Chat
07-09-2014, 03:15 PM
Thankfully Petunia's mastitis was pretty mild, and both sides of the udder look well-matched shape-wise, and the teats are the same size. The mastitis side just looks and feels like a miniature version of the other side. The babies nurse both sides equally, but both of them prefer the smaller side and will suck that one dry before they try the other. Petunia seems less touchy on the small side, which may be why they like it better. I'm hoping she'll nurse her babies till they're old enough. She's been kicking them off more frequently and more vigorously these last few days. At first I just thought it was chapped udder so I've been applying Bag Balm every morning, but even though the dryness has disappeared, the kicking has gotten worse. Petunia looks like she's had it with motherhood. I'm sure the babies are very demanding. They're growing like weeds and we all know how forceful goats are about food! I'm just glad that Snickers is happily taking a lot of his meals from Lilly now. Lilly doesn't seem to mind. As long as I hold her collar, she'll stand and nurse Snickers as long as he wants.
Phil and I were talking today about how hard it must be for Petunia to make this transition. Being Queen Lilly's only kid, she was the darling of the herd from the time she was born right up until about two weeks before Finn came along. Suddenly Pet was tossed out on her ear and discovered that without Lilly on her side, she had no friends and was bottom of the pecking order. She's been spending a lot of time by herself ever since and no one has really warmed up to her, poor girl. She sleeps outside a lot. She doesn't really get picked on and I see very little fighting, but all the other goats give Pet the cold shoulder and won't stand or lay next to her. They act like she's got the plague or something. I think she's pretty lonely and she doesn't really like having only her two boys for company.
Phil and I were talking today about how hard it must be for Petunia to make this transition. Being Queen Lilly's only kid, she was the darling of the herd from the time she was born right up until about two weeks before Finn came along. Suddenly Pet was tossed out on her ear and discovered that without Lilly on her side, she had no friends and was bottom of the pecking order. She's been spending a lot of time by herself ever since and no one has really warmed up to her, poor girl. She sleeps outside a lot. She doesn't really get picked on and I see very little fighting, but all the other goats give Pet the cold shoulder and won't stand or lay next to her. They act like she's got the plague or something. I think she's pretty lonely and she doesn't really like having only her two boys for company.