hobbling on the milk stand

kandmcockrell · #1 04/12/10, 04:23 PM

I picked up a doe and her three kids this weekend from the same place i got my last three goats. The couple is drasticly reducing their herd and want us to have them. I still need to pickup two bucks (after their area is closed off) and 3-4 more does.

Her kids are still nursing, still young. The lady told me I could start seperating the kids from mom at night and milk in the morning. This couple worked as a team. They have a milkstand and the doe went on that and the head was stabalize. The wife held the back legs and the husband milked.

My question is, how do you do it? Do you have someone else hold legs, do you hobble? If you do hobble, could you possibly post pics? I think i will need it in the beginning. I am new to milking and they are new to me.

I did milk Blaze at their house so i could get the feel for it.

Also, do you milk with one hand or both at the same time? What do you milk into?

Oh, these are Dwarf Nigerians so little itty bittys!

TennesseeMama23 · #2 04/12/10, 04:39 PM

If you are new to milking you need 2 people, one holding the back legs right at the tendon (using NO pressure unless the goat is fixin' to kick), another milking. Hobbles are hit and miss, I only use one as an absolute last resort if I am alone and she absolutely will not stand still, and even then DO NOT expect to get to use the milk. One goat I have lays down if I put a hobble on her and there nothing, short of holding her back legs up, you can do about it. Hobbles are more stressful for the goat and milker, imo.

I'm sure after a few weeks or less of the 2 man route, you'll be able to do it alone.

Here's my hobble:

http://hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/p...8&cat=0&page=1

jBlaze · #3 04/12/10, 05:58 PM

I find that they spaz out when you try to hobble them. I have had better luck with just being patient. If after a week of patience and they are still kickish, then I tie their feet to the stand. long enough to move, but controled, so they don't get the bucket, only had one doe that I did that to.

jil101ca · #4 04/12/10, 06:22 PM

Daisy was a kicker when she had kids to nurse, the milk was for her kids and that was that. Not! I would tie one foot to the stand not tight but enough that she could not kick the bucket. When her kids were weaned she was as sweet as honey to milk.

I have milked with one hand and the other hand holding the stainless steel bucket and following the udder. It is alot easier if you have some one to help you even if it is too pat her on the head.

When Fawn is acting up I sing to her "this is the way we milk the goat" that is the only song sung in a very sweet and loving voice that she will listen to and stand for me, there is no tieing her leg, she tries to pull the stand apart.

Wags · #5 04/12/10, 07:21 PM

I have Niggies and have had a few that started off as kickers as first fresheners. I would hold a leg with one hand and milk into the bucket with the other. With a little bit of patience and some tempting feed in their pan, most were standing still in a week or less.

Pony · #6 04/12/10, 08:10 PM

I don't yet know of anyone who's had success with hobbling. My neighbor does what Wags suggested, and it works for her.

Your new girl is going through a lot of changes. I'm thinking she'll probably settle down once she gets used to the new surroundings.

But don't quote me on that, b/c we all know that I'm far from an expert!

mrs.H · #7 04/12/10, 08:31 PM

I hobbled Milkeyway. If you look close you can see two eye hooks in the studs behind my milkstand. I looped 1/4 cord around each of her hind pasterns and then clipped each to an eye hook. If she could lay down it ment she had too much slack. I would skoot the milk stand out an inch at a time until she could not lay down any more. If she can't get her hind legs under her she can't lay down. I took about a week for her to settle down. She is a niggie with little teats, and she bucked lick a bronco and then layed down. Now she is a sweetie.

hobbling on the milk stand - Goats

I will try and get a picture with her hobbled, though she doesn't need them anymore.

HillsideWayCSA · #8 04/12/10, 09:02 PM

This is my 4th day (never a day in my life before now) milking a ff so I think you could call me a newbie, you could call her a newbie too. Unfortunately I have yet to even build a milk stand. I thought it'd be impossible but my alpine girl seems to be empathetic and stands still as long as I have a bucket of grain at her head and don't take too long. I have to hold the jar in one hand and milk with the other. Then because I'm sitting down on the straw I have to switch sides in order to reach the other teat. She's got about 3 finger length teats which luckily I have little hands. So I milk out one side than swap to the other and when it's dry I do a quick check to make sure I didn't forget any.

Oh and that's with my 8yr old and my 2yr old eagerly watching and wishing they could milk too. My 2yr old now says "Gor-ga" whenever we go to the barn (the goat's name is Georgia).

Maybe it's beginners luck. Who knows what my 9yr old "seasoned" milker will be like. At least she's taller and have bigger teats.

