9/21/11
Yes, I have been remiss. No notes for a while, so let’s see. Have been milking both Luzzee and Phaedra for a while now. Getting about 1 1/2 Quarts of milk a day. I took a pic of my neat 2 Q goat milk jars to the left here. I was thrilled to fill one! I got these at caprine Supply and like them, though I wish the lids were a bit more substantial. The girls are so different. Phaedra has nice sized teats but though she has settled down on the stand I still have to watch her one foot. She still tries to stick it in the bucket sometimes! Luzzee stands like a doll, but has such tiny teats that I have yet to milk her out dry. I milk as fast as I can, but I know there is more in there when she is tired of standing. She is patient but not that patient. I am seriously considering a milk machine. For two reasons, one because it would milk those tiny teats for me, I have read it is really great for those. Two, my husband could run it, as well as other people who might fill in for me if I am away for the weekend or whatever. Right now I have no one to fill in, unless I take the girls up to board at their breeder’s house an hour away. So, I am hoping to do a little home repair on my dishwasher today. If that goes well and I am able to fix it, then I think a new milking machine is in my very near future!

Ladybug and peach went off to their new home in Alabama, I home they will be very happy there, and I was glad to see them go together. I am keeping Luzzee’s kids. Guess I just couldn’t resist those spots! I banded the boy a couple days ago. that was really easy. I gave him some Ow-EZE before and he acted like no big deal after. He was mincing his steps a bit the next day, but nothing bad at all out of him. Of all the baby goat jobs, that was certainly the easiest.

Now is the time to wait for the girls to go into season. Hopefully I can breed them so I don’t have any July babies in 100 degree plus weather next year!

8/5/11
Phaedra was reasonably well-behaved on the stand today and gave me a nice 1.3# of milk. So nice to see a full udder after 2 weeks of not being able to separate her from her kids so that I could milk. Those little milk stealers take it all! The solution? Kids are spending the night in a large dog crate. Even little houdini cannot get out of there! Tonight I can separate the little kids as well, since they are now 2 weeks old. Not sure I will know what to do with two full milkings tomorrow! I am excited at the thought that I might soon not have to buy milk anymore. That has been the goal, and as I paid $4.50 for a gallon last week, I would really like to get to that goal.

8/2/11
Disbudded kids today. Yuck. But it is now done for this year and they seem no worse for the wear. Not looking forward to next year when I really will have to do it on my own, without Karen coming to do it for me.

7/28/11
Whole house has been sick for a few days. Barely getting anything done around here!

7/25/11
Watched the babies jumping on their mama this morning in the cool hours. Is was good to see them active and acting silly like little goat kids are supposed to.

7/24/11
Got a fan and ran extension cords out to the goat house to get the air moving in there. It wouldn’t be so bad except that the babies are stuck in the kidding stall and can’t move to move comfortable surroundings. Don’t know how much it helps, but it can’t hurt. Had to milk  Luzzee this evening as she was looking a little uneven. Milked a cup out of her, despite her tiny little teats, and she just stood and ate and never lifted a foot. She only shifted when she heard her babies and wanted to check on them! WOW! Could I have an easy milker? Please, please? Thought the milk would go to the chickens with the babies only 2 1/2 days old and colostrum still in it, but I was surprised. It was a little thick, like cream, but pretty decent flavor. No grassy taste like I have usually seeing with Phaedra, which makes me wonder, is it just Phaedra?

7/23/11
SO HOT! Feeling sorry for the babies!

7/22/11
Milking was torture this morning. I think Phaedra was annoyed at having been in the milking stall all night and just wanted out. She didn’t want to eat on the stand, she just danced, kicked over my jar, stepped all over me, and generally frustrated the heck out of me. Going to have to try another plan tomorrow because that did NOT work!

Let Luzzee out in the field for a walk. Noticed some contractions around 9 AM. Took her into the kidding stall and we had 2 babies born not too much latter. See details in the Kids page and the Kidding Pics.

7/21/11
Watching Luzzee all day today. Still loose ligaments and a little bit of white discharge this evening. I am going to have to look in on her during the night.

Houdini children, peach and Ladybug (or perhaps they have some reindeer blood in them?) and now jumping out of every pen I put them in. They don’t jump the perimeter fence thank goodness, but they are leaping door 4 feet tall. I didn’t know they could DO that! But I have seen them! The trouble is I don’t really want them in with Luzzee and new babies when she kids, and I need to separate them from their mama at night so I can get milk. I think I will try putting mama in the stall with the tall doors tonight and leaving them out. I don’t think they can jump it from that side.

