Post by Lannie on Sept 30, 2008 12:38:43 GMT -5
Wow. Bandit's been such an angel since I started milking her, but last night she was SO fussy! I don't know what was wrong, but she kept leeeeaaaaaning to the back, then leeeeaaaaaning to the front, then to the side, then to the other side. It was killing my back, trying to follow her leans to and fro.
Then she knocked the bucket over. Argh! There was only a little bit in there (I dump into a big stock pot every so often), but I was still PO'd. I remembered what Joann said in her book about the possible reason for "kicking the bucket" meaning dying! LOL! I, too, was ready to stand up and whack her with a heavy object! At least she didn't relieve her bowels or bladder. That would have put the icing on the cake for sure.
Finally, I was about done in (and fast losing my temper, which is NOT good), although there was still milk in there to get, and just about then she decided she wanted OUT of the stanchion. She wasn't even done eating yet. She started pulling on the stanchion like crazy, and I know when she does that I have about 5 seconds to get her out of the barn before she SPLAAAATTTSS! all over everything, so I jumped up and released her from the stanchion and got her out just in time. She splatted all over in front of the barn door. We took her and Cricket back to the pen and went to clean up in the barn.
I went back out a minute later and Cricket was busy nursing and Bandit was standing rock still, so I decided I was NOT going to let her decide when I milk and when I don't, and ran back for my bucket. I milked the 2 unslobbery teats opposite of Cricket while she worked on the other side. The milk was FALLING out! Talk about letdown! She was letting down OK for me in the barn, but this was a little better, plus she wasn't leaning! I managed to empty my two quarters about the time Cricket was finishing up her side. All in all, I only got 3/4 of a gallon, but some got spilled and some had to be dumped because a big fat fly landed in it (he was doing the backstroke as far as I could tell). I know I got cream, but I still don't have a distinctive creamline this morning, so I'm not sure how much yet.
Maybe I'll just try it this way until the new barn is ready. The way the stanchion is now, there really isn't any room for Cricket on the other side of Bandit while I'm milking because it's up against a wall. If I just let Bandit into the pen, give her some hay and let Cricket have one side while I milk the other side, that might give me more milk quicker, and with more cream on it. We're putting the stanchion in the new barn so there's room on both sides, so I could milk from either side, or let Cricket be on one side while I'm on the other.
Until she's weaned, anyway, and then I'm having it ALL. One way or another!
~Lannie
P.S. Speaking of the new barn, Rich told me that he just got an e-mail saying that our barn is now in Rapid City!!!! YAAAAY! Now we just have to wait for the local delivery people to bring it, which should be about 10 days. MOOOOHOOOOOO! ;D
Then she knocked the bucket over. Argh! There was only a little bit in there (I dump into a big stock pot every so often), but I was still PO'd. I remembered what Joann said in her book about the possible reason for "kicking the bucket" meaning dying! LOL! I, too, was ready to stand up and whack her with a heavy object! At least she didn't relieve her bowels or bladder. That would have put the icing on the cake for sure.
Finally, I was about done in (and fast losing my temper, which is NOT good), although there was still milk in there to get, and just about then she decided she wanted OUT of the stanchion. She wasn't even done eating yet. She started pulling on the stanchion like crazy, and I know when she does that I have about 5 seconds to get her out of the barn before she SPLAAAATTTSS! all over everything, so I jumped up and released her from the stanchion and got her out just in time. She splatted all over in front of the barn door. We took her and Cricket back to the pen and went to clean up in the barn.
I went back out a minute later and Cricket was busy nursing and Bandit was standing rock still, so I decided I was NOT going to let her decide when I milk and when I don't, and ran back for my bucket. I milked the 2 unslobbery teats opposite of Cricket while she worked on the other side. The milk was FALLING out! Talk about letdown! She was letting down OK for me in the barn, but this was a little better, plus she wasn't leaning! I managed to empty my two quarters about the time Cricket was finishing up her side. All in all, I only got 3/4 of a gallon, but some got spilled and some had to be dumped because a big fat fly landed in it (he was doing the backstroke as far as I could tell). I know I got cream, but I still don't have a distinctive creamline this morning, so I'm not sure how much yet.
Maybe I'll just try it this way until the new barn is ready. The way the stanchion is now, there really isn't any room for Cricket on the other side of Bandit while I'm milking because it's up against a wall. If I just let Bandit into the pen, give her some hay and let Cricket have one side while I milk the other side, that might give me more milk quicker, and with more cream on it. We're putting the stanchion in the new barn so there's room on both sides, so I could milk from either side, or let Cricket be on one side while I'm on the other.
Until she's weaned, anyway, and then I'm having it ALL. One way or another!
~Lannie
P.S. Speaking of the new barn, Rich told me that he just got an e-mail saying that our barn is now in Rapid City!!!! YAAAAY! Now we just have to wait for the local delivery people to bring it, which should be about 10 days. MOOOOHOOOOOO! ;D