Alice In TX/MO · #9 04/12/10, 09:38 PM

I had a goofy Nubian FF that I had to hobble. Used the hobbles from Hoegger, then bungied it to the leg of the stand.

Took about three weeks for her to get completely settled.

Don't give up.

nehimama · #10 04/12/10, 09:50 PM

Keep at it, and once you and your new doe develop a routine, it will be much easier. Try to keep to the same routine every time. Oh, and if they try to lie down on the job, I find that putting an appropriately-sized bucket upside down under her chest, she can't lie down.

shanzone2001 · #11 04/12/10, 09:57 PM

Our 4H leader used dog collars on her doe's hind legs and it worked well. However, the doe was used to it when we watched. I am sure it took some time to get her used to being tied down. Good luck!!!

Idahoe · #12 04/12/10, 10:00 PM

FWIW, I had great success with the hobbles from Hoegger's, supposedly are "kinder, gentler" hobbles. I had a hopper/kicker who, once I put the hobbles on, stood like a lady. She hated to lose her balance up on that stand, I think.

Oh and PS, she needed a couple of weeks to adjust her attitude. Alice is right, don't give up. You are the boss here

Pony · #13 04/12/10, 10:07 PM

Gosh, I'm glad I commented on this, so I can see that the hobbles DO work. I don't know what my two new girls will be like when they're FF's, and I want to be sure I have as much knowledge as possible.

billooo2 · #14 04/12/10, 11:46 PM

If I have one that wants to kick, I tie one back leg (the leg nearest to me) to the back corner. I just tie it so that she cannot reach the bucket with that foot. She can still stand comfortably. Most of the time, I only need to do that far a few days, and they realize that it is a good thing to get milked and eat grain.

garyh141 · #15 04/13/10, 12:10 AM

Be extra alert to grabbing the bucket if you do not hold on to it. You learn to be really quick when you start wasting milk. Mine was always stepping in or kicking it over. Patience is key. You getting used to her and vice versa. I also have one that lays down. So we just milk her sideways. Never thought about putting a bucket in way of her udder.
We had one full grown goat -- great milker. I used both hands in a rhythm. Start your squeeze at the top with your thumb and first finger, adding the second finger, then third, then fourth. Watch those fingernails! My husband only used one hand at a time. However, for our nigerians, I use my thumb and first finger and rather than milk like I do the full grown goats, I rub my thumb across the with the rest of my hand curled up (almost like I am snapping my fingers). This is what works for me. I'm sure someone else will probably have a better idea for nigerians.
Sandra

QoTL · #16 04/13/10, 09:00 AM

My first milking doe was CRAZY on the milkstand. In her defense she was wild when I got her, so no big surprise there

Here's what works for me:

First: don't let the grain run out. Put rocks in the dish or something similar to slow her down if need be. Stuff hay somewhere she can reach it as well if you aren't giving her enough grain to stay occupied.

Second: milk into something small (like a little measuring cup) and pour that into a bucket on the floor. That way if she kicks, she won't spill all your milk.

Third: DON'T DON'T DON'T let go of the teat when she acts up. This is sort of the key (for me anyway) with goats to get them to do what I want. They are like kids, they'll try something out. If it doesn't work, eventually they'll stop (seems quicker in goats than kids

). So don't let go of the teat, make some sort of "don't do that" noise. And if she stands quiet even for a second, try to praise her WHILE she's being quiet.

My wild girl isn't an angel on the milkstand, but I don't have to hobble her. As long as the grain holds out, she'll let me milk, trim hooves, whatever. She won't let me get anywhere near her with clippers though

garyh141 · #17 04/13/10, 11:19 PM

I do have to say that if you are starting to wean kids and the bag is so full it looks like an over-inflated basketball, all instructions change. You milk them any way you can. Ha! Sandra

4piecesof8 · #18 04/14/10, 01:15 AM

I have to say I have laughed and smiled and shake my head at all the tales. I am not alone!! I just figured all my newbie mistakes were mine to own alone...WOW...This site boosted my confidence. My Nubian is a ff..She was horrid at first...kicking, jumping, bucking and rearing.. And that was just when her twin does nursed..Milking her, was a nightmare. I'd cry, get mad and walk away.

Then one day I said ENOUGH. I did not care if I had to just let the milk flow onto the barn floor. I was milking this goat! I told her today is the day honey.....those who are mellow are never meat! *grins* She has been a good girl ever since. Now I have a milking stand and it's even easier.

I think all of us...newbies and first fresheners just need time to adjust. Oh by the way..I dont have to hobble her any longer so her girls can nurse.