Baby Donkey - Daisy is proud Mum!

Welcome to Dylan, our new Dyfi Donkey. He arrived eventually at 1.55 this morning, 9th July.

As with everything donkey there is always a story so here goes.

As I tucked the two girls up late last night I took a long hard look at Daisy and something told me I'd be seeing her again before morning. Off I went to bed to be rudely awaken - and believe me that is an understatement - by a bellowing donkey. I was out of bed and into my jeans before my eyes openned. I had no idea of the time but it was still very dark so at this time of year you know its the wee hours.

The air raid siren like bray broke the quiet night air as I tore out of the kitchen door and across the yard to the girls' stable. I don't know what I expected to see but it was certainly not the sight that greeted me.  Everyone tells you that a donkey will foal in the night and it's really unlikely that you'll see it so imagine my surprise and delight when I peeped over the stable door and there was Daisy in the throes of giving birth. One donkey head , two donkey legs... very long donkey legs. "Just in time", I thought, "how lucky". I stood waiting to see the foal plop to the ground,  all the research I had done suggested a donkey's birth is usually very quick and uneventful.

Poppy was watching over like a good midwife; "how sweet" I thought until she let out another enormous bellow and I realised it had been her who had rousted me from my bed. She looked up at me and those deep meaningful eyes bore right through me .." this isn't right" they seemed to say. Sure enough I turned back to see Daisy straining but absolutely no movement from the foal.

Years of watching James Herriot as a child kicked in and I rushed into the stable. Close up it was obvious that Daisy was having a bit of trouble expelling the back end of her baby. I gently felt the foal who was alive, alert and seemed relatively undistressed, although in a rather unbecoming position, just hanging there with his nose almost bouncing off the floor. The problem; two rather large hips attatched to two more very long legs. There was nothing for it, dragging every episode of All Creatures Great and Small through my memory banks I took a firm hold of each of the two foot legs and with a soothing suggestion to Daisy to push I slowly began to pull the foal. At first nothing happened and then like a cork from a champagne bottle... pop... out he came , tumbling to the floor. One quick check to make sure he was unhurt and Daisy was in order behind and I scurried out of the stable to let nature take its course. That mother / baby bond needs no human interference.

I ran into the house like a lunatic shouting  "Get up, get up we have a baby!!!".

More later on Dylan's first steps and introduction into the big wide world.