# Homemade DIY Milker



## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

Hi everyone! I have a Nigerian Dwarf doe that is due in April, and I think I want to milk her. I plan on hand milking but lately I have seen where people are making homemade milkers for cheap. I understand that these will not work as good as ones that you could buy, but I don't have a lot of money and I would rather spend the money on good food & housing for my goats than a good milker. I saw one thing where you take the plunger out of a large syringe, hook up some tubing to it and put a spray nozzle on the other end of the tubing, and apparently if you have a good enough spray nozzle it works good. I figured that looked easy enough and looked easy to wash. I am going to try that, but does anyone else have a homemade milker?? Thanks in advance!


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## jaimn (May 16, 2015)

I was researching "EZ Milker" and someone on here posted about a DIY milker, using a brake pump from the auto store, mason jars, and tubing, about $30. I'd definitely find the original post though, and PM to ask more. 

Is there a reason why you can't/won't do it by hand? I heard many arguments that if one can do the EZ milker, why not hand milk? Yet I can see how a few pumps on the EZ milker (or another format) would be easier than to constantly be holding a sore/arthritic/etc hand in one position. Another person said that it is quicker to hand milk than fidget with equipment. A plus side to not hand milking is not getting extras in the milk container. :0) I am still researching too, and always appreciate hearing pros/cons. Thanks!


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## AncientBlue (Dec 21, 2014)

There is some discussion on weather or not the constant suction (ez milker, dansha farms milker) causes problems with teats or not. I used the Dansha and had no problems. I've also built my own electric one which has a pulsator. The electric one I built is much quicker.

Here is the discussion on that: http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f202/diy-milker-181688/

I hadn't heard about the spray nozzle one. Have you seen a pic?

I have no idea why dairy equipment is so ridiculously expensive.


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## FascinatingLady (Mar 6, 2016)

I have tubing and a breast pump for pulsating but need to figure out how to get the right size holes in the jar lid and what to seal it with so the sharp edge doesn't damage the tubing. I will probably purchase the syringes after hand milking a few times. I asked the eBay seller of the syringes and tubing what size he recommended but he just said to watch the video.


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## jkomp (Jan 5, 2015)

*Diy milker*

Hi Everyone!

I have used the EZE Milker for years on my cows and goats, but am concerned about not having the pulsator action. So I have come up with a new idea and am waiting for my goat to kid so I can try it out........she was suppose to be due on the 10th of March but is making me wait:hair:

I bought an inexpensive beast pump and am hooking it on to the EZE milker inflation/pint container(can be purchased separate from the EZE milker pump). No milk touches the tubes and the milk flows right into the containers. Not sure how fast the container will fill up but it is very clean and no clean up other then the inflation tubes and the container.

Will let you know how it works with pictures included once my girl kids


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## AncientBlue (Dec 21, 2014)

For the holes, I used a drill. Just be sure to put a thick piece of wood under the lid when you drill, use a metal bit and go slow. 

For the glue and coating, I used an epoxy from Lowes. Nothing special really. Just the first one I grabbed that said it would bond metal to plastic.


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## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

I did see a picture of it.. I will try to find it. There is no reason why I can't or don't want to milk, but I want to eventually have around 6 does and I figured I may get tired of milking their tiny teats.


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## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

http://johnsonfamilyfarm.blogspot.com/2009/01/milk-stand-complete-and-easy-goat.html

Here is the link


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## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

I'm not going to go and buy a $300 milking machine, but I thought if there was something homemade and easy to make that I might try it


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Regardless of what you use, the biggest danger to watch out for is the psi on the suction. I cant off hand remember what real milking machines are set at (wanna say 3-5) but anything over that and you risk damaging the does teats/udder. Milking machines dont rely on suction to get the milk outta the teat but on the inflation squeezing the teat and making a vacuum. The little bit of suction there is just to draw the milk away and into a bucket.


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## AncientBlue (Dec 21, 2014)

For suction, on the Dansha milker they say not to go over 10 psi. I've used this as a rule for all milkers.

I wish I could find inflations that would be small enough for my girls, but haven't yet been able to.

As of yet, no damage to report.


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## wndngrvr (Dec 10, 2011)

I tried one of the hand pump milkers but was hard to use and I was afraid it was hard on my girls. I think it was the EZE milker. 
We converted a Babson surge milker for ours with a bypass into a 1/2 gallon canning jar and it works great - is quick and have not had any troubles with my does udders. I think that is the most important thing - would not want to give them mastitis. None of the main parts were expensive except for the pump and would bought a good one.
If you are interested I have it on my website Windingrvrfarm.com and show the prices and where we got the parts. I also don't find it difficult to clean up.


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## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

Thanks! I will check it out!


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## AncientBlue (Dec 21, 2014)

How small are the teat cups and inflations you have? I've been trying, to no avail, to find ones small enough for my girls to be able to go that way instead of using the syringes.


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## Mcamden2 (May 27, 2016)

I order two of the inflations, but I haven't figured out what kind of pump to hook them up to. I thought I would be smart enough to figure this out so I wasn't stuck using a pieced together old breastpump...but so far I haven't. Any idea what sorta pump has the right psi, and is cycled (on/off repeatedly)?


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