As you know, the kidding countdown started just a couple of days ago, and it was scheduled to run until February 17, the supposed due date of the three competitors, who had all been bred on the same day. The three competitors were Hannah Belle, Miss Melly, and Scouty, with the smart money favoring Hannah Belle (my daughter, aka Hannah Belle Lecter), because she never goes 150 days.
The farmer was worried about Hannah Belle because she was as big as a 747 without any of the aerodynamic advantages, and she had injured one of her feet and was not getting around very well. So Hannah Belle was being cosseted and coddled while everyone else practically had to grow their own hay.
But if you have ever been to the race track, you know that the smart money often sits alone at the bar after the ponies have all gone home, wondering how such a sure thing could go sideways in such a hurry. And as you also know from your kidding handbook, if a doe is going to have a LOT of babies, she isn't going to go 150 days either, even if she isn't Hannah Belle.
143 is plenty.
Scouty, being a professional, had read the handbook, and about two hours ago, while Hannah Belle was being spoonfed tapioca pudding or something like that, she won the pool by popping out a set of quads.
She had the first two up and dressed for school by the time the last two arrived, about five seconds apart. The second two quickly got with the program, and after a thorough all-over tongue scrubbing, followed by three or four small meals for everybody, the entire family is now napping in the honeymoon suite in the barn.
Three girls and a boy.
Martha Stewart could not have done it any better.
Congratulations to Scouty.
