# Goat throwing "fits" on the milking stand...



## WhiteMountainsRanch (May 15, 2012)

*I am being very gentle with them, but I have one doe that over the last couple days has decided she likes to throw really bad unexpected "fits" on the milking stand. To the point where I can't even touch her.

She is getting really bad and does it every time now, though she didn't when I first got her. They have grain and pellets in front of them the whole time while on the stand.

What do I do? Do I wait it out? Give them a little rump slap? Am I doing something wrong? 

I'm kinda at a loss and it's really annoying having milk splashed all over me. 

Thank in advance...*


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## Mamaboid (May 15, 2012)

Elsie is usually a dream on the stand, but once in a while, she gets in a mood and will not stand, tries to kick me, and hollers her fool head off.  I wait it out, and depending on my mood, I either just talk to her in a stern voice, or once in a while she gets a little 'whack' on the side of her hip of the leg she has decided to kick me with.  She usually keeps it up for about a minute, and then we settle down and finish the milking.  It always made  me feel bad because I think I must have pinched her or something, but then she did it before I started the other day and I decided she was just being a goat.


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## SmallFarmGirl (May 15, 2012)

WhiteMountainsRanch said:
			
		

> *I am being very gentle with them, but I have one doe that over the last couple days has decided she likes to throw really bad unexpected "fits" on the milking stand. To the point where I can't even touch her.
> 
> She is getting really bad and does it every time now, though she didn't when I first got her. They have grain and pellets in front of them the whole time while on the stand.
> 
> ...


I would suggest getting someone to hold her legs. ANother thing that helps is if you put your head close to them as you milk and sing softly or talk. 
Offer your favorite treat when she's on the stand and don't get her on only to milk. Let her get get on and JUST get her favorite treat and a brushing or a petting etc. Whatever she likes. If you have another doe who enjoys it get her on the milk stand for the other doe to see. Pamper the good one and the other one soon will want the same attention. It worked for me! 
P.S. 
Good treats: 
Gram crackers 
bread 
corn chips (broken into a smaller pieces) 
corn


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## redtailgal (May 15, 2012)

I guess I am pretty strong on discipline. I'd rather teach an animal to restrain itself with taught manners than to hold it down.

I've started clicker training with my goats, mostly because I train dogs and was curious about clicker training.  I quickly realized that clicker training is PERFECT for angry or frightened or extremely defiant animals.  (and possibly even nephews  )

I'd work with her on the clicker training, away from the stanchion for one or two days.  Make a sound or say THE SAME word and put a treat in her face without asking her to do anything for it.  The goal is to have her hear the noise or word, and KNOW that there is a treat coming, and for her to start looking for that treat.  I would SAY the word "steady" in this case.

I'd get her on the stand, and completely IGNORE wrong behavior.   Then, the very instant she stands still, even if she is only taking a breath to resume screaming, give the sound (steady)  and the treat.  When she restarts her temper tantrum, turn your back to her.  Once she calms again, IMMEDIATELY say "steady" and give the treat.

You'll be teaching her to remain calm on the stand while at the same time teaching her a command that may prevent problems like this in the future.

Will it work?  I dunno, it's just a theory, but I think it would work if you are patient and consistent.


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## Roll farms (May 15, 2012)

Be the boss goat.

You're putting up w/ it.  She is 'training' you, not the other way around.

Be.The.Boss.Goat.

I'm not saying beat the ever loving snot out of her, but show her you are the Herd Queen.  I've found a good pull (quick yank) to the ear (on Nubians) works to get their attention.  A stern, "HEY NOW" and mine usually know an ear pull is next and settle down.


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## sawfish99 (May 15, 2012)

Hobbles are a wonderful tool for teaching a goat to stand.  Stop using them once she gets the point.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (May 15, 2012)

*Well the problem is that she'll stand still when I first put her on, while I wash her, and then right at the very end when I'm like 2 minutes from being done she'll flip out kick my hands and hop of the other side of the stand so I can't reach her. If only I could finish 2 minutes faster. LOL.

