Hens and Roos
Herd Master
Congrats!
Full House Farm's 2016/17 Kidding thread- It's a wrap.Pictures!
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Fullhousefarm
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All three Lamanchas are getting quite round- especially the 3rd and 4th fresheners and udders are definitely coming in. In fact Ruby got first in class as a dry doe at the fair we went to. We just took her to add numbers to the youth show, but she even was ahead of 1-2 does in milk! Trixie was in 5+ milkers (they are almost same age, but birthdays are a month apart) and was about middle of the line up, but there were 9ish does there many under a month fresh who looked nice!
In fact, I'm already worried I'm going to have to milk Trixie even earlier than I did last year. Last year a week before kidding I because concerned about how engorged and tight her udder was-not just normal filling at all. She's a huge milk producer and persistent. Finally at 3 days before she kidded (day 145) I milked out 1.5 gallons of colostrum and I didn't take it all! I milked a few cups every evening until she kidded after that. I gave some to her twins, but she still had colostrum when they were born. I really hate doing it- but I'm convinced that I needed to. Sigh. She's only been dry 50 days (once a day, then every other day milking for two weeks- but she just won't stop!) and she was 11 months in milk when I dried her off since she kidded last December. It's a good thing for a dairy goat, but such a PITB. I'll have to post udder pics of her from my phone.
Secret, our first Full House Farm doe to kid is looking nice too. Nice udder with way better teats than her dam (who we no longer own) and she's a first freshener. She should turn 2 a few days before she freshens and she's taller than Trixie our tallest Lamancha already. Still a bit lanky.
This weekend we are trimming buck hooves. They've been in the big "dry doe/Lamancha pen" while we clean their pen out.
In fact, I'm already worried I'm going to have to milk Trixie even earlier than I did last year. Last year a week before kidding I because concerned about how engorged and tight her udder was-not just normal filling at all. She's a huge milk producer and persistent. Finally at 3 days before she kidded (day 145) I milked out 1.5 gallons of colostrum and I didn't take it all! I milked a few cups every evening until she kidded after that. I gave some to her twins, but she still had colostrum when they were born. I really hate doing it- but I'm convinced that I needed to. Sigh. She's only been dry 50 days (once a day, then every other day milking for two weeks- but she just won't stop!) and she was 11 months in milk when I dried her off since she kidded last December. It's a good thing for a dairy goat, but such a PITB. I'll have to post udder pics of her from my phone.
Secret, our first Full House Farm doe to kid is looking nice too. Nice udder with way better teats than her dam (who we no longer own) and she's a first freshener. She should turn 2 a few days before she freshens and she's taller than Trixie our tallest Lamancha already. Still a bit lanky.
This weekend we are trimming buck hooves. They've been in the big "dry doe/Lamancha pen" while we clean their pen out.
Southern by choice
Herd Master
Now you have me worried! One of our Lamancha does was a FF last year. She was bred for mini's she had a single but her udder... oh no.... she didn't have the capacity for the amount of production. She couldn't hold the milk, it was just too much. She ended up needing milked 5x day and we just made sure not to milk her all the way out so she would make less. It took a few weeks if I remember. She is bred for Standards this time. I hope that udder stretches!
Congrats on your win! That is awesome!
Congrats on your win! That is awesome!
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Fullhousefarm
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Well, this one stretches- and we usually milk in the AM (babies away at night around 8-14 days) and have her with kids all day, but twice a day has been fine. We just don't let her go longer than 12-14 hours even for shows unless she has been in milk for 6+ months.
Maybe you need a buck out of her for your herd?
Or maybe she will give us two doelings like last year. Or three- she's quite large.- Thread starter
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Fullhousefarm
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Southern by choice
Herd Master
Don't you love watching an udder develop!
That is goingto be niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice once she fills!
Can't wait to see what she has and that udder!
That is goingto be niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice once she fills!
Can't wait to see what she has and that udder!
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Fullhousefarm
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Yep- and just signed up for milk test. Going to get some girls their stars!
I've no doubt that Trixie, Ruby, Orchid, Queenie, and Waddles will get their stars super easily. Waddles has hers already actually.
If Aravis decides to let down her milk better for me and cooperate I think she can too. Not sure on Spice since this is her first lactation with me- but I don't see why not.
Secret and Gwen have the genetics to. Magn should as well but she's the last to kid.
I'm also putting my two unregistered does on just to see. I'd secretly like them to blow away the ADGA registered does. Especially our homebred Morning Glory due in late Feb/March. She's a OFA Drinian baby. @OneFineAcre
I've no doubt that Trixie, Ruby, Orchid, Queenie, and Waddles will get their stars super easily. Waddles has hers already actually.
If Aravis decides to let down her milk better for me and cooperate I think she can too. Not sure on Spice since this is her first lactation with me- but I don't see why not.
Secret and Gwen have the genetics to. Magn should as well but she's the last to kid.
I'm also putting my two unregistered does on just to see. I'd secretly like them to blow away the ADGA registered does. Especially our homebred Morning Glory due in late Feb/March. She's a OFA Drinian baby. @OneFineAcre
Southern by choice
Herd Master
I think it is great to have unregistered does on test along with the others.
Most of us discount our unregistered goats but IMO there is a limit. If I have an unregistered goat that outproduces my registered goats I certainly am not going to discount by much!
We have been trying for two years to do test but some family health crisis prevents us... very much hoping this year we are able.
Most of us discount our unregistered goats but IMO there is a limit. If I have an unregistered goat that outproduces my registered goats I certainly am not going to discount by much!
We have been trying for two years to do test but some family health crisis prevents us... very much hoping this year we are able.
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Fullhousefarm
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I think it is great to have unregistered does on test along with the others.
Most of us discount our unregistered goats but IMO there is a limit. If I have an unregistered goat that outproduces my registered goats I certainly am not going to discount by much!
We have been trying for two years to do test but some family health crisis prevents us... very much hoping this year we are able.
Yep- I've sold the unregistered doelings for $150 in the past, but I'm going up to $200 this year. They are CAE negative, dams are milked and one will have two generations of registered sires on the dams side. Our registered does start at $350 and are sold before they hit the ground by word of mouth. All my unregistered doelings last two years were sold before birth too.
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Well, it's day 150 for secret and she looks... pretty much the same as she did a week ago. LOL. She was born here and her dam (50% Saanen/50% Lamancha) had her on day 154, so maybe she's taking after the Saanen side of things, though her girls will be American Lamanchas!
My daughter has figured they must have a plan. Secret will kid 3-4 days late and Trixie and Ruby 3 days early and we will have three kidding at once. Doe code.
Trixie and Ruby are big, uncomfortable, and grouchy. Especially Trixie. I had to lock her up for a few hours one day this week because she was being mean to everyone and chasing one of the milking Nigees who was in heat around mercilessly on two acres- blubbering and sticking her tongue out like a buck. Seriously. I guess it was pregnancy hormone overload. Hopefully that doesn't mean she's having triplet bucks.
Our new "Goat birth center" is up and running. I'll try to get pictures.
My daughter has figured they must have a plan. Secret will kid 3-4 days late and Trixie and Ruby 3 days early and we will have three kidding at once. Doe code.
Trixie and Ruby are big, uncomfortable, and grouchy. Especially Trixie. I had to lock her up for a few hours one day this week because she was being mean to everyone and chasing one of the milking Nigees who was in heat around mercilessly on two acres- blubbering and sticking her tongue out like a buck. Seriously. I guess it was pregnancy hormone overload. Hopefully that doesn't mean she's having triplet bucks.
Our new "Goat birth center" is up and running. I'll try to get pictures.
