The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Raw milk of any kind is better than anything homogenized or pasteurized.

Butter is easy, I do mine in 1/2 gal wide mouth canning jars... I like to add a little MM culture, let sit for about 24 hrs at room temp, them just toss it in the food processor for 2-4 minutes and ta-da... butter and buttermilk.
Make sure to pat and rinse the butter well while running it under cold, cold water... the more buttermilk you get out the longer the butter will last.
I make all of my butter in the spring and freeze it for the entire year in 1/2 lb balls.
Save your buttermilk, it is SO good for biscuits and pancakes!

How do you separate the cream?

 

[RedRidge]

How do you separate the cream?

The cream will separate IF it is left in the original container from milking (again 1/2 gal glass jars), and it is left for a few days. After you skim the cream (I use a stainless steel baster), Then you want to bring it to room temperature before you add culture.
The trick especially with goat's milk is to take it directly from the udder and don't disturb it (expect for straining of course while it's still warm).
You will not get near as much cream from goat's milk as cow's milk because it is slightly more naturally homogenized.
Sheep's milk is 100% homogenized so I have to use a cream separator for it, but with the cows I simply save the sheep's milk for cheese and use the cow's milk for butter, drinking, ice cream, and some other cheeses.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Aoxa - I have fed whey just straight in a shallow pan or bowl. They'll drink it up. You can Keep it in the fridge and just put out as much as you want to each day.

I've also mixed with feed before. I don't like it that way as much so I just usually feed straight. When I mix w/feed I've let it set out overnight to soak some up at times; other times just stirred it in and fed. I don't do either of those much anymore.

Butter from goat milk! That is a bit more difficult as it is a little more "naturally homogenized" than cow milk. It tends to have very little cream rise to the top.

There ARE home "separators" that will get way more cream out of the goat milk but they are pricey.

 

[aoxa]

The cream will separate IF it is left in the original container from milking (again 1/2 gal glass jars), and it is left for a few days. After you skim the cream (I use a stainless steel baster), Then you want to bring it to room temperature before you add culture.
The trick especially with goat's milk is to take it directly from the udder and don't disturb it (expect for straining of course while it's still warm).
You will not get near as much cream from goat's milk as cow's milk because it is slightly more naturally homogenized.
Sheep's milk is 100% homogenized so I have to use a cream separator for it, but with the cows I simply save the sheep's milk for cheese and use the cow's milk for butter, drinking, ice cream, and some other cheeses.

http://www.weedemandreap.com/2013/05/milk-showdown-cow-vs-sheep-vs-goat-which-is-best.html
Thought you would like this RedRidge. It is about goats/sheeps/cows milk. Nothing to do with chickens, so I felt it was safe to share.

Sheep win the milk vote here.

Is it hard to milk an ewe? My two were so skittish I could hardly touch them for any length of time. They were bottle raised too, so not being exposed to humans is not a reason. Plus they were the loudest things ever. Way worse than my goats. However, they didn't get into the trouble the goats can get into.

I'd love to have a Southdown Ewe. They are so darn cute.

I'd have a cow if we had more land. May just buy our butter and use the milk for cheeses.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote:

Here's a link on the A2 issue if anyone is interested in getting an overview:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/07/09/The-Devil-in-the-Milk.

Thanks to you both for the link. Very informative. Really makes me wish I had access to raw milk around here.

 

[fallenangel79]

I couldn't resist sharing this pic... the pups are 5 weeks old now and are dividing their time between the sheep and chickens since certain ones will be guarding different types of livestock. This little girl is likely the one going to TX where she will be guarding sheep on a ranch there... with all brothers she has had to be a go getter, she's going to make an awesome guardian and already loves her sheepies.

so cute

 

[RedRidge]

Quote:
Hadn't seen that link before... thanks for sharing.
In the chart they have they did not have results for three of the vitamins for sheep's milk... I have those numbers and all three are much higher than goat or cow.
Here's an interesting link too.
http://www.sheepcentre.co.uk/sheep_milk_facts.htm

Temperament is everything when it comes to dairy sheep. And bottle babies are actually the worst... they think they don't have to listen to you - my husband says it's like pushing a wet rope up hill.
When I raised 300 bottle babies a year I learned the hard way to "care for them" but not make pets out of them.
The pets are the worst. They would turn around in the parlor and want to be pet and want to know what you're doing back there... pain in the rear!

As far as breeds of sheep... East Friesian and Lacaune are the two dairy sheep breeds in the US... my girls have some of both plus a smattering of a few other things like polypay.
You can get good and bad in every breed, but as a generality I would stay away from anything that doesn't have a decent udder, raise big lambs, and is a small sheep - small sheep are just so much harder to milk. I have a friend with Icelandics and they are NOT the multi purpose breed folks claim they are... little teats, no meat... good for wool only.
I have milked a few tunis... also some dorsets (which are a good milky breed), and polypay (which I love).
Even though I raise polypay/dorset type sheep, I do keep a few East Friesian/Lacaune... they just give 4 times as much (or more) than standard meat/wool sheep.
I purposely keep the ones with nice udders who convert forage well so I am not having to feed them grain all the time... just a little when I am milking.

 

[armorfirelady]

I have a friend looking for a local place to get goats milk. She lives in Pinellas county Florida near Seminole the city. Is there a website she can use to find small local farmers or does anyone know a goat person down in FL?

I know this is a chicken thread, but so many on here have other livestock including goats I thought I would ask. Thank you.

I found this website off a link LM & RR posted. Lists all the states and locations. Hope it helps.
http://www.realmilk.com/real-milk-finder/

ETA: I found several near me

 

[aoxa]

Hadn't seen that link before... thanks for sharing.
In the chart they have they did not have results for three of the vitamins for sheep's milk... I have those numbers and all three are much higher than goat or cow.
Here's an interesting link too.
http://www.sheepcentre.co.uk/sheep_milk_facts.htm

Temperament is everything when it comes to dairy sheep. And bottle babies are actually the worst... they think they don't have to listen to you - my husband says it's like pushing a wet rope up hill.
When I raised 300 bottle babies a year I learned the hard way to "care for them" but not make pets out of them.
The pets are the worst. They would turn around in the parlor and want to be pet and want to know what you're doing back there... pain in the rear!

As far as breeds of sheep... East Friesian and Lacaune are the two dairy sheep breeds in the US... my girls have some of both plus a smattering of a few other things like polypay.
You can get good and bad in every breed, but as a generality I would stay away from anything that doesn't have a decent udder, raise big lambs, and is a small sheep - small sheep are just so much harder to milk. I have a friend with Icelandics and they are NOT the multi purpose breed folks claim they are... little teats, no meat... good for wool only.
I have milked a few tunis... also some dorsets (which are a good milky breed), and polypay (which I love).
Even though I raise polypay/dorset type sheep, I do keep a few East Friesian/Lacaune... they just give 4 times as much (or more) than standard meat/wool sheep.
I purposely keep the ones with nice udders who convert forage well so I am not having to feed them grain all the time... just a little when I am milking.

What about hair type sheep? I don't want to be bothered with wool. I am allergic and could hardly pet our sheep without breaking out into hives on my forearms.

I had Suffolk crosses prior.

 

[Leahs Mom]

What about hair type sheep? I don't want to be bothered with wool. I am allergic and could hardly pet our sheep without breaking out into hives on my forearms.

I had Suffolk crosses prior.