# Odd situation please help?



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Bella is 10 mo way to young to have been bred, but the buck got out. She gave birth to a buckling son on 3/9. I was excited that I got a quart and a half from her yesterday morning... This morning got roughly that amount, but saw her son sucking on my other first timer... Not sure what to do, I did see him sucking on her yesterday. Should I try to dry her up and just let her grow if her son continues to suck on Mitzi? If so how can I go about doing that?


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

That's up to you. As long as she's maintaining weight, I'd go ahead and milk. Unless you don't want the buckling to suck on the other goat, I wouldn't worry about it. Takes some pressure off Bella and leaves you with more milk. Oh....and I would keep Mitzi around forever if she lets another kid nurse off her like that!


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

kccjer said:


> That's up to you. As long as she's maintaining weight, I'd go ahead and milk. Unless you don't want the buckling to suck on the other goat, I wouldn't worry about it. Takes some pressure off Bella and leaves you with more milk. Oh....and I would keep Mitzi around forever if she lets another kid nurse off her like that!


Yeah, she is maintaining weight and in good condition, but she is a PAIN to milk. I have to literally tie her legs up, she tries to poop all over too... I've only been milking her a little over a week, but I don't see any resolve with her attitude it keeps getting worse;( I thought maybe it was the machine I was using but it makes no difference if I do it by hand or machine she acts the same way. UGH... That is another reason I'm considering drying her off...


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Are you wanting to milk her in the future?


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Oh, and yes, Mitzi is a good girl, didn't even bat an eye when Bella's baby was nursing....


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

I wonder if restraining her legs is making things worse. I found it was just easier to get in there with a pint jar in one hand and milk with the other and just didn't stop no matter what she did until I was finished. After about a week all the fight was gone. My girls are young, it was their first year milking, and they figured it out pretty fast.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

lovinglife said:


> I wonder if restraining her legs is making things worse. I found it was just easier to get in there with a pint jar in one hand and milk with the other and just didn't stop no matter what she did until I was finished. After about a week all the fight was gone. My girls are young, it was their first year milking, and they figured it out pretty fast.


I tried that but she kicks, jumps..... I do try everyday without the restraints, but nada. She kicked me in the face a couple times, I have to admit I was not a happy camper.... She is the sweetest goat otherwise.... I'll keep at it it's just frustrating.... Hopefully she will come around.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I am surprised at my ff...she is doing pretty well. What I did all last fall while I was graining was put her on the stand and get her used to having her udder touched. She will occasionally give a small kick but not bad at all....
I plan to do that with all my yearlings now....it seems to work.


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## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

I had a doe last season that I had to tie both back legs to the stand to milk. After a weeks weeks she was fine. The previous owner used a machine and tied her, but I was hand milking. Good luck and congrats!


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

NyGoatMom said:


> I am surprised at my ff...she is doing pretty well. What I did all last fall while I was graining was put her on the stand and get her used to having her udder touched. She will occasionally give a small kick but not bad at all....
> I plan to do that with all my yearlings now....it seems to work.


I did that with her too, I can touch her udder, wash her udder, but milk her no way..


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I am dealing with a FF like yours, kicks no matter what. But, mine does have teeth sores from her buck kids! So, I will forgive her, 
but, it sure makes milking a real chore! I will win, so will you, but it just takes time and patience! Grrrrrrr


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## bboyd1 (Mar 22, 2014)

Don't know if this will help--and disclaimer I haven't done it myself-- but I read about one woman who was having a difficult time with her dwarf FF, (researching for my girl due to freshen in a couple weeks) Guess it all depends on if your goat is full sized or dwarf, but she went about controlling an unruly milker by holding one back leg up just above the joint (elbow?), raising it naturally towards the goats back, like it would be if the goat was laying down, causing the doe to be forced to either hold still to maintain balance, or go off-balance. She just raised the leg higher towards the does spine when she acted terrible, and during moments of calmness relaxed her hold and lowered the leg accordingly. This type of thing required milking with only one hand, but she says it took a week and is now resolved. Lets you reward or "discipline" the goat moment by moment as they figure out if they want to be in charge and stand normal, they have to behave. Best of luck.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

kccjer said:


> Are you wanting to milk her in the future?


Yes.


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## Woody_Glen_Farm (Feb 23, 2014)

If you plan to milk her in the future your best bet would be to stick it out. I bought a five-year-old doe who was pregnant and had never been milked and had to teach her to milk. I had to make a restraint for her back right leg only and would connect it with Velcro behind the hock. I've been milking her now for eight months and she is really good now but it took a lot of patience on my part. Stick with it and next freshening she'll be better or give up and have to start the battle all over next time. Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Good news, I hope.... I'm not jinxing myself LOL. I normally milk everyone right now in the AM, except Mitzi, since I'm not using her milk right now I just milk some in the PM. Well, I decided to do the same with Bella. I just squirted like 10 squirts per teat, but NO kicking....???? I hope this is a breakthrough;-)


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Okay, this morning was weird.. She was fine for a couple minutes and then started going ballistic....any suggestions? There are no lumps, sores, anything...., could she be in pain? Did the mastitis test just incase and nope.... It's kind of strange... She did well last night, but I only milked like 10 squirts each teat...


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## Udder Folks (May 24, 2013)

I've never milked before, and my Nubians are having their first babies next week. I'm thinking it sounds like I should have a restraint, just in case. Is this something I can make, or need to buy? Does anyone have a photo of what they use?
Thank you!


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I just use leashes and or baling twine to tie her to the milk stand... I'm hoping I won't have to use it for too much longer....


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## Woody_Glen_Farm (Feb 23, 2014)

Ingrid, many times they just adapt to milking with no problem. You should be putting them on the milk stand now and feed them a small amount of grain while you brush them and stroke their udders-- gentle non-invasive so they get comfortable with it. However if you do need a restraint because your doe claws at your hand like mine did, here's what I made: I took a short length of strap measured from the floor of the milk stand to the hock, with some extra to tie. Screw it into the base and use a washer so it doesn't pull out. At the other end, tie a 5-6 inch piece of 2-sided Velcro (it sticks to itself) to wrap around above the hock. It's soft and doesn't hurt her but she can't claw you. Also I found that she only needed one leg tied down to behave.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Right now I use another set of hands for when my FF gets restless....but eventually I will make something like that ^ for my stand


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## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

I bought a "hobble" from Hoeggers, the Velcro style. It works really well. Only used it about a week and she stopped kicking.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

sassykat6181 said:


> I bought a "hobble" from Hoeggers, the Velcro style. It works really well. Only used it about a week and she stopped kicking.


I may look into that... Again tonight no kicking..... Sigh.... Maybe she isn't a morning goat...LOL


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## Udder Folks (May 24, 2013)

Thank you! I love this place and all the knowledge everyone shares!!! :grin:


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Yeah!!! Okay, I used my maggidan milker on Bella for the first time, with the big teat cup and she kicked once. Hand milking she kicked but it wasn't a strong kick, and NO restraints were used this morning...;-) PROGRESS....!!!;-)


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