by Lynn Pallota
December 28, 2010 was a cold, but sunny day. I went outside to do my usual chores and checked on all the donkeys-everyone was where they belonged, and content. No one was due to foal, until at least the end of Jan. and all was well.
That afternoon I took a walk outside, and decided to go check on the two jennets in a front field. One of them had had her foal, on Nov. 19, and the other one was due the end of January. Both were in the field grazing peacefully. When I walked into the field, the jennet that had not foaled yet (due the end of Jan.) came walking over to me. She instantly, without any warning or previous signs, lay down next to where I was, and started to push! Within 10 minutes, she had a little (and I DO mean little) foal on the ground! This was her first foal, and it was a shock to me-and to her! I made sure the foals head was out of the sack then I ran as fast as is possible for me- to the barn and got some towels and the iodine. After helping mama dry the foal and iodine -ing the navel, I carried the foal to the barn and mama followed. There was a nicely bedded and clean stall so that they could have bonding time alone.
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| Thumbelina in December |
Well, as all Tennessee residents know, this has been one of the worst winters for nasty rain, and snowy weather ever. So that day, December 28th, the day little ALLEARZ Tiny Thumbelina came in to the world at 16 inches tall, and only 10 pounds - was to be the only sunny day, for her first month of life.
I worried about her, checked on her hourly, and tried to bottle feed, as I was worried that having given birth way too early, and being a first-timer, that mom would not have enough(or any) milk. That little gal absolutely refused to drink out of the bottle, no matter how many times I tried, or even suck the nipple! Mama received several doses of Domperidone, and I had powdered colostrum, which I managed to get into Thumbelina with a syringe. Then Probiotics. Every time I went out to check on them, the little tiny gal was standing up. She was a stubborn little thing and I believe that she had made up her mind at birth, that SHE was here for a reason, and SHE was absolutely going to stick around.
On Thumbelina's first and second visits to her veterinarian, she rode in the front seat and waited in the waiting room, with the dogs and cats. She stood there and was totally comfortable with it all. At that second visit, she was 16 1/2" tall, and she weighed 18 pounds. Obviously, her mother was doing a fine job!
Each day, she was a little stronger, though it took a month before she tried to run-just a few steps.
She is the first-born "child" of her mom Tina, and her sire, Hickory Hills Zig Zag! She is a spotted little gal, just like her dad, and such a cutie!
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| Thumbelina on March 2nd |
