It is so wet that all our newborns are having to come in at night to dry out. This is terrible weather for babies even though it is warm. We have three cria that have been born far too early. Two are OK although small and a bit weedy. The third has just died. It is very sad, she was a beautiful tiny fawn cria who has survived for six days but then went down with septacaemia. Even though she was suckling she didn’t put on any weight so we think there was probably something wrong with her digestive system. Who knows, she was probably doomed from the start. After all these years a death is still ghastly and makes you feel sick and upset.
A hen emerged from the barn with two little chicks yesterday. I have put her in a coop with them just in case Mr Fox should come ambling by or our cats decide a fluffy bundle would be an excellent breakfast.
The bereaved mother is still coming out of her field into the barn looking for her cria. We have removed it now but she still comes looking but seems quite calm. Sometimes they get very upset indeed but maybe she has realised now that it is dead.