She's just throwing a hissy fit; has been doing it every milking now for a couple days. 

First I ignored her and she just stood there off the side of the stand where I couldn't reach. I got up walked around out her rear end back on and let her calm down. Finally let me finish.

Second time I gave her a couple whacks on the side of the upper back leg, moved her back end back onto the stand, let her calm down and then finished.

Made sure her favorite food is on the stand to distract her.

That's all I've tried so far, but she's still doing the same thing. *


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## mydakota (May 16, 2012)

Every once in awhile Elci will do that.  (My saanens never do).  My milkstand is right up against the wall of the shed.  I try to never reward the bad behavior by stopping the milking.  I put my head into her flank and push her up against the wall.  If she struggles, I push harder.  When she softens, I do as well. (I keep right on milking rhythmically through the whole thing). This generally gets her attention and she stops.  On a very rare couple of occasions, I had to supplement this with hobbles. In any event, never reward her tantrums by stopping.  There is a term in horsemanship called "riding through".  I like to think of this as milking through. 

Is your goat restrained in a stanchion while milking?


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (May 16, 2012)

*Yes her head/ neck is restrained but she can still maneuver her rear end off the opposite side of the stand. I don't really have anywhere to put it up against something.

She did pretty good this morning. I think the rump slaps helped.  *


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## treeclimber233 (May 23, 2012)

I'm having the same problem with my doe (nubian).  Have you ever seen wild mare milking at a rodeo?  That is my doe.  My milking stand is about knee high and she can get her rump in the air and do handstands with her udder above my head.  She also "feels" for my hand with her back foot and just presses it off her teat.  She also fights and throws herself off the stand--head still secured in stanchion and hind feet on the ground.  Did I mention laying down? Snorting?  I'm talking REAL HISSY.  She gets mad at me and then won't eat her grain.  I am only getting about 1 quart of milk from her (nursing baby and one teat taped every day) because she wont eat her grain after she gets mad at me.  I am wondering if she thinks she is winning even tho I fight it thru because she is still fighting when I finish.  I have been milking her for a month now and she is not getting any better. Any suggestions????


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (May 23, 2012)

*My girl was doing some of the things you said but no where near that bad. 

I did a few more rump slaps when she started misbehaving and now after she lifts her foot to kick my hand off she "freezes" and I am able to finish. 

Not sure since I am new but I am thinking it was a dominance thing.*


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## treeclimber233 (May 23, 2012)

I have been giving her lessons in the barn and field as to who is the boss.  She is dangerous when food is involved.  She thinks nothing of shoving her way into the food and if that includes knocking me over that is fine with her.  I fed her all the grain she wanted the other night on the milking stand.  I got her off the stand and put her in the field.  Then I went in the field with a bucket of grain for the other goats thinking she would be ok since she just got off the stand.  WRONG!!!!  She came running and tackled the food bucket almost knocking me over.  Then when I put grain out for the others she tried to guard as much grain as she could butting anyone that even looked at the food.  She got lessons on standing back and letting them eat.  I put my foot up/andor down that that behavior would not be tolerated.  She is very difficult to lead.  We just go for a drag--her dragging me.   I've been working on that too but not getting very far.  I think I am beginning to understand why the people I got her from sold her at such a reasonable price!!!!!!


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (May 23, 2012)

*Oooh... sorry to hear she is such a handful. I guess I got really lucky that none of my goats were like that! I should have watched them being milked before I bought them but I didn't (shoulda done a lot of things) but thank the lord all mine turned out to be nice! 


You know one thing I have noticed is that milking does that were bottle babies are MUCH and I do mean MUCH easier to work with. I have one that isn't and all the rest are. They are just soooo much sweeter and easier to work with. *


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## treeclimber233 (May 24, 2012)

Next time I will tell them I want to see the doe milked before I buy.


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## Georgiamainers (Jun 3, 2012)

My Sanaan is going through the same thing right now.  It's sooo aggravating!  She's being very picky about her feed. To buy me some time to milk her, I throw some Calf Manna in her feed bucket and she picks through it.


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