I did it!

[Jewls819]

This morning I went out and milked Priscilla for the first time. She gave me a little over half a pint I could have gotten more. Not a whole lot but its a start since she still has twins on her. She is also a pyg/Nig cross. I am so proud of her! I removed her babies(they will be 4 weeks old on wed) to a pen last night. I didnt completely milk her out so the babies could have breakfast and boy did they. They were like pirranahs going after her. Oh and this is the first time I have ever milked a goat. Here teets are small but thankfully my hands are too.

 

[Mamaboid]

 

[elevan]

 

[cindyg]

Good for you! I am milking my ND doe, my ND/Pygora doe and my Nubian/Pygora doe, I find that even tho the teats are smallish if I get a good "grip" on the whole udder with the teat just poking out of the bottom of my hand it works well. And I know what you mean about the kids in the morning, I did that for a bit, but it was just too much pandemonium in the barn when I came in, the kids bawling, the moms bawling, the kids desperate to nurse, the moms only interested in eating, trying to get one mom to the stand without everyone escaping etc. I gave up on that and just waited till the kids were a bit bigger, and now they are all gone to their new homes it's working well. The does know they will get to eat without fighting anyone else for it and are eager to be the first ones to the stand.

 

[TeamChaos]

Hey, congrats!

 

[madcow]

Oh, yes milking time is not the most happy time for everyone around here with the kids locked in a pen for 10 hours crying to be fed, but I don't really worry about them, because they are fat and happy and make up for the lost time during the day nursing mom at will. I too was really happy the first time I milked my goats. I have 2 pygmies and they give me about a pint a day and I only milk once a day at this point. I am putting off weaning the 2 babies I have until they are about 12 weeks and that's just about 2 weeks away. I like the time I get to milk and the does really don't seem to mind it as much as they did at first. The babies are despirate to nurse in the morning, but I think they are more despirate to empy their bladders than anything! They will hold it the whole time they are in the pen not wanting to urinate where they sleep. They usually will take a quick nursing and then pee for what seems like forever after that. It doesn't seem to bother them, they just adapt. Thankfully they will be weaned by the time hot weather sets in so won't need to worry about them holding it overnight any longer and urinary tract infections or what have you. I love my goats!