Monday, June 7, 2010

This and That

I don't know about all you other bloggers on blogspot.com but I was not able to post or do much of anything with my blog on Sunday or most of all today. Finally I'm able to post.


I had a okay day at the farmers market. I did not sell as much as the previous Saturday but it was still good. I think that the airshow (Blue Angels) and the weather kept some people away. It was cool and then it started to rain at about 1pm. Lot's of vendors left so at 1.30pm I also packed up.

I have been having a very deep thought. Why do cows have four teats and usually only have one calf and goats have two teats and most often have twins and frequently have triplets? That's just something I have been pondering for a few days. (I pass a pasture of cows with calves on my way to work)

I have not been keeping very good inventory with my soap. I ran out of lavender and tea tree oil soap, I had to make some batches but they wont be ready till mid July, then I made three other batches of soap yesterday as I was running low on them. I need to come up with a system so I know how many bars of each that I have and when I sell some I know whats left. Maybe when I get to 15 or so, I make that scent. I did make a list and counted inventory but I need a system. (And I need to use it!)

I'm kind of discouraged right now with the goats. Don't get me wrong, I love my goats and I will keep them but Juju is still freaking out when I try and milk her. I stopped trying about five days ago. I was worried that I might get hurt or she might cause she would go into a full blown panic. I was able to check her udder out. I could not see any cuts, scrapes, thorns or chapping on her.

I noticed that the baby nurses just fine and Juju is clam and relaxed when the baby nurses. (I see her chewing her cud sometimes) It is really odd. I milked her two times a day for about a week and it was all fine. She would stand, I would milk and all was good. Then the next time I went to milk her, she flipped out.

I think that I might put a rope around one of her back legs and pull it up so she has to stand on three and she wont be able to trash about. But then I also don't want her to associate milking with being tied up like that. I don't know what to do with her.

Maggie, she will get on the stand (If I lead her to it) but once on, she pulls to get out of the head lock. If I leave it open, she hops off the stand with her tail wagging. I have tied her to the stand but if I leave enough slack for her to put her head down to eat grain, she can back up, and she does. If I tie her short, she struggles. She also stamps her feet so I can't put the pail down or it gets kicked over. I have smacked her rump a time or two and tell her to "knock it off" and she will settle down on the feet stamping.

I am still only getting about a cup or two from Maggie. I have been reading information and from what I see and read, it's not that unusual for first time fresheners (Nubian's) not to be heavy milk producers. Also, looking at other pictures of Nubian's, I can tell that Maggie had a very small udder. It's not much bigger then a softball. I'm going to keep milking her and see if we can have a peaceful time on the stand. (I did NOT grain the goats tonight, thinking that they really will be wanting their grain in the morning)

Helpful hint, if you want to get dairy goats and your new to it all? Don't get first time fresheners. Get some goats that have been milking for a few years and are calm about it all.

6 comments:

  1. Krissy, I would urge you to get a hobble for your goats and use it like it says on Fias co farm website. http://fiascofarm.com/goats/hobble.htm I have heard so many lately say they can't milk their goats! It makes me feel really sad. I was fortunate because Cali didn't give me any problems. I did milk an old pygmy goat that had never been milked before. It was not fun, but I kept it up. I had to put something under her to keep her from laying down. But eventfully` she let me milk her with no more problems.

    I would also check your goat for mastitis. It seems strange she was ok and then started acting up. Cali got mastitis this time and she would try to kick my hand away. I think it hurt her. She is fine now though.

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  2. Oh and I should have added she let the kids nurse fine.

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  3. Sorry you are having such a bad time with milking. I like Linda's idea. Sometimes animals act up when they know they can get away with it. That doesn't mean you have to be mean or cruel, but I do think you have to be firm. Which I'm sure is hard to do when the goat is flipping out. Remember Panda and the collar? And the first several times she walked on a leash? She eventually got used to both.

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  4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISSY!!!

    I agree with Linda, get a hobble if you plan on continuing on with the milking of your goats.

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  5. Happy Birthday Krissy {and Alicia too because I know you will be reading this}!
    You are an amazing woman. I do not have advice about your goats but making more soap seems like a good idea!
    Be blessed,

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  6. Ditto to Linda.

    And only give them grain while they are milking on the stand. It really does help.

    I just got a first time freshener (an Alpine named Angel) and she gives me 3/4 of a gallon milking once a day. My other goat Toonie milks the same and she's freshened twice.

    Toonie is a pain to milk for the first week after freshening. Then she remembers what she is supposed to do and settles down.

    I'm getting so much milk from these two goats that I am feeding 1/2 gallon each morning to the chickens. Their eggs are awesome!!

    Oregon Sunshine said you might be willing to share your soap recipe or at least point me in a direction to get a good recipe. Maybe? Thanks!!

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