Thumbelina's Surprise

Thumbelina with her brand new kids--a surprise I was not expecting.

This morning after chores, as I was dashing off the farm to begin a very hectic day, a thin cry sounded from the home pasture before I could reach my car. For about two days now, Thumbelina had been standing separate from the herd giving me a studied look that I did not understand. True, she'd been separated from her cohorts--Cocoa and Jennifer--but they'd moved into the maternity suite and I had not detected a full udder or other signs of pregnancy in Thumbelina. My error. Alerted by the cry, I looked up to see Thumbelina flanked by newborn twins who'd unfortunately been delivered in the dusty home pasture.

Kids delivered in the dusty home pasture. What a mess!

Scooping up the kids and grabbing Thumbelina by a horn, I ushered the new family into the maternity suite. After determining that, like Cocoa's litter, the firstborn was a buckling who bore a strong resemblance to Brad Pitt, and the last-born was a doeling. The cream-colored doeling, having been delivered wet onto the dust, was a muddy mess. I would have liked to stay and clean her up, but the job went to Thumbelina because I had to dash.

Being born is hard work! Kids nap to replenish their energy.

Chalk up two litters to Brad this fall. When I noticed Brad and his sidekick Sting actively attending to the pastured does last spring, I hurried to move them; obviously I should have acted sooner. These kids are Nigerian Dwarf x Tennessee Fainter crosses--all with the dwarfs' signature blue eyes. It will be interesting to see how they'll turn out. Will they exhibit myotonic traits any time soon? How large will they grow? Here on the farm, we'll be watching their progress.