- Thread starter
- #121
mysunwolf - four acres and some sheep
I mean really! What a nice group of lambs there 
More lambs than adults even 
I'm sure they really enjoyed being out on some fresh ground. I have no idea about the sodium and feed issue. I have to plead complete ignorance there. I do hope that whatever you've determined, solves the problem(s).
More lambs than adults even I'm sure they really enjoyed being out on some fresh ground. I have no idea about the sodium and feed issue. I have to plead complete ignorance there. I do hope that whatever you've determined, solves the problem(s).- Thread starter
- #123
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Eeek it looks like I haven't posted in a while! I have no more pictures of cute lambs, which is what I know you all want. They are starting to get bigger and I am thinking of them now as "real sheep" and watching them to see what their names should be, how their personalities are, and thinking about who will make the best replacement ewes.
Last night I separated the lambs from the moms so I could start milking! I left little Mocha's lamb out because he is really too young for these shenanigans but also I don't plan to milk her at all. No, Dora has her lumpy udder issue so she is out of the line for good, and Mocha just doesn't have much milk and is a KICKER ugh.
Milked Charcoal first and she was a dream. Has never had a collar on and has never been milked, though I have practiced touching her udder. When I clipped her to the barn wall she did get concerned because she wanted to be near her baby. Meanwhile when Ginger was clipped she started nosing around for grain right away, she remembered milking no problem! Charcoal settled down and stood still for udder cleaning. I put the grain in front of her and she inhaled it while I milked her. She was very very tight after 12 hrs of no nursing, and I could tell she was too nervous to let down all the way as well, but she gave a good pint before it turned into a trickle and I decided to let her lamb clean it up.
Keep in mind the babies are still hollering at this point in their overnight pen area.
Let Charcoal out of the barn. Then moved Ginger to the milking spot and clipped her in, where she continues to search for grain! I wash her udder and realize that it's not that huge, it hasn't overly filled the way Charcoal's had, still very soft which I like for milking but it concerned me a little that she wasn't producing the way she should. She's also very anemic again this year, despite worming her twice since lambing and getting her onto fresh ground. I'm considering iron supplements at this point, but we'll see. She eats her grain much slower and, as usual, tends to kick a bit with the left teat but if I milk from the back I solve the problem. She gives a solid quart before it really slows down and, again, I decide to let the babies have that last bit.
I'm just so pleased with my girls. The only other thing I could hope for would be some improved parasite resistance!! Guess that will have to come with future generations.
Last night I separated the lambs from the moms so I could start milking! I left little Mocha's lamb out because he is really too young for these shenanigans but also I don't plan to milk her at all. No, Dora has her lumpy udder issue so she is out of the line for good, and Mocha just doesn't have much milk and is a KICKER ugh.
Milked Charcoal first and she was a dream. Has never had a collar on and has never been milked, though I have practiced touching her udder. When I clipped her to the barn wall she did get concerned because she wanted to be near her baby. Meanwhile when Ginger was clipped she started nosing around for grain right away, she remembered milking no problem! Charcoal settled down and stood still for udder cleaning. I put the grain in front of her and she inhaled it while I milked her. She was very very tight after 12 hrs of no nursing, and I could tell she was too nervous to let down all the way as well, but she gave a good pint before it turned into a trickle and I decided to let her lamb clean it up.
Keep in mind the babies are still hollering at this point in their overnight pen area.
Let Charcoal out of the barn. Then moved Ginger to the milking spot and clipped her in, where she continues to search for grain! I wash her udder and realize that it's not that huge, it hasn't overly filled the way Charcoal's had, still very soft which I like for milking but it concerned me a little that she wasn't producing the way she should. She's also very anemic again this year, despite worming her twice since lambing and getting her onto fresh ground. I'm considering iron supplements at this point, but we'll see. She eats her grain much slower and, as usual, tends to kick a bit with the left teat but if I milk from the back I solve the problem. She gives a solid quart before it really slows down and, again, I decide to let the babies have that last bit.
I'm just so pleased with my girls. The only other thing I could hope for would be some improved parasite resistance!! Guess that will have to come with future generations.
samssimonsays
Milo & Me Hoppy Tail Acres
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Wow! I can't believe I haven't gotten any notifications from your journal! Congrats on all the lambs, good luck on all the changes and I hope you are feeling better and treatment is working! That Lymes is no joking matter.... We know an entire family who suffers from it. It is not a thing to mess around with.
