Milking Three Girls

Well, since I sold Zinnia’s babies, she’s determined she is going to get milked.  I mean, she pushes everyone out of the way to get to the door.  I sometimes have to remind her that she has to let me get to the door in order to open it.

Zinnia (busy chewing cud)

It’s completely dark when I go out to milk now even though I switched to milking at 5:30 when the time changed.  And since I’ve been catching up on hooves, I have more girls trying to come in than I have girls with milk. (Sorry about blurry pictures, but phone, dark, and actually milking.)

Popcorn by the door; Astra, Ava, Zinnia, Perdita, Miss Goose, and Joy; Antigone behind the fence

Ava is first even though Zinnia really thinks she should be.  Ava has gotten to the point that she really doesn’t even want to eat that much because I’m giving them grain every afternoon.

Ava waiting impatiently

I tell her she doesn’t have to eat, but I can’t only half milk her out.  It’s kind of all or nothing.

checking out my phone

She’s ready to go back out.  Then there’s no stopping Zinnia.  I hold Joy off while I try to get Ava out and Zinnia is already eating before I can shut the door.

Zinnia already eating

And she isn’t going to to stop shoveling the sweet feed in.  Even when I’ve gotten the last drop of milk from her.

I have to take her by the horn and turn her back to the door.  But she’s pretty good about leaving once I tug on her horn.

Then I open the door and out she goes while Joy comes in.

Joy coming in; Zinnia heading out

Bless Joy. I do love milking her.  She’s so easy.

Joy

Although she’s the hardest one to get back out the door.  I think she gets that from her Grandmaa Haley.

I’m still getting a pretty good amount of milk between the three of them.

Saturday evening’s milk

It’s enough to do stuff–I actually made another batch of mozzarella over the weekend.

fresh mozzarella–it’s still warm

Cleaning up after making cheese.  I love my soap room!

Sometimes, when I open the door to let Joy out or when I get ready to head back to the house, I have someone else trying to sneak in (remember trimming hooves).

Victoria trying to push her way in.

I’m not sure how much longer I’ll keep milking.  I know I want to milk through winter break because it gives me the milk for all kinds of delicious baking and cream of soups.

Updates

Well, everyone is hanging in there. Margarita and Myson are getting along well.  I think Myson is gaining a little weight.  Margarita is about the same, and with the cold weather I’ll call that good.

Myson and Margarita

Benji spent most of his time in the greenhouse when it was cold.  I’m also going to call it a win that he didn’t really lose any more weight while we were that cold.  Hopefully, since he has a good appetite, the copper will kick in and he’ll start picking some weight up.

Benji peeking out the door when it was still cold over the weekend.

The boys can come out of the greenhouse easily even though I had the door mostly shut to keep the wind out.  Frodo really likes his roommates.  They are much nicer than the other big bucks.

Frodo

Xerxes seems to have done something to his eye.  I’m guessing it was poked with hay, but there is no way for me to even check it out.  It was all better by the time I checked him on Monday.  Thank goodness.

Xerxes with a watery eye

Mr. Peacock is still a bit sneezy, but it isn’t as bad.  Hopefully, this more moderate weather streak will continue for a while and he will finish recovering.

Mr. Peacock

Zinnia came back into heat.  I’m actually pretty happy she didn’t get bred on one of the days Benji was out.  She really needs a longer time between babies (her girls were born right at the end of July).

Zinnia with her girls behind her

I’m not sure we’re going to get the hydrant changed yet this fall with the crazy weather.  But the cattle tank is still working, so it’s not too bad.

Antigone behind the hydrant

For some reason, Antigone and Hera were limping the other day.  I am hoping that this week (while I’m on break), I can get a lot of hooves trimmed.  That should help.

Hera resting her foot and eating at the same time.

I hope.

Still Here

Look who’s still here!

Yep, Simon and Howie.

Simon and Howie

The girls are still here too.

Crystal and Mini (Terry was in the Love Shack with her maa)

So is Freddie.

Freddie

I texted my nephew on Thursday to see if I needed to catch the last little girls and get them penned to load out Saturday morning, and he informed me that the truck we needed to pull the trailer was leaking “copious amounts of oil.”

Zinnia with her girls Barbie (front) and Jeanie

Simon (OMGoatness! That little beard is too cute!)

That means I don’t know how long they will be here.

If it warms up, I can take the littles in my truck, but I have to have the trailer for Freddie.

Zora, the Bratopotamus

And if it takes too long, I’ll actually be able to catch Zora.