Milking Stand for N.G.s??

[ParadisePoultry]

I have seen plans o the Fiasco Farm site, and also in my Storey's guide to Raising Dairy Goats for building Milking Stands.

I am just wondering how to adjust the size for my NG goats. Or do I even need to worry about it? Will a normal size milk stand also work for the Nigis?

 

[AlaskanShepherdess]

The couple that built ours had to only lower the feed bin I believe. I have mine elevated on a platform that they jump onto, and then up to the milking stand so I am only slightly bending over to milk.

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

I'd like to know too!

 

[whetzelmomma]

We built our own from looking at some on line, and we just measured our adult doe and made it fit her. It would fit a bit taller and also shorter.

 

[ParadisePoultry]

The couple that built ours had to only lower the feed bin I believe. I have mine elevated on a platform that they jump onto, and then up to the milking stand so I am only slightly bending over to milk.

I would imagine that you would just want to lower the little cut out circle that their head fits into on the stanchion. Or like you said, measure your doe, and make it the right height for her. Everything else on the stand could be the same.

 

[Our7Wonders]

We built ours from the plans on Fiascofarm.com - I think it would likely work fine for a smaller goat. In fact, on the plans they explain how they use the same stand for working with kids as well. They use the same stand but, if I remember correctly, they use a bungee to hold the boards tighter around the neck. If you only have minis you could just adjust where those boards are placed when you construct it- moving them just a little further apart where you bolt them in so the top can be brought closer together.

FWIW - I really like the milk stand design. If I had to change anything about it it would be to make it just a little higher - I have to sit on a very low stool to be at the right hight, but it's not uncomfortable at all. I think the height would work well for mini goats - AND, as a bonus, if your budget conscious like I have to be, it was only about $40 worth of material to make it!

 

[AlaskanShepherdess]

Here is mine