Goat shelters & milk stands

[Emmetts Dairy]

I have a separate room...and shut the door!! As we know...goats are curious creatures!! LOL.... and I have shelves and a window! My husband's good to us...but we planned it out in advance..and being separate helps alot...I do all maint pretty much on that stand...hoof trimming, vacinations etc... However we have a poured cement floor in that room only Im able to keep things sanitary. If I ever need a clean sanitatry enviroment for serious injuries etc..it makes it nice...but we have bad winters sooo...its also for our convienence too..we would never be able to milk outside in Dec...I think I would be making goat milk shakes!!! LOL...

Good luck...but I can definatley recomend shelving!! Its nice to have everything you need around you when workin with them!!

 

[freemotion]

I keep my milking stand in the garage in mosquito season and in the hay storage area of the barn in cold weather. I lead the does through the gate one at a time....they decide the order, don't mess with it!....with a thick dog collar, the kind that quickly clips on and off, and a soft cotton leadrope for horses.

I have one doe I rescued as an adult and she was never taught to lead, likely dragged people around, and has always been difficult. I have to wrap the leadrope around my hips when going through the gate or she will drag me to the milk stand before I can get the gate properly secured.

My other doe I raised from a weanling and I prepared her from day one. I handled her udder daily and led her often, at first just in her stall, later around the yard with lots of treats, and later, fed her on the milk stand on occasion. She has been SOOO easy to lead and to milk, a real sweetie.

So I have two more doelings I am raising up to milk, and they both will crouch when I touch their udders and both are getting their leading training, usually at dinner time with their food in my hands. They had their first meal on the milking stand this week. They will be leading and standing quietly on the stand before winter comes, so I can take a break from training them in the winter and they will be ready for milking in the spring, with just a little tune-up on the stand before kidding.

They learn the words "stop, walk, and up." Up is for getting on the stand, and isn't needed later. Once preggers and lactating, they race for the food and quiet of the stand.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

we have our milkstand in the garage/barn - separate from the critters. my ladies come when i call them by name, and then walk up to the stand and hop up. i only feed bagged food on the stand so they are really excited to get up there.

i have collars on them just in case someone doesnt want to cooperate.

i like having a cement floor (not wood) b/c every once in a while you get a kicked over bucket of milk... its easy to hose out.

my goats know the command: "hey you! knock it off!"
;-)

EDairy has a great point - it makes it much easier if you have a place to put your tools and supplies.

good luck!

 

[freemotion]

my goats know the command: "hey you! knock it off!"
;-)

Shoot, that is what I forgot....no wonder my gals give me so much guff!

 

[whetzelmomma]

I used to have my stanchion in a separate area, but my doe is not lead trained, and it was very obviously stressing her out to be led to a new area to milk. I moved my stanchion into the goat barn, and only have one other doeling at the moment. To date, I've been distracting her with a feeding on the floor by her guardian (my milking doe is not my doeling's mother, but she protects her like she's her mom) They both eat and milk pretty peacefully this way. I love the idea of creating a tie area to tether my extra goats while I'm milking!! I plan to start training for this NOW so it's no new thing when the time comes that I have more than one extra goat to contend with while milking.
edited because I can't spell... sheeze.

 

[poorboys]

Our milkstand is in garage, away from everything else. I go to the gate and they all know the order to come in, If I don't see one I just yell for her, and she comes running. they all have collars but really don't use them, as soon as I open the gate the first one runs to the stand and is usually waiting on me. and they go back to gate and wait for me to open for the next one. It has'nt always been easy, I have taken a tumble a couple of times thru mud. my goats all stop like statues when that happens, sometimes even with the gate open but nobody makes a move untill i'm back on my feet:weee We really need a camera out there, things get pretty funny, good luck with your girls Patty