It is not a thing to mess around with.
Bruce
Herd Master
Just because people like pictures of jumping bean lambs doesn't mean we don't also like pictures of all the animals!
Baymule
Herd Master
Milking sheep! You are an inspiration and my hero!
- Thread starter
- #127
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Thank you all for being so supportive! 
It's just awesome to know that there are folks reading this thing. My crazy homesteading adventure just keeps on keeping on. If the weather ever coincides with me having energy, I'll take my camera out and get some nicer photos of all the girls and the babies. We have had some beautiful spring weather here, the grass is finally growing, the birds are chirping, the parasites are blooming...
@Baymule you are too kind! I was so desperate for milk this year, but kept having to wait on the dang dewormer withdrawal times. I certainly have sheep that would be no fun to milk. This and last year we trained all the lambs to human touch, practiced touching their teats from the first day they were in the world, got them used to following the bucket, going in the barn, and being restrained. My ewes get sweeter and calmer and more fun to milk every year.
But I bet you could milk some of your ewes! Check which ones by putting out feed and touching all their udders, see who flinches the least
And choose the ones with twins/trips. You could even start milking when you wean, but of course you get less and production drops faster and you are locked into the milk schedule. I'm so excited that with the milk sharing this year, I could technically skip a day or two and not have to worry about mastitis (though still have to worry about production dropping).
The hardest part is actually the orifices. I have gotten used to milking ewes with short or tiny teats (though I did sell most of those even though their production was great), but if the orifices are small it takes 2-3x as long to milk and by then they've finished their grain, plus the udder gets a lot of wear (though really not any more than from the lambs). Ginger's orifices are massive, but Charcoal's orifices are pretty tiny. I'm hoping Stud comes from a long line of large-orificed ewes so that all the lambs are easier to milk!
It's just awesome to know that there are folks reading this thing. My crazy homesteading adventure just keeps on keeping on. If the weather ever coincides with me having energy, I'll take my camera out and get some nicer photos of all the girls and the babies. We have had some beautiful spring weather here, the grass is finally growing, the birds are chirping, the parasites are blooming... @Baymule you are too kind! I was so desperate for milk this year, but kept having to wait on the dang dewormer withdrawal times. I certainly have sheep that would be no fun to milk. This and last year we trained all the lambs to human touch, practiced touching their teats from the first day they were in the world, got them used to following the bucket, going in the barn, and being restrained. My ewes get sweeter and calmer and more fun to milk every year.
But I bet you could milk some of your ewes! Check which ones by putting out feed and touching all their udders, see who flinches the least
And choose the ones with twins/trips. You could even start milking when you wean, but of course you get less and production drops faster and you are locked into the milk schedule. I'm so excited that with the milk sharing this year, I could technically skip a day or two and not have to worry about mastitis (though still have to worry about production dropping).The hardest part is actually the orifices. I have gotten used to milking ewes with short or tiny teats (though I did sell most of those even though their production was great), but if the orifices are small it takes 2-3x as long to milk and by then they've finished their grain, plus the udder gets a lot of wear (though really not any more than from the lambs). Ginger's orifices are massive, but Charcoal's orifices are pretty tiny. I'm hoping Stud comes from a long line of large-orificed ewes so that all the lambs are easier to milk!
norseofcourse
Herd Master
So good to hear how things are going! I am looking forward to milking my sheep this year again, too. What do you use the milk for?
- Thread starter
- #129
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Pretty much everything! Mostly in coffee, cereal, etc. But this year I'd like to try making some cheeses again. Going to start with ricotta and mozzarella and go from there.
- Thread starter
- #130
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Finally got out to take some nice photos today! They are all getting so big and doing so well. It's always nice to say we had a 175% lamb crop with half of them first timers, but not such a big deal when there are only 4 sheep!
Puff guarding the sheep.
Ginger with the triplets.
The white triplet ewe lamb up close.
Dora's twin ewe lambs.
Charcoal and her huge ewe lamb.
Mocha and her adorable ram lamb.
Mocha's little guy up close.
Puff guarding the sheep.
Ginger with the triplets.
The white triplet ewe lamb up close.
Dora's twin ewe lambs.
Charcoal and her huge ewe lamb.
Mocha and her adorable ram lamb.
Mocha's little guy up close.
