SA Farm's journal

[SA Farm]

Maybe she figured out kitty isn't likely to attack something bigger (though not much!) that her?


Stealthy that one, you'll know to be on alert next time around.

DH raised the ducks to POL THEN decided he didn't want ducks?

Kitty just hasn’t been around the sheep enough for them to be super comfortable with her. I know she’s been butted by Foxy before. She’s starting to show a bit of a bump from her valentine tryst, so I don’t want her hurt.

It’s possible Coy is just such a fuzzy caterpillar that I couldn’t feel or see through the wool enough to notice a drop…she’s pretty tiny! Perhaps there wasn’t enough room to drop?
Look how big my baby is compared to her 😂 Pretty sure Kitty would make her lambs look even smaller!


DH wanted the ducks because baby had a reaction to chicken and eggs for the longest time. Figured we’d get a few ducks just for the eggs just for him. Now that baby’s gotten over his reaction to all things chicken, we no longer need them.
DH was the driving force behind getting them, so when I was getting worried about them picking on my chickens, he just said, “sell them.”
So I did 😋 (And, no, he wasn’t referring to the chickens 😉 )
My concerns were valid since two chickens that weren’t previously laying gave me an egg each today 😊

 

[SA Farm]

I think I’m going to start separating Woolfie’s ram lamb at night. She’s no longer giving me much, if anything, so he’s stealing it all. If I pull him, he’ll demand more after I’ve milked her and her production should go up, right?
I think that’s how it’s supposed to work 🤔

Foxy’s lambs are doing well, so I probably don’t have to supplement them anymore, but I don’t want to risk them going backwards either.
Tonight I will put the ram lamb in a dog crate inside Woolfie’s shed and see how it goes.
I enjoy milking. It’s peaceful and relaxing once I get into the rhythm. My hands are finally used to the different workout too 😆

Triplets looking like they’re ready to take over the world while Foxy is just ready for a vacation lol

 

[Baymule]

Yes that is how it is supposed to work. Not from personal experience, but from what others have said.

 

[SA Farm]

It worked perfectly! I should’ve taken a picture of Woolfie’s udder this morning because it was fit to burst!
Took 2 cups from her (and could’ve gotten a lot more), then let the ram lamb out to drink his fill.
I’m wondering if I should get as much as I can tomorrow, just to see how much I can get. 2 cups was just the beginning based on how tight she still was when I stopped.

Tried the milk again and it was good! Sweet and creamy - exactly what I was expecting. Much better than the first few tries 😆
Foxy’s trips were happy for the top up. I think I’ll keep supplementing them for another week or two, then the milk will be for the household.

I think my plan is to keep milking Woolfie for as long as she’ll let me. I’m curious to see how long she’ll produce for - especially after I wean her ram lamb.
Exciting lol

Still waiting for Kit to lamb. It’s looking like she didn’t settle or possibly didn’t cycle right away when I put Dingo with them in October. She’d better hurry up. I want lambing done so I can figure out my plans for sell/keep/butchering for the year.

Had Coy out to nibble what tiny bit of grass we have.

 

[Baymule]

I haven’t ventured into milking sheep. I’ll live vicariously through you for now. LOL

 

[Bruce]

Tonight I will put the ram lamb in a dog crate inside Woolfie’s shed and see how it goes.

My guess was it is going to be loud, bring your hearing protectors

 

[Ridgetop]

It worked perfectly! I should’ve taken a picture of Woolfie’s udder this morning because it was fit to burst!
Took 2 cups from her (and could’ve gotten a lot more), then let the ram lamb out to drink his fill.
I’m wondering if I should get as much as I can tomorrow, just to see how much I can get. 2 cups was just the beginning based on how tight she still was when I stopped.

Definitely milk her completely out before letting the lamb in with her. The more milk you take from her the more she will make. If you only take 2 cups in the am and the lamb starts to wean himself, you will see production drop off. Is this a milk breed of ewe? If so, she should milk well for at least several months. Dairy goats will milk heavily for 10 months before drying up. Your milk yield will change throughout that time in amount of butterfat but not in amount of milk as long as you keep milking on a 12 hour schedule and make sure to strip her out.

 

[SA Farm]

Thanks @Ridgetop I will milk her more thoroughly tomorrow! She’s not a milk breed, just a Texel mix meat mutt that I got as a bottle baby 3 years ago (my profile pic is of her).
My ram is 3/4 East Friesian, so I expect the next generation will be higher yield and hopefully longer lactation too.
I’m curious to see how long Woolfie will go. I know first fresheners dry off a bit sooner as well, so we shall see.
I’m doing pretty good with my 12 hr milking schedule so far. I’m hoping I can keep it up 😋

 

[Baymule]

I bet that milk would make some yummy ice cream!

 

[SA Farm]

I’m working my way up to milking Woolfie out completely. Apparently my hand muscles were fine with milking out ONLY two cups at a time. I do four in a sitting and I’m sore lol
Got almost a full four cups (almost a litre) today, but miss thing decided she needed a drink halfway through her grain ration and moved, causing some to spill 🙄
Still plenty for the trips and a bit for the cat, so not a loss, really.

Kit’s still holding out on me!

Wild babies lol