02/16/2026
What a week at Duncan Stables… 😅❤️
To start off a little backstory, I’ve been thinking of breeding my girls for awhile but knew I needed to find the right Billy for them. We finally did and purchased him. Then when checking on the goats (6 days ago now)and adjusting their blankets, I felt udders, then a kick… we felt active babies… To say we were shocked would be an understatement. Shock turned to excitement, quickly turning into fear when the realization hit that the sire had to be the only billy on our farm… a Boer buck, we were terrified the babies might be too big and that we could lose both moms and kids. Our girls are separated, so to say this was an unexpected turn of events, was an understatement. But with Kevin where there’s a will he will find a way apparently 😅
Thought this wasn’t how we wanted things to go, God had other plans.
Within one week, we went from buying a new billy to start breeding our girls…. to finding out they were already pregnant…. to welcoming FOUR babies, and what an emotional rollercoaster it has been.
First delivery: 2/13/26
Baby #1 had a leg back and needed assistance to be delivered safely. My sister Kat thankfully made it to the girls in time to help assist baby Jason into this world with the help of my brother Jon. Baby #2 I had made it there minutes before she started her arrival. She was tail back with one leg out and the other facing the wrong direction. I had to help with repositioning and helping guide baby out. It was very intense and scary. That second baby was born not breathing… but we were able to resuscitate her. Despite her rough bringing into the world Valentina is alive and thriving. Both of these babies are now bottle babies due to momma going into shock and hormonal surges and ultimately rejecting them, both momma and babies are doing well though — they were weaker at first, but they are coming around beautifully. We are so proud of them.
Second delivery: 2/15/26
This one tested us in a whole different way. One baby became stuck with his head turned sideways and both legs facing back instead of coming forward. I knew he could not come out like that and she was struggling and getting weaker and more tired with every contraction. I had to go in, reposition his head and help quote it out, and then he became stuck at the shoulders, thankfully I was able to help reposition him some and help wiggle him out slowly and carefully, once we got his shoulders out it took a little more pushing and he finally came out.
But when he did.. he wasn’t breathing.
We had to clear his airway and perform CPR to bring him back. Those moments felt like forever. But thank God, he responded. He took a breath, then another stronger one. The sigh of relief was immense when we finally heard a sound coming out of that little baby we thought we were about to loose.
His sibling was also tail back, but came more easily and was even born still in her sack. Both are strong and thriving now with momma.
We went into these births absolutely terrified. As first-time goat breeders, assisting with malpresentations, repositioning babies internally, and performing neonatal resuscitation on not one, but two of the babies, this really was not something we expected to be doing this week. But we did it. And everyone survived. With teamwork, prayer, a whole lot of adrenaline and downright determination to save both mommas and babies. We couldn’t have prayed for a better outcome🙏
Right now I’m sitting here exhausted beyond words, but immensely relieved and yet grateful for this experience. This is not at all how I envisioned our start in goat breeding, but here we are. Both moms are resting peacefully. All four babies are alive. I’d call that a win and one heck of a way to start out this new adventure.
Thank you to my people for all of your help and support through this crazy ride we’ve been on this past week. I couldn’t have done it without you! Tiff and Abby for being there for goat watch and all the long hours of staying up and checking on the girls and into the delivery’s and my husband Danny for all his help and assistance this weekend ❤️
I am overwhelmed with gratitude and relief.
The love we have for our animals is why we work so hard and why do it ❤️
Welcome to the farm, sweet babies, you did great mommas ❤️
enjoy all the baby goat pics🥰
