I'm getting a milking machine!!!! Woohoo!!!! more video links p4

freemotion

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I ordered a REAL milking machine from Mike and Carol Perry of www.perrysmilkers.com and it will ship on Monday. I am so excited I can hardly stand it! :weee

These people are so nice and easy to deal with. They answered all my questions and then some. I got calls on my cell phone and quickly answered emails.

The machine looks like R2D2 with tentacles! :lol:

I've been thinking about getting one for some time. We've had several family emergencies in the past couple of years and I had two health crises myself since Feb during which milking would not have been possible....by hand. The last scare was the day before Ginger was due to kid. I prayed that she would be late because dh cannot milk her tiny teats. She obliged and waited until I regained use of my right arm before delivering 4 days late (not really late, I know....but she didn't go all "doe code" on me, thank goodness!!!) That pushed me over the edge, and I ramped up my research and ordered the machine.

You would not believe the relief I am feeling. Yes, it was a chunk of change to get it....but it will last for many, many years so will really only cost me pennies per milking.

Yippee!!!!
 

PattySh

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Congrats! You will love it. I love my milking machine as I do have sore hands. Especially now that I have 5 milking including 2 first fresheners with little teats. Will be glad when I can milk them all into the machine and just carry that in the house. I have been carrying 1/2 gal jars/strainer in a bucket the last week and straining the 3 in milk out of the machine then milking the two recent ones. They are just now at the point where I'm sure it's true milk and no one is tender and running a little "pink". So much easier with first fresheners. I can even feed my rabbits (room is close enough to view milking room if I leave the door open) while the girls are plugged in. This winter I was able to fill water buckets while milking when the hose was frozen, multitasking made chores much shorter. Even tho the pump is loud, the girls took to the machine immediately, much easier than hand milking. I hand milk occasionally to see who is giving what. I haven't hand milked the ffs other than colostrum. Noticed tho one's teat are getting a bit bigger, the other girl is Nigerian size and wow such little teats have to bend way under her to place the teat cups on her!
 

freemotion

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It came today! :weee Just as I was leaving for the office. :/ Then I came home and did chores, got the babies out, and did a bit of fencing until it was too dark to see. Now I thaw out enough to go back out and milk.

Then, maybe, I can unpack the machine and look it over and look at the instructions. We are out of town tomorrow so hopefully on Sunday my dad will come over and help me with it. He's used milking machines in the past at a friend's dairy. Old ones, years ago.

I need to have an outlet wired near my milking stand.

My hands can hardly type right now, they are so stiff from fencing. I look forward to "plug and play" milking, soon!
 

helmstead

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Ours should be shipped next week...after this past round of kiddings, I think my arms will fall off in protest if we went into the fall without one!
 

helmstead

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We got the 60 (from Mike) with 2 Nigerian claws/inflations and one set for the Nubians. For now since I have 2 Nubians and 3 NDs left in milk, we're gonna set up for one of each. Probably most of the year though we'll set up for the NDs only. With the exception of my aged Nubian doe, those big girls are easy enough to milk by hand.
 

freemotion

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Cool! Can't wait to see your video. Can you show it getting set up? I haven't had time to play with mine yet but hope to get to it tomorrow or Wed.
 
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