Fudgie's first freshening, questions about FF udders and BABY PICS!

[20kidsonhill]

Yes - 20k, a good friend of mine has 2 and if I want/need one it's there for the taking. As I sat out there this morning under the light it didn't seem as bad as it did last night. Neither of the girls were shivering and they were walking around under/near the light so I guess it's ok. And...when I said "cause it's been 30" I meant 30 minutes since I'd been out there!

When I went in there first thing this morning I almost had a heart attack because I couldn't see them. They were both against the cattle panel and Fudgie had sorta wrapped herslef around them as best she could. It was really sweet.

I'm very fortunate she's turning out to be such a great mom.

Now let's see how she does on the stand today! I'd like to get a little colostrum saved just in case!

But those teats....milking them is going to be a two finger job - my thumb and pointer!

Does anyone have any tricks for milking FF right after kidding? Keep in mind I'm not going to milk her out at all, just relieve some of the pressure and get a little colostrum to freeze.

funny about the 30 minutes. LOL.

I milk boer goats all the time after kidding to reserve emergency milk and it just takes extra time with some of the smaller teated does. I always appreciate the big teat on the nubian cross breeds, I try to get Day 1,2 and 3 milk supplies saved for future problem kids.

 

[glenolam]

After she realized what her teats were for she didn't mind me "milking" them to make sure there was stuff coming out for the kids.

But...it was like a pin hole in a baloon. Milking that is going to take FOREVER!

Since she kidded later yesterday I didn't want to put her on the stand after she kidded since by the time I would have been ready to it was past midnight. Today I had to come into work so I plan on doing it this afternoon, not quite 24 hours later. Figured it's not the best, most fresh colostrum but any is better than none.

 

[ksalvagno]

I was going to take some colostrum from each doe to have on hand but when 2 of the does had triplets, I didn't want to take from the kids. My first one that had twins I did keep some colostrum.

 

[jodief100]

Those babies are sooo cute! I can't wait to see dry pics.

I think I will post pics of how we have our heat lamps hung and what kind. I don't worry about mammas burning or lights coming down because of how we have them strung. Hubby is an EE so he has everything fixed, hard wired and strung properly. He made up a chart for me on what I can pug in where so I don't overload any circuits. He is planning on rewiring the barn this summer so I can get more things plugged in and better organized.

 

[glenolam]

Sounds great, Jodie! And when he's done tell him to trot on over to the north east and do my barn! Although, he'd prolly roll over in shock at our set up! My DH is a fire sprinkler fitter, so at least if we start a fire he can put it out

 

[jodief100]

We use the 500 W "shop lights". I got them for $10 at Lowes.

The cage has closely spaced wires and is far enough away from the lamp that mamas can't get close enough to be burned.

Hubby uses conduit clamps to attach the bracket directly to the wall of the pen. I noticed yours are particle board so I suggest screwing it through the particle board into a thicker board, such as a 2 x 4 on the opposite side.

I am paranoid about fire in my barn. We are on a cistern so no city water. If we had a fire putting it out will be a challenge. I have a fire extinguisher in my barn and another in the house.

 

[20kidsonhill]

Nice set-up Jodie. We don't have electricity out to our barn, we have to run extension cords(chords?). I could use your husband here, also. 500 watts per kidding pen would be a lot on our extensions cords. I know some of you have heard my husband is a genius comment, but 8 years and still no power in barn, I might just take back my comment.

I can't beleive you got those lights for 10bucks. For the bulbs and fixtures or just the bulbs?

 

[jodief100]

The $10 was the fixtures and the bulbs. The online price is the same, you can order them. The bulbs that came with them are low quality, burned out quickly. New ones were $4 and they seem to be holding up just fine.

 

[glenolam]

So those are permanent fixtures, huh? Or can he just unscrew the conduit clamps to remove the light?

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Ahh, I thought that one doe looked like an Ober.