Pictures of barn, milking stand, etc.

[frankcassiesmom]

Hey everyone LONGTIME lurker here.

We're finally taking the plunge and getting goats in the Spring. I've read what seems like every thread here and countless hours on the web. I think I'm making my head spin! We are needing to start putting up at least the preliminary part of the barn, milking area, etc. in the next couple months. I feel like I've looked at a million websites and still can't peg down how things should be. I know, I know, there's a million options.

Hubby is going to be doing a lot of the work and wants some pictures of barns, milking stands, feed areas, whatever to help him understand my many ramblings. I would go to the lady we're getting our goats from but her mother has died and for weeks has just been too hard to meet up with and we need to get started.

Anyone have or want to take a few pictures for us? Please?

Beware my gazillion threads will be coming in the Spring. Be... warned...

[pookshollow]

I don't have pictures for you, but I'll explain my set-up, such as it is.

Our barn was originally built for horses - it's a little pole barn, with a couple of additions. The original part has four stalls, two on either side of a 12' alleyway. The front part has one big stall, that has an opening into the front stall of the back part. There is a door that I can close - once I get the 18" of deep-pack bedding out of there. The front part also has an open area about 15'x15', which, once I get the junk moved out, will be my rabbit barn. The other addition is an open area with a partial hayloft, that we use as a run-in for the horses.

OK. The goats are in the horse stalls, except for one back stall which has chickens and rabbits in it - that will change soon. The open area in the middle has my milking stand and the feed barrels in it. I keep my milking does in the other back stall, so they can get fed the alfalfa and not get bullied off the feed by my big Boer girls. The stall beside the chickens has the bucks in it, and the big front stall and adjoining stall have everybody else.

Come summertime, the flies are pretty awful in the barn, so we acquired a 15' camper trailer that was pretty much gutted. I built a stanchion on one of the benches and in the hot weather, the feed is kept in there, and the girls are milked in there. It's great, I can close up the windows, spray once for flies, then open the windows and have a breeze while I'm milking - and no feet in the milk pail!

I find that the barn is a work in progress - I shuffle things around as needed. Currently, part of the open area is walled off for the geese to come in at night - they refuse to share the little shed we made for the ducks, the snooty beasts!

[DaniR1968]

I'm curious about this too because I don't have goats yet. We're going to be building from scratch. What I'm wondering is what is the minimal we can get a way with? I was thinking of a couple of hoop houses for the goats. I'm not sure what to do for a milking area. What are some simple ideas?

We're already going to be finishing the horse shelter and putting up more fences so the less we have to do beyond that, the better. We have an 8 x 16 shed that is used for feed and storage. How much room would a milk area need to be? I could put a little stand in there maybe?

Pictures of setups would be nice too!

Thanks!

[KimM]

Originally Posted by DaniR1968

<snip>

Pictures of setups would be nice too!

Thanks!

Yes, and sticky thread for such!!

[Kazahleenah]

I don't have any pics of my old, but very nice milking parlor... here'swhat I am currently using....











Kaza