Building a milking stand

[HilltopDaisy]

Did you build it and then "fix" it? I don't want to waste time and money playing around so I figured I'd ask if you made any big mistakes when you built your stand. I have two Nigerian Dwarf does. It's no where near time to start milking, but I have time to work on a stand now, and I thought I'd get them used to it. Thanks.

[smumitson]

My hubby looked at the one they had in a magazine - Either hobby farms or Mother earth news and modified it a bit using scrap lumber and a pallet. He cut the pallet in half, but legs on it at the right height for ME, them added the stuff for the head. My only complaint is it seems to wide as my does could shimmy to the side, I could still reach her, but not so good on my back!

kids

[huisjen]

Mine has 2x4 legs. Three legs go up to support railings on the head end and the far side. The fourth leg only goes up to platform hight. The platform is supported by 1x6 apron boards, which are screwed to the legs. The platform is 48 x 20, which may be a litte oversized. Since the aprons are screwed outside the legs, the platform plywood is notched to fit around the three legs that stick up. The platform is 14", I think. The railings are 1x6 and come up just below the goat's chin. I've built a box on the head end out of the railing and 1x4, nailed on so that the tops of the legs for the box end. I can dump distractions in there for her. I also have a small carribiner attached to an eye bolt, screwed into the railing, to hold her collar while I milk. I don't have a stanchion for her head.

I've just started using this. I don't know how well it will work in the long run.

Dan

[mygoat]

I made mine from the fiasco farm website. They're excellent plans. The only thing we changed was to use 2x4's in the base instead of the size they suggested. The only reason we did that is because it was what we had laying around. But no, I wouldn't change anything about these plans; they're excellent!!