Well the stanchion got built and it is awesome. It needs some finishing touches but I'm very proud of Hubby and Trouble, who made it together as a dad and son project. We still need a place to set the grain. Today Hubby just held the grain for her. She still has to get more used to it but we had our fake stanchion we were practicing on so it wasn't too unfamiliar. We used my laundry room as planned so long ago and it worked great. We have been feeding them their grain in there alot so they think that room is fun. There is a sink there and the door to the outside and a ramp to the goat pen leading out. Wow! A long term project comes to fruition! It worked just like we planned it. I'd still like to add a small fridge.
She had gotten quite lop sided. It was painful for her to have the full side milked. At first she resisted us milking her and then I remembered what it was like to be a nursing mom myself and I massaged her whole side and gently kneeded it down while Trouble milked her. He didn't want to try it, but when he got more milk than I did, he got real excited, like a competition! He has strong hands. He ended up getting almost a cup and her udders are much more symmetrical. That side is still a little lower but we were able to make it all soft and she was much more comfortable when we were done. The kids did not like that side when we try to make them nurse on it but I hope that now they will like it more. I'll have to keep an eye on that and keep her practising for when we start milking for reals in a couple months. I'm sure a cup sounds puny for those of you used to milking goats, but it was quite an achievement for us and it seemed to take the pressure off.
So I ended up saving three little batches of colostrum, one from a few hours after, a little more from late last night and then this batch which was almost exactly 24 hours since the second kid was born. I kept it in three baggies, thinking it should be fed in the same sequence it was collected, right?
Would this keep until next year if I don't need it next week?
The kids are doing awesome. I gave them their newborn supplements (Lamb and Kid Paste) and some of the Nutridrench that I gave everyone too. I got some new herbal selenium at the store today too. It is a horse product but they said it could be for goats too, but it has Copper and Selenium both in like an alfalfa pellet looking stuff. It is natural plant sources so I like that. I just need to make sure they each get just their own dose as it seems fairly concentrated....but this is enough for about six months or more I think.
I still haven't heard back from the disbudding person who placed the CL ad....I sure hope I hear from him soon! I stood in front of the disbudding tool at the feed store today for about 20 minutes but ended up not buying it. I'd really rather watch someone do it first.
Ginger is being a great mom and loves her kids. We coaxed her on the stanchion by putting her kids on the other side! I'm having no problems keeping her apart from Donald and Molly....she seems to be very alertly watching out for her babies 24/7 and every time I look out she is licking them and checking on them. She doesn't especially like nursing them but I hope that improves now. I think they look excellent. All glossy and beautiful coats. They frisk an frolic and play. One was standing on Ginger when she was laying down and she obviously liked it...I wish I had a camera to catch the look of bliss. So my four teated doe milks FINE and is a GREAT MOM.
The best thing about our new kidding stall is that it is like a goat cam. I can look out and see into it from out our bedroom window! Low tech goat cam...........but I was able to look out and watch them nursing even during a vertigo episode today. It really will help me keep an eye on things. Even if I am ill I can see them without even walking outside. I feel almost as cool as Javamama.
So glad that everything is going good today and the stanchion sounds great!
