So I've just begun to try to milk my doe. Her kid will be 2 months next week & I just got a milking stand. It's been 4 days & every day I'm just able to get a couple to a few tablespoons. That's it. This is my first time milking anything ever. I've watching a million Youtube videos but I'm not catching on too quickly. My doe is also getting use to the milking stand & just starting to calm down but I still need to tie down her legs because I'm afraid she'll fall off, do front handstands or break my hand.. something like that. We are both getting frustrated. I beleive baby is still nursing a little, I always see her try to nurse after I'm "done" milking her mom, but I think mom is trying to wean her. Baby is eating grain & hay & drinking water. I included a picture of her udder in the afternoon so again, I don't know if baby nursed or anything before this. I'm up to get ready for work at 4am, and am not home until 2:30pm. I want to milk her when I get home from work instead of before work. I struggle enough as it is everyday to get up at 4, nevermind any earlier. I don't mind seperating them, but right now my other 2 goats are bullying up on my goat I'm milking, & I don't have any other friends for the baby to hang out with. Sorry for all the rambling!
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Beverley Sieminski said:
Thanks Beverley! I was thinking of having my bf make sides too. Sometimes her leg will slip off & it scares me! She is getting much much better now though. I think she's warming up to it thankfully. :)
My husband made wood brackets on each side of my stancheons - and a side piece with a couple of rails and the legs that hold the rails - slip into the wood brackets. Sounds confusing and if anyone wants this I can take a picture. I can move this piece to either side of my stancheon and not worry about anyone slipping off. I worried that one of my girls would slip off and I wouldn't be able to get them up in time. The bottom board on the rail piece sits right on the stancheon.
I think this made everything safer. I never tie their legs if they struggle - have had them learn to quiet down just with soothing talk and touch. Takes a little time at first. I now put my babies up on the stancheon for a treat and touch their little nipple area. They don't care about it so hopefully will never worry when they get of age to milk.
Thank you for answering my questions! I never really witness baby nursing anymore, but I'm obviously not out there watching them 24/7. & whenever I do mama has other objectives so baby gets brushed aside for the moment. I'll try the crate thing, duh! What a great solution, & try getting up early a few days to see how it goes. Thank you!
First, it's highly unlikely your doe is already trying to wean her 2 month old baby. They typically nurse on mom for many months before she won't tolerate it, and some nurse up to a year! Baby still needs her milk at that age. Her udder doesn't look very big but that's likely because baby gets it all during the day so she never really fills up. If you are milking her in the day without separating her kid, it's no wonder you aren't getting much. Separating the baby for 12 hours will fill her up but I wouldn't recommend doing that during the day when the babies are so active and really NEED the milk. Doing it overnight when they all sleep is not stressful for them. As far as how to separate, you don't need a companion for the baby if you put her in a dog crate where mama can be right next to her. I use the metal ones and they don't mind much because mom can lay so close to baby. It's a tough call for you if you work that early. Hope you can figure something out.