Need advice. Getting new goat tomorrow!

[MsDeb]

If the weather cooperates I will be picking up a mini Nubian (FF in milk) tomorrow. This is sudden. The owner is moving. I don't have a pen prepared to quarantine her. I do, however, have the extra large insulated igloo type dog house that we got for Finn (who sleeps in the house...I still blame DH). The seller says she weighs about 50 pounds. The dog house is for dogs up to 120 pounds and easily held Finn the only time he went in it so does that sound ok for a temporary situation? We have a small pen that we used before we got the permanent pens built and we could put her within sight of the does without having her right next to them.
I worry that she will be stressed by the move. Should I expect that to effect her milk production? Seller says she was getting a quart every evening.
Also, all I have read talked about milking in the morning. Seller has been milking in the evening, which would work much better for me. But she also said if she was milked twice a day she would produce more. I know from nursing my own children that this makes sense, but does it work that way with goats? Would she gradually start producing more if I attempted a morning milk also?

 

[babsbag]

You can milk morning or night and yes, she will probably give more milk if you milk her 2x but not a significant amount. I only milk once a day; that allows me to have a life...and goats.

The move may upset her and her milk production may drop, and then again it might not. Grain is key to getting milk but make sure you keep her on the same feed she has been on if possible. If you do have to change, go slow, especially if she hasn't been getting grain.

The housing sounds fine. And Finn in the house...I missed that. So is he not your LGD?

 

[Southern by choice]

The igloo and pen are perfect for quarantine!

When it comes to milking I would say the once a day for the standard breeds is great but IMO the small goats like Nigies and mini's (the smaller mini's like you are getting) will definitely produce significantly more on 2x day.

A mini should be producing more than 1 qt a day even as a FF. Of course than depends on how far she is lactation. You should expect 2 qts at a minimum (2x day milking) on a FF.

Grain does make a difference however for us this year we are milking differently. No feed on the stand. Alfalfa hay only and then they get a "treat" of feed once off the stand... 1 1/2 cups feed for the mini. We did this because they were getting too fat on the stand and becoming obnoxious.. if they ate their grain to fast they would fight you before we finished milking, which led to more grain which led to fat goats.

Our mini in milk (Mini Mancha) is 60 lbs FF (had a single) gives
2 3/4 qts - 3 qts day.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Don't forget pictures

 

[MsDeb]

And Finn in the house...I missed that. So is he not your LGD?

Yes, Finn is a house dog....because my dear husband is a big softie....which is why it is so easy to talk him into getting goats (and chickens) so it works in my favor.

 

[Hens and Roos]

 

[MsDeb]

Alice is home. Yelling her head off in solitary confinement, poor thing. I hate that there wasn't another goat I could get that could come home with her, but the other two the seller had (an ND buck and a registered Oberdashi...spelling???) were not goats I want.
Will see how my first attempt at milking goes this evening.

 

[Hens and Roos]

She's a cutie! Good Luck with milking- its not that hard

 

[Southern by choice]

Can I say I am in LOVE! What a cutie!

I hope my first F1 Nubies come out that cute!

 

[babsbag]

What a sweet little face. Good luck with the milking. @Hens and Roos says not that hard... my first few attempts were not that great. The doe had never been milked and I had never milked, not a good combination; at least this doe knows what to do.

You know that when you breed her next year you will either need the ND buck or another mini.