# What times do you milk?



## mcd311 (Feb 16, 2013)

Next weekend I am picking up my first Nubians, one is currently milking.
I'm looking at our family schedule, but also keeping in mind if we travel and our neighbor milks while we are away, it got me thinking...What time is the most popular to milk?

I know my individual schedule will ultimately determine my morning and night milking, but thought it would be interesting to see.

Also I know you are suppose to stay on a 12hr routine...does anyone do differently with success?


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

5 and 5 works best with our schedule.


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## jennnaragsdale (Mar 5, 2013)

We milk at all times 7 and 7 or when I get in our summer routine 10 and 10. We move there schedule around when we go on vacation to make it work for our helps schedule. Goats are more forgiving the.cows you can fudge a bi when need be. We took our girls down to once a day in the fall which made t easier when it came time to dry them up


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## Randi (Apr 22, 2011)

I milk at 4 in the afternoon because it fits my schedule. It doesn't really matter when you milk as long as you remain pretty consistant.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I milk at 8:30-9:00 am and pm. If I let them go longer then 12 hours they get too full. If I'm going somewhere and know I am going to miss the milking I will milk early then milk again once I get back for a total of three times a day then go back to my regular schedule.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

I milk all over the place because although I do have a work schedule, I often have to stay late. So in the morning its around 4.30am as I'm always heading off to work at the same time, but in the afternoon it could be as early as 4pm or as late as 10pm. My goats dont seem to mind the variance. 

And one of my pet hates is a doe who stands at the gate and screams to be milked at the same time every day. So this works well to train them not to do that. I like my girls to be flexible. 

They will usually come up around the house at 5.30 - 6pm and watch and maybe call out a couple times because thats probably the most common time I milk them, but if I dont come out then they just walk away again and graze until I'm ready.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I am with Karen! I milk at 8ish in the morning during the week and 7-9 ish pm, except on Mon. and Fri. when I work until 
11pm. I have done this for most of my milkers' lives, so they don't know any different! I would love a perfect 12 hr. schedule, but 
I have to work to afford goats and they are used to it! (Basically, it is almost a 12 hr. schedule.) In the late fall, I do switch over 
to a 1x a day milking and that is alot easier! (less milk, but that's ok)


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## mcd311 (Feb 16, 2013)

Thank you so much! 
I wondered if they could be slightly flexible and it is good to know that they adjust well if it has to be changed.
By nature I'm HORRIBLE at routines, I'm sure my husband is hoping having the goats on a routine schedule will get me into one as well 

I had also wondered about milking once a day and it seems like in the fall when they start drying up is the right time for that. 

Thank you so much!


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## NigerianGirl (Jan 30, 2011)

6:30-6:30 ish! Lol


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

I hate to thread steal but there seem to be a lot of experienced milkers here I'm just curious about how everyone goes about drying up a doe?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Usually 8 or 9am and sometime after dinner :laugh: Not too strict on this but we do try to be consistant.

To dry up a doe start milking once a day, then when production drops, every other day, then every third day, then stop and milk only when udder is TIGHT.


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## LetsGoKids (Mar 20, 2012)

I milk 6 and 6 give or take 15 minutes either way. 

To dry my does I just stop milking, usually when I know they are bred I cut down to once a day to start to decrease production. I let them go until their udders make them uncomfortable. Milking sends the message to keep making more milk so stopping tells the body to stop producing. Most of my seasoned does know when im drying them off so they never get an over full udder. I should add that I do not infuse dry cow treat. Its putting a foreign object into the canal. If a doe has not had trouble with mastitis why worry. My does have never been treated and I have never had mastitis trouble.

Sorry if its lenghthy and opinionated. Just my opinion, everyone has their idea of good and bad.


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

I work odd hours, so I milk odd hours. Because i do my last round of chores at midnight and wake up when the dogs get me up in the morning, I milk at midnight and anywhere from 0830 to 1000. Sometimes I go later or earlier, again depending on work. I have a couple of does that I feel need to be milked 3 times a day when at peak!


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## adriHart (Nov 1, 2012)

My work schedule is randomised so i end up milking whenever i can. Some mornings at five am then at eight or nine the next day. Either way i try to wait eight hours at least and go again. Three Times a day for now until the bottle baby is grown up. (I milk then feed) last year i milked what ever time i got up. .locking kids up at night and letting them with moms all day. Usually kept them apart tenish hours and still got enough milk for me and the freezer and the kids. Clearly goats can work with whatever schedule you have.


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## mcd311 (Feb 16, 2013)

I'm SO relieved to hear this all  I have been trying this week to do practice runs out to the barn but have yet to make it out at the same times everyday. But it does seem to end up around 7:30-8:30, I'm glad there can be some leeway!

I'm glad to hear about how to dry up a doe when that comes around.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

I milk usually at 1 and 1 or 2 and 2. If I feel like I'm going to have a late night, or late morning I squeeze in another "relief milking"-which doesn't happen very often.


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