![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ruffledfeathersandspilledmilk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/milk-machine-2.jpg\" "\\"milk")
<\/a><\/p>\nBabies fed milk.\u00a0 Check!\u00a0 Magenta’s udder stimulated.\u00a0 Check!\u00a0 Me off busy doing other farm chores instead of torturing myself (and Magenta) at the milk stand.\u00a0 Check!<\/p>\n
Despite her impressive lineage and a beautiful udder, Magenta is not producing much milk.\u00a0 I was a bit concerned when I saw her kicking her babies away whenever they tried to nurse.\u00a0 I was really concerned when the kids started suckling any part of exposed human skin when we went into the kidding barn to visit them.\u00a0 And although they appeared to be growing and vigorous, they were gobbling grain when they were only a week old.\u00a0 As if it was the only thing they got to eat.<\/p>\n
I usually start milking 3 weeks after kids are born.\u00a0 I think it gives the mom and babies some good bonding time before I start separating them at night so I can milk in the morning.\u00a0 But at the 2 week mark I put Magenta on the stand.\u00a0 My plan was to milk her out and then give a bottle to the smallest of her triplets, if not all three of them.<\/p>\n
Imagine my surprise when her firm, full looking udder was almost empty.\u00a0 She didn’t have any signs of mastitis, just no milk.\u00a0 I examined her teats for cracks or tenderness.\u00a0 I checked her orifices for blockages.\u00a0 I massaged her udder and talked soothingly to encourage her milk let down.\u00a0 I topped off her grain with a bit of scratch.\u00a0 I milked and milked and milked until I had a whopping 1 ounce of milk in the bucket.\u00a0 And the whole time, I was fending off 3 starving babies with my feet, elbows, and knees to get the job done.<\/p>\n
She kicked, stepped off the side of the stand, and pulled her head in the stanchion until she choked.<\/p>\n
But the only way to stimulate milk production is to either milk frequently or let babies nurse frequently.\u00a0 Since she wouldn’t allow nursing, that meant it was up to me.\u00a0 For several days I punished us with this unsuccessful process.\u00a0 It was exhausting.\u00a0 Frustrating……..STUPID!<\/p>\n
The babies needed milk.\u00a0 Magenta needed milking.\u00a0 What I really needed was a milking machine.\u00a0 A free one.\u00a0 Which I just happened to have.<\/p>\n
Voila!<\/p>\n