Hindel Kidz 28: Becca's Bad Day
Hindel Kidz 28
Becca’s Bad Day
Since Little No Name had been born the middle of June he wouldn’t be able to be shown at the fair. It was too late to sign him up and even if he could have been shown, Joy would have had to go with him. He would only be two months old and not weaned yet.
Jack In The Box, Belle, Libby and Jane all went to the fair. Jack In The Box and Libby both won second place in their class. Belle won first in her class and junior reserve champion. Savannah threw a tantrum half the day because Jess won a trophy and she didn’t. As she watched more of the goat show, Savannah realized maybe second place wasn’t all that bad. It was better than nothing. Grace thought second place was excellent considering it was Jack In The Box’s first time. Savannah was lucky she placed at all. She only worked with him once when she should have been working with him since March when he was born. Grace had to give Jess credit; she offered to let Jack have the trophy. But Jack being the nice guy that he is said no. He was also happy all of the goats had placed. Jess also showed Jane and had come in fifth in her class. Grace had figured Jane might have won since she was the prettiest goat they took.
When Sven and Grace had taken Molly to the vet to find out why she was constantly scratching, Jack recommended they take her to the same vet he took the goats to. They were younger and would be up to date on all the current treatments. While they were there the secretary asked how many more goats were expecting babies and when they would be seeing Jack again. Since Jane had not been bred, Sven said no more goats were expecting…or so they thought.
One day, when Sven was up at Jack’s helping feed and visiting, Jack had said it looked like Becca was beginning to look like she had milk. It was one of the sure signs she was going to have a baby. And Jack didn’t remember breeding her. He even asked Sven and Grace if one of them had accidentally let one of the boy goats out of the pen when they were feeding. Sven said he didn’t and Grace always locked the door when she went in or left that side of the pen. So Jack had no idea when Becca’s due date would be. It would be another guessing game. He had also really wanted her to have a baby last year, but he could never tell when she was in love.
Jack didn’t know which boy goat was the baby’s daddy. It could be any of the four. He had sold Ben and Peanut a couple weeks ago and Becca had already been expecting by that time. Jack figured she would have her baby sometime in September so that would mean another trip to the vet. He would just have to keep an eye on her.
“So, Libby, do you want a half brother or a half sister?” Grace asked. Since the last two babies had been boys, she knew Jack was really hoping for a baby girl goat this time.
But the happiness turned out to be short lived. On September 4th, when Sven and Grace were up there, Jack said, “We had a stillborn this morning.”
Charlotte had gone out to the building and saw Becca was having major signs. Between that time and the time Jack went out to the building Becca had already pushed the head out. Jack had pulled the baby the rest of the way. The back legs were stretched out behind it and it had already been dead. So there wasn’t anything they or the vet could have done. It was black so they still didn’t know which boy goat was the daddy. Sven didn’t ask if it was fully developed or if it had been a boy or a girl. Grace was glad she didn’t know. It would have made it even sadder especially if it turned out to be a girl.
Grace found it ironic how just that afternoon she was telling Rhonda how this would be the very first year they would have three baby goats by three different mothers. And then this had to happen. It was too good to be true. This was a reminder just because two babies were okay didn’t mean the third would be. Jack In The Box and No Name had been a blessing.
Becca had been put over in the side pen with Jane. She couldn’t have molasses until some of her milk had dried up. Jane needed to loose a few pounds anyway. Becca would stand in the pen and bellow. Grace felt so sorry for her. She was calling for her baby when there was no baby to answer back. Grace went over to try and coax Becca to eat some leaves. She ate a couple and still bellowed when Grace was petting her. She was looking over at the other goats in the big pen. Maybe this time Becca was bellowing because she wanted to be over there with them.
Even though Becca’s baby had not been okay, Jack was going to place her and Joy with Elmer in November. At least this time they would know for sure who the daddy would be providing things worked out.
