Although she seems to feel that it's a punishment and humiliation I'm inflicting on her, it has made milking her a one-person job. And that person - me - doesn't get kicked in the head now.
She can move her head up and down, and eats hay while I fill the milk jug. The whole process, including catching her and wrestling her into the stocks, takes about ten minutes. The end is the best bit: she's freed and I get to top-up feed two little lambs whose mother isn't as milky as the rest. I never get tired of bottle-feeding lambs.
We had cold rain yesterday, followed by freezing temperatures, so we quickly adapted the maternity unit making windbreaks out of pallets and roofs out of tarps, and putting down straw beds for extra insulation -
It's not picturesque, but my lambs are warm and still alive. Even Grumpy appreciated the extra bedding and kale treats -
Or maybe not.
5 comments:
There's just no pleasing some people, err, sheep, is there? :)
Seeing her in the stocks shows just how large she is. If this is the worst thing that happens to her each day, life is really good!
G is just that, grumpy. Maturnity Unit looks quite warm and comfy and the stocks are far more humane than I imagined. Just remember, you're the human and she's livestock. Until you decide otherwise. She does look quite plump and possibly delicious. My neighbor rooster is nicknamed Stewpot for a reason. Just sayin'...
Does Grumpy know we are sitting grinning at her discomfort? Robin is right - she's a big girl, glad you have reduced the incidence of hoof-to-head moments, they're never fun :}
BW- Look at that expression on her face. She's taking down names for sure!
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