went out to shut up the barn and turn on the heater. It was 50 most of the day so I had some windows open.
Oh my. There were kits all over the wire. She built a beautiful fur nest so I don't know why she didn't put them in it. 3 were alive but very cold and close to death. I whisked them into the house and popped the heat wrap in the microwave. It took over an hour (had to heat the wrap a 2nd time) to get the kits warm and active. By this time, it was too late to take them back out to her to see if she wanted to tend to them. No way I was leaving the box out all night. I put the box on a heating pad to warm it up. As of now, they are all fine, but it's too early to take them out there. My worry is not knowing how this doe will accept my routine of taking the box out in the morning and taking it away the rest of the time. Especially since she hasn't seen the kits since I picked them off the wire. Here's hoping she will accept them. I don't have a doe to foster. If this litter survives, I think it's definitely earned the lucky names. Oh yeah and it's just plain lucky I have a litter at all!
Here's also hoping the other SP doe kindles during the day, too. This cold snap is going to last for a good week. Oh BTW, the kits are probably Sable Pts (I hope). She was bred to the new Jacob's SP buck. The other doe is bred to Sugardaddy (broken black) so I don't know what I'll get there. He carries for tort so good chance for that. More on these stories as they develop.
In chicken news. I had to kick the d'Uccle roo out of the pen. For some reason, everybody started beating him up a few days ago, even the hens. I don't know what happened to the pecking order all of a sudden, but apparently he was severely demoted. He looked really rough around the head and tail feathers, and his comb was caked with I don't know what. They wouldn't let him near any food. So out he went to join the other 2 free rangers where he seems to be doing ok.
The buff Cochin roo is probably going out, too. I decided he's a mixed breed. He's bigger than the other Cochins and not cochin-shaped. He's tall, leggy, long necked. I probably don't want his genes in any hatches I might get. Although, I do like him. He's a handsome bird and not aggressive. The d'Uccle was a little aggressive with me. I've had to smack him a few times. Maybe that's what set the others off? That would be interesting to know. The Rhode Island Red roo has been smacked, too, but it's my plan to isolate him with the 2 RIR hens for RIR chicks so he's staying in for now. That leaves the 2 fluffy mottled black Cochin roos for the rest of the hens. Which means more mixed breeds since there's only 1 Cochin hen, but oh well. I'm not raising show chickens.
So far this winter has been the way I like it. Except for the little cold snaps, it's mostly been mild with rain instead of snow. I've even been able to open a window in the house during the day. It's about 24 this morning and there's snow on the ground, but not a lot. It rained quite a bit before it turned to snow so I'm sure the roads are treacherous this morning. I don't have to go anywhere so it doesn't bother me. It's supposed to get back to normal after this cold front goes by. I like it this way.
tnt
