Doe that kicks when we milk (please help)

[CurlyHfarm]

We have a doe that puts up a heck of a fight when we try and milk her, we have some grain for her to snack on but she still is a kicker. All of our other does just stand there and let us do our thing but "brandy" is a fighter even when she is not in the milk stand she is wild. Do you have any tips or tricks please help.

Thanks

[Helena]

You didn't mention if she is a first time milker or if you have had her since a kid or just bought her and this is a new place for her. If not..try milking her out of the stand. She just might surprise you. I have a first time milker..my kid..from a few years back and she would stand off of the stand to milk and eventually I did get her on the stand and she milks just fine without any problems. I know even my "old" nanny sometimes will lift her leg while I'm milking..don't know if I hit a nerve on her..a bug around her but a little reminder "tap" on her rump will quiet her down. Just be patient with her. Sometimes having someone else holding her legs will only make things worse and she will probably just lay down on the stand while you are doing this. If you can't completely milk her out at one milking..try several small milkings a day until she gets the idea..patience is the key..Good Luck !!

[BiGtImEfArMeRs4]

We had the exact same problem with a veryyy highstrung alpine first freshner doe this year too. We bought hobble for her and she still kicked like crazy with them on. But we finally got her broke. We took the hobbles and put them around her ankle area and then took a rope, or string, acutally it was bailer twine, and tied one end in between the does legs on the hobble so it didnt cut her up, and then tied the other end to the back of the milkstand. But when you do, move her legs back as far as you can, and then tighten it to the milkstand. And with you moving her legs everytime, then when you finally get the girl broken, she will willing let you move her legs however. But keep her legs tied back like that while you milk, and while she eats. Do it every morning and night and then if she starts to not be kicking, then start loosing the rope until its not needed. But just remeber to stretch her legs back as far as you can so its a bit uncomfortable for her, they learn quick that way. Good luck with her & hope this helps!

[horseman]

We had the same problem with one of are does, what we did is we kept enough grain in her bucket, and i had some one else hold her back legs, and if she's a first year milker, then next year she sould be much better.

[mamajohnson]

I am dealing with the same thing right now...
I absolutely cannot get her on the milkstand, so I milk on the ground. I have to tie her rear legs to the fence, and put another on her head (or she will pop me with her horns!) amount of feed is not an issue with her, in fact, she will purposfully knock the bucket over.
So, by tying her back legs in one fence corner, where she cannot kick, her head on the other fence, I can at least milk her out, with minimal injury/fight to me. I put the rear leg ties above the knee (guess that is what it is called) where when she lifts her leg it tightens on that tendon. That really slows her down.
Also, on my nubian, sometimes she wants to kick, she doesnt like flies, or too much noise, and if she gets annoyed, she will kick. I just grab that rear leg tendon and remind her not to do that. one kick a milk session is about all I get out of her. Maybe someday my Alpine FF will be like that... hopefully this year.
Good luck!

[chamoisee]

Does she put up a fuss before you milk her (i.e., while on the stand)?
Does she freak when you touch her at all?
Or when you touch her udder?
Or is it mainly when you start milking?

It sounds to me like she needs some socializing and time spent working with her. As long as she is half wild already, I definitely do not suggest penalizing her for kicking. I woud strive to make each and every interaction with her as positive (from a goat's point of view!) as possible. Try to keep stress levels down, no dogs, only one person present, no other goats beating or hassling her while she's confined on the stand, etc etc. Your voice should be fairly quiet, make soothing goat sounds to her, no sudden or alarming movements or gestures, and try really hard not to sneeze!

How do you get her onto the stand?