# Milking my new goat?



## Flikagoat (May 1, 2016)

I recently got a goat. And by recently I mean about two days ago. I got a three year old Nubian/alpine. She has been milked and stood perfectly fine but now that I have her home she has been doing a few weird things. When she walks up to the milk in stand she doesn't jump up onto it. She tries to eat the grain from the bucket so while she is on the floor I put her head in, then lift her back legs onto the stand. The stand is plenty wide enough but while I milk her she side steps until she almost falls off. Another problem is I'm new at milking so I take longer to milk her so she gets Antsy and tries to kick me away. She seems nervous and looks around a lot. I milk her sitting next to her back legs and with my body facing the same way as her. Should I be in a different position to milk her? How do I make her more comfortable to stand longer or is it all routine and letting her bond with me??


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Did the previous owner show you how to milk? Goats like routine and your new so she is going to act up until you show the confidence that you are in charge and can milk. Unfortunately with being new to milking, that is hard to do. You just have to keep working at it. Make her get on the stand before she gets any grain. It is going to take practice, practice, practice and then more practice.


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

If she is stomping and kicking too much you can buy a goat hobble or use a piece of rope to tie her back legs together. I've done this with uncooperative does, and after a while they learn to behave on the stand and I no longer need to tie them up.


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## Flikagoat (May 1, 2016)

Alright I will have to try that tonight when I milk her, thank you! And thank you for the advice. I will have to walk her to the stand and make her stand before she eats. I will certainly keep practicing


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## FascinatingLady (Mar 6, 2016)

If your plan is to milk while she eats grain and she is finishing the grain before you are through, you can cut up hay and mix with the feed. If you use chaff or alfalfa pellets, you may not need to cut, just mix it in.


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## Flikagoat (May 1, 2016)

Okay, I'll try that so it takes longer for her to eat it. Is there a certain position I should be sitting in that would make it so I could milk her without her spilling the bucket?


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Put a few fist size clean rocks in her grain bucket, so it takes her longer to eat. 
As far as a milking position, do what is comfortable for you! But, use one arm to be ready to block the kicky foot, before it gets in the bucket. 

It takes a new goat a week or more to get used to you and her new surroundings. They also have a long memory of negative things, especially on the milk stand. ( and a short memory of how to behave nicely!) Can you put up a barrier so she doesn't move all around? Like a guard rail? 

Soon, it will be much easier. ( Most of us had to start at the beginning, too)


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## Flikagoat (May 1, 2016)

Okay! Thank you. I'll ask my father to help me build a rail. I will try out different positions and definitely use the rock ideas


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## lilaalil (Sep 5, 2014)

If she is an experienced milker, she may be testing you to see what she can get away with. Chances are, she has a good idea of what you expect of her. Do what you need to do to keep her from kicking and side-stepping, and also keep her busy on the stand with feed. Alfalfa pellets mixed with the grain bulk it up and slow some goats down. 

She needs time to settle in, but she also needs to know that that kind of behavior won't get her anywhere. Whatever you do, don't give up, stay patient and keep milking even when she acts up, that way she does not "win" and get rewarded for being a punk


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## Flikagoat (May 1, 2016)

Well thank you very much!


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## jessicamiller82 (Mar 16, 2015)

Hi, I dont know if I will be much help, but I had a doe that wanted to side step. I put a cinder block on the stand even with her back feet. It forces her to stand closer to me on the milk stand. Also, the position I sit in. I sit about half way between her shoulders and rear end. I face the doe turned just a little less than a quarter circle towards her back end, facing the udder. Your arm that is closest to her head should be the arm that reaches under her belly to the opposite teat. I hope that helps. If you are like me, I like to have a visual, youtube has a lot of videos that can help you out.


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## Flikagoat (May 1, 2016)

Thank you!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

How is it going?


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## Flikagoat (May 1, 2016)

It's going really well! She isn't nervously eating her grain anymore. I've only had her since Sunday but I think she has already started to trust me. She allowed me to fully milk her almost all the way. After a full day of fighting and pulling I persisted and held my ground and didn't let her get away with doing what she was doing, trying to pull her head out, and we are getting there. Patience and dedication. But she steps up onto the stand right away now.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Goats Rock said:


> Put a few fist size clean rocks in her grain bucket, so it takes her longer to eat.


What a great idea! I'll have to try it


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Yay! Getting up on the stand is a great milestone! I have 3 really challenged ( aka stupid) FF Nubians and getting them on the stand was a note worthy event, it only took 3 weeks. Now they lumber up almost without help. ( they jumped up a hill almost vertical, about 4 feet, but a short milk stand is above their ability!)

Your doe will continue to improve! Congratulations!!


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## Flikagoat (May 1, 2016)

Thank you so much! And seemingly to them, yes a milk stand is just too high


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