# How to keep a doe from getting "Bored" at the stand



## PantoneH (Nov 21, 2013)

I can milk her for like fifteen minutes and empty one side....then when I am not done she flips out and Icant do anything else with her. If I try to milk the other side it is a knock down, drag out to the death fight. please help!


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Are you giving her grain?


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

While she's eating her grains and being good, could you milk a little from each side...you know, like 25 squirts on one side, then 25 on the other? Keep going back and forth for as long as she's good. BEFORE she starts acting up, put some cut up carrots in her bowl, or something that she really likes and that would take her some time to chew up. Chunks of apple work well, too. Reward her for standing good, but once she starts acting up, don't give any more treats or she could be trained to act up and expect food for it.


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## PantoneH (Nov 21, 2013)

okay, I can try that also. I think were out of carrots though...THey were so good that I ate them all. LOL and yes I am giving her grain and sprouts and a bit of peanut hay leaves.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I milk both sides at a time,I milk out one teat and then while I am milking out the other, the first one fills back up... but then again, I just remembered I milk Heidi from behind....so it might be harder to do from one side...


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Well... I'd say try to milk faster, but that might be hard if she has very small teats, or small orifices. 
But definitely milk both sides at the same time. If she eats her grain too fast put a clean rock in the center if the bucket, and pout the grain in, she'll have to work a bit harder to get the grain, and that'll either keep her busy, or make it worse, it can go both ways....

I milk by sitting behind them as well, so maybe just try a few different ways, and see which way you can milk her faster. If I had to milk sitting at the shoulder of the goat, no flipping way is that getting done any time soon, but if I sit behind them, I can get my girls milked out in about 2 minutes each (not including the udder washing, just milking)


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## Serenity Woods (Apr 2, 2012)

I've heard of people putting rocks in the grain bucket, so that the goat has to push them around to get to all the grain. It slows them down a bit. If you go this route, I would try smooth river rocks that don't have sharp edges to injure her muzzle.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

I milk from the side and alternate teats, I'm usually done in less than 5 minutes including the wash. I feed about 2 cups and it works out perfectly, but if it goes longer for any reason I just dump some extra grain in. My trained girls will stand as long as they have feed; the first timers take a little while and I just expect to lose some milk with them.


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## GATA_Goats (Sep 19, 2013)

My girl likes to kick if she feels I should be finished already so I tie just one of her back legs just a little behind her. It throws her balance off and she doesn't want to go to war with me every time.


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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## Goat_in_Himmel (Jun 24, 2013)

Nothing slowed down my doe's speed of eating, and she would eat more grain than the amount of milk she would give, if she had her way. So to keep her occupied while I milked, I would give her a starter course of hay crumbles (y'know, alfalfa leaves and such that are always falling off) which she loves; in summer, I would give her an assortment of flowers to eat, and in either case I would save the actual grain for last thing on the milking stand, because after grain, nothing else is quite the same, according to her! I plan to do the same this year, unless she's changed the protocol on me.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

If I had a piggy like that I would try the rocks like Serenity Woods suggested. I don't like having to mess with the goat in the middle of milking.


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## Goat_in_Himmel (Jun 24, 2013)

Oh, I tried the rocks, didn't slow her down one iota.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

BIG rocks! Lol.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Sep 7, 2011)

I second recommend working on your technique and building strength so you can milk faster. We've all been there. Don't worry, it does get better. Is this goat difficult for others to milk? How much experience do you have milking?


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## PantoneH (Nov 21, 2013)

I havent milked very much so ido need to work on my technique. Plus i have a disadvantage bc i have large hands and long fingers. Lol and she went to another lady (i just got her back) and she couldnt handle her bc she would get impatient and maggie (the lady that i sold her to and just got her back from) has been milking goats for years. I guess i just need to get a rythem. Thinking about buying a human breast pump thing and trying it out LOL but what can i do to help myself get better at it? A stress ball???? i have no idea im a newbie to milking.... My new doe that kidded lets me take all my sweet time. I dont even have to tie her she just stands there patiently and chews her cud while i struggle and work hard at it and get frustrated and mutter curses under my breath. :wallbang: she talks to me too when im milking lol. Fudge is such a good goat.  i luv her alot. Shes mah favorite. Shes trying to teach me


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

Yes, use a stress ball to build strength, making sure to always squeeze the ball like you would milk, working down the fingers. This is my third year milking and I can milk my girls in about 5 min now, but it didn't start there!! 

I also sit behind the goat and milk between the legs where it is easy to see and work both teats at the same time alternating hands. I was much slower sitting beside the goat, and my back would start to hurt from the twisting. 

I have big hands too, I can't wear womens gloves, I always get men's small to med gloves, so don't worry, you can get there!


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