# First Freshener won't let me milk her



## goatsinmississippi (Jun 19, 2013)

Hello! My partner and I are first-timers. Last night he brought home two alpine nannies. Both have kidded. One is dry, and the other is a first freshener who kidded a few months ago. The kids were weaned off her, but she was a nursemaid (applicable in goat terms?) to other kids. Well, anyway, we just got them, and I know the one milking needs to be milked every twelve hours. We didn't milk her last night because we wanted to give her a chance to settle in to her temporary home (we're building a big barn and pasture area for them). Today I went out and bought the food, hay, sweet feed, mineral stone, the whole nine yards. Unfortunately, we still don't have a milk stand built. So, let's get to the fun part. 

I put food, water, and some hay in their area, and after she had a second or two to drink and eat a bit, I connected the lead to her collar, took her out, and fastened her to a tree with a container of sweet feed in front of her. I pet her and tried to give her a chance to get used to my presence, and started making my way down to her sack (mind you, I had the antibacterial wipes ready to clean them as soon as she let me touch them). Whoa! Stella (that's her name) simply was NOT going to have that! She tried to bite me (I assume?), so I lessened her wiggle room so she had just enough leeway to get to her food (and not to my hand). Well, then those legs started to raring back. Now mind you, I'm standing to the side, but ole girl was getting into position to punt my rear right across the field! So then I tried to hobble a leg (letting her to step in the noose would make anyone laugh). Finally got it around her leg and hoisted it up and tied it off on a low branch. She liked to have a fit! I've never seen a goat bounce around as much as she did! Needless to say, I felt I put her through enough trauma for the time and unfastened the hobble, untied her from the tree, and spent the next half hour walking her around the field eating like a kid in a candy store. Finally got her back in her area. Waiting on the better half to come help me hold her so I can milk her. Are there any suggestions for making this process easier til the milk stand is built? I know she's got to be hurting with all that milk. I don't even want to salvage any of it right now. I just want to relief some of the pain she's probably experiencing without scaring her half to death. Help!!!!


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## hallsthirdacrefarm (Mar 30, 2011)

I have heard of folks creating a sling around the belly and tying it up and sideways to a wall/ceiling or fence to make the doe stand and then havign another person lean or sit in a chair such that her hauches are forces up against the fence/wall. If not worried about keepign the milk I'd forget the jars/bucket etc. and lean over her back pressing her into the fence with my body and reach one hand down along my side under her belly and express the teat on the outside / my side of the doe, then turn her the other way against the fence and do the same. She still needs to be tied off to the fence, but this way you are out of the way of getting kicked. Wear thick shoes in case she steps on you, she will. The sling will keep her from laying down. It can be made from an old blanket, sheet or towel


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

first of all - welcome!!!

this is how I tamed my skittish FF (mind you, i'm pretty new too, but the saying goes persistence beats resistance...I used that mantra to my advantage).

I milk my girl in her sleeping quarters, where she gets her breakfast.

at first, she would kick, spin, step on me, and try to run away. if she moved and there was still food left, i'd make her come back to her spot and keep milking. if she finished her food and moved away, i held on to her teat until she stopped moving, and again, kept milking it until i decided milking time was over. once i had her pinned to the corner of her stall, one hand holding the milk the other trying to hang on to the teat and milk. it was quite comical...

anyway, the key is to not stop milking until *YOU'RE* done.

it took about a week for her to calm down, and i can milk her without issues now. she does squirm sometimes, but we're getting better - me getting the hang of milking her, and she getting the hang of being milked.

what i took from my milking endeavours is to have a routine, do the same things every time you go into milk. that way they know what to expect.

also, it could be that her udders are sensitive from being full for so long that she doesn't want you to touch them.

good luck with milking, and it does get easier! remember - persistence beats resistance!!


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I use a home made stanchion. This years FF was tough! I only give grain when they are on the stand. Patience patience patience. This doe would side step, buck, bunny hop you name it. I'd be slow and giver her a few minutes of being naughty, then I'd gently tie one leg and try again, she'd then bunny hop the hole stand. I resorted to tying both legs. Always giving her a 'chance' first. Then it was only one leg, or I'd hold the leg and milk with one hand. The antics lasted about 3 weeks, we've had spilled milk you name it. Now she's better than my other doe. She wags her tail when she sees my coming, she runs out straight into the milking area and jumps on the stanchion.


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## goatgirl16 (Nov 21, 2012)

nchen7 said:


> first of all - welcome!!!
> 
> this is how I tamed my skittish FF (mind you, i'm pretty new too, but the saying goes persistence beats resistance...I used that mantra to my advantage).
> 
> ...


Oh that is good advise lol I am getting ready to start milking my FF and she is a little less the excited to have me messing around with her udder lol


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

goatgirl16 said:


> Oh that is good advise lol I am getting ready to start milking my FF and she is a little less the excited to have me messing around with her udder lol


you can do it goatgirl! if a city girl like me can do it, you can too!! 

oh, forgot to add, if you have other girls you want to milk in the future, start playing with their teats early. i have a doe that i want bred later in the year, and i started playing with her teats earlier in the year. she hated it so much she would be on her front 2 legs trying to get me off her. she doesn't care if i touch them now.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

nchen7 said:


> you can do it goatgirl! if a city girl like me can do it, you can too!!
> 
> oh, forgot to add, if you have other girls you want to milk in the future, start playing with their teats early. i have a doe that i want bred later in the year, and i started playing with her teats earlier in the year. she hated it so much she would be on her front 2 legs trying to get me off her. she doesn't care if i touch them now.


That is very good advice to play with the udder part. That is what I'm doing with all my girls now, I only have 1 currently in milk, but all of them go up on the stand to eat, and then is the time I brush, hoof trims, and playing with teats. I started this 3 weeks ago, and they have a lot better attitude with the stand


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## goatsinmississippi (Jun 19, 2013)

I was wondering about Blanche (Stella and Blanche, that's their names). She got all diva on me when I took Stella to be milked and she didn't get to go. Oh she wasnt going to have it! Not this sassy priss! My better half got the milk stand built tonight. So hopefully everything will be easier in the morning (which is in five hours,ugh)


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

goatsinmississippi said:


> I was wondering about Blanche (Stella and Blanche, that's their names). She got all diva on me when I took Stella to be milked and she didn't get to go. Oh she wasnt going to have it! Not this sassy priss! My better half got the milk stand built tonight. So hopefully everything will be easier in the morning (which is in five hours,ugh)


It will get easier!! They like routine. My first kinder in milk yikes!!! not a good time at all. Within a few weeks what do you know... Where's Peppermint my goat cause I don't know this girl who runs and gets on the stand, turns around to look at me well let's get this show in the road, and can I have some grain while we are at it.... It will get easier.... Patience....


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