7/20/11
James went to his new home today. I was sad to see him go, but glad he would not be trying to breed my girls anymore! His new owner seemed pleased with him and I will be awaiting updates on how he is doing at his new home. While showing her around the barn I noticed Luzzee’s ligaments were very loose. More babies on the way soon!

7/19/11
I think they are holding a grudge. They all seem a bit standoffish to me today. Of course it is scorchingly hot outside, so it could just be the heat making them all tired and not wanting to move much. Had to fight with Phaedra on the milk stand this morning a bit, especially after the  little Houdini Ladybug manged somehow to escape the kidding stall and join us! Kids are pretty amazing in their skills.

I’ve been milking outside the past 2 days to see if I could tell any difference in taste. I keep noticing a slightly grassy taste and thought it might be because I am milking in storage stall with the hay. It seemed slightly less. I’m going to move back in tomorrow and see if I notice it more tomorrow. I don’t really have a good outdoor or other building place to milk though. I would much rather milk in the storage stall as it is so convenient!

7/18/11
Is this some kind of Goat St. Patty’s celebration in July? A new fashion trend? Dye job gone bad? No, those of you who know goats know that today was tattoo day for these guys. Poor babies, they did not enjoy the process! My youngest child was a bit scared at the cries they let out when their ears were pierced. But he got over it faster then the goats did. They were very happy to get back to their mama when it was all over. 

7/17/11
Milk lessons this morning, Brent managed to get one teat started. Then I finished the milking cause I do want a full milking today!

7/16/11
Left Brent to milk Phaedra this morning since I had to work early. How much did he manage? Not one drop! Will have to do more goat milking lessons tomorrow.

Trimmed the kids’ hooves this evening. They were much easier and more relaxed than I expected. The more difficult problem was keeping the others off of me while I was doing it!

7/14/11
Worked on some more clicker training with James today. Trying to get him to keep his feet off my leg. What is cute in a baby is not so cute when they are Luzzee’s size and practically knock you over. He seems to be getting the idea. Also working on some useful things like, “jump up here” “jump down” and having him stand on his hind legs and walk. Which is not so useful, but darn cute! I impressed that a baby is learning very quickly what I am asking of him.

Phaedra was a little better on the milk stand today than yesterday. 1 pound of milk again this morning. definitely a scratch on that teat, but it looks to be healing. Hope it doesn’t get any bacteria into the teat and cause any Mastitis issues. May do some mastitis salve just to ward off anything tomorrow. Milk a little more green tasting today...may have been the dewormer herbs.

Day 2 of dewormer balls this week, as they are in that one week of the cycle where they get it three days in a row. LOVE the balls instead of drenching them. They will eat it just in their food too, but some of the powder sticks to the bin. This way I know it all goes right down. And they think it is a treat!

Luzzee’s ligament are still rock hard, no impending babies yet. Keep watching...

7/13/11
Today I was given a goat wedgie. Really. I took the goat dewormer balls out, actually remembering to do it fairly early in the day, and Luzee and Phaedra take theirs from me like good girls. James also takes his, I don’t even have to break it in pieces for him. Then there is are the little girls to deal with. Ladybug is fairly easy, two pieces, shoved in the side of her mouth, and she gums them down. The Diva Doe though, little Peach is such a snot. She holds her little mouth shut as hard as she can. So, I straddle her and hold her head still while shoving the gooey mass into her mouth. And while I am otherwise occupied and stuck in this squatting position, James takes the chance to stick his head back there and chew on my underwear. Thanks James. Such a memory to keep.

Phaedra was dancy on the stand again today. Noticed a little scratch on one teat. That may be what is bothering her. Have to keep an eye on it. I’m so very glad human babies are not like goats. I watch them exuberantly bumping her udder all trying to nurse at once almost every time she squats to urinate. If she could talk I’m sure she would be yelling at them, “That is not a signal that it is time to eat!!” 9/10 of a pound of milk today. Let her off a little early since she was moving around so much.

7/12/11
Just when I think Phaedra is settling down and getting used to being milked she tries to stick her foot in my milking container! Ahhh, but Mama is ready for you my dear. I’ve been milking into a Quart jar instead of my milking pail, with one hand holding the jar (tipped to the side because with my low-riders even a Quart jar will not sit under the teat), one hand on the teat, and my head ready to bump her back if she tries to dance off the milk stand into my lap. The foot bounced off the lip of the jar today, easily wiped, and only spilling a teaspoon or so of milk. Today your evil plans were foiled Phaedra! Got 1 pound of milk this morning. That seems to be the norm.