# Goat milking shed... what do I need?



## whinnyninny (Aug 17, 2005)

I need to know exactly what I NEED for a goat milking shed. I'm trying to do this inexpensively. The milk will be for my family use only... we won't be trying to sell any or give any away. We have a doe who is expected to kid in July, and her 6-mo old doeling that we expect to have bred late this year. So, 2 goats, I guess.

What size should it be? Would a dirt floor be suitable (provided I keep it dry)? I live in North Texas, if that helps.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Actually, all you *need* is a way to restrain the doe while you milk. Keep in mind that the pioneers just tied up the family cow/doe and milked. Out of the weather was nice.

In modern times like today, we do a bit more. A small building with a milking stand, shelves for supplies, a door, etc., are more the norm.

For family use, do what you have to do to get started. Upgrade as you can.


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

I'll describe mine: It's in the aisle of the barn between the stalls. The floor was dirt, but I've put down rubber paving "stones", because we got them for free and it makes it warmer in the winter. On one side is my milking stand. Opposite that is a wire baker's rack, where I can put the milkpails, udder wash etc. up off of the floor. Things like paper towels, iodine, hoof trimmers and such live there too. In the far corner I have a couple of plastic barrels with secure lids for feed. That's it. Full milkpails come into the house for filtering, cooling and washing.

So - milkstand, shelving, secure feed storage. Anything else is just icing on the cake.


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## whinnyninny (Aug 17, 2005)

We get really cold north winds blowing in the winter here (not cold compared to what Northerners suffer with, but below freezing, anyway), so between that and rain, I think I definitely need something out of the weather.

Would something like an 8x8 shed be suitable? I'm tempted to buy one of the wood/siding types from Lowe's... something like this (maybe adding a couple windows or something...)


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## jimandpj (Feb 8, 2006)

If it were me - I wouldn't buy anything. Find a place to stick a milk stand. I know lots of people who have even kept the milk stand in the stall b/c there was no better place. If you're only milking 2 does, you can probably fit both their milk in 1 milk pail. Have a tote with your essentials (cleaning supplies). Keep it simple and basic for now. Figure out if you even like milking before buying a building.

Once you've milked for a season, then you can tell what you really need and go from there.

Just my two cents,
PJ


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## DQ (Aug 4, 2006)

my "set up" (very loose term) consist of a dilapidated three sided shed that was here when we moved in. in 1/2 of the shed I put pallets on top of random blocks bricks treated wood etc...and put 1/4 inch plywood from old waterbeds on top of that. 1/2 of this area is a kidding stall and the other a feed room/"milk room" (again..very loose term). the room itself is about 9'x5'. My milk stand is 1/2 of a pallet set up on treated scrap wood. the head part is two steel pipes one fixed the other moves back and forth. an old adjustable spur strap and/or an old leather collar slips over the pipes to trap their neck. I have a few tubs with lids for random stuff like disinfecting wipes and disposable strip cups that I keep under the milk stand. 

you don't need much. there are times (like today) that I wish I had a real milk room. we had tons of blowing rain last night and everything is soaked inside and outside of the shed. but it didn't cost me anything to build and some inconvenience is worth it to me. if you have the extra cash laying around build yourself a nice milk room but it is mostly just for convenience and aesthetics if the milk is only for family use.


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## MayLOC (Sep 20, 2006)

Between milk cows and milk goats, I have milked something nearly all my life. And I have milked in all sorts of areas also. Milked in drafty old barns, milked outside, in the wind, snow and rain. Milked in one sided, two sided and three sided sheds and now I milk in my little milk shed (we only have goats now). 

We got the little 8X10 shed at our state fair on the last day and at a reduced cost and they delievered it also. It has a window and we hooked electric to it also, so it has light and I have a little electric heater in there right now that I only use when I milk to warm my hands on the colder days. I am absolutely thrilled with my little shed. It is only for milking. It is well built with wood framing and has a wood floor. I built stands to milk 5 at a time in it and still have room for my grain and it came with a work bench where I put my milk ect. 

We looked at several at lowes also. Some of them are much better built than others. We almost went with one of those hard plastic ones that seemed much stronger built than a lot of the aluminum/metal ones. But thought it would be harder to build stuff inside with nothing to nail things to.

I love being able to shut the door during milking and bad whether and it is snug and easy to keep clean. And to be able to keep the milk clean and out of the wind blowing dirt also.

I am so thankful for mine.


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2008)

We've used a cattle-panel hoop house with good success. It has ends on it to keep the others out at milking time (would be better in winter if the ends were solid. I use simple tie straps to tether the milkers to the wall and rotate them onto the stand. What we're going to try this year is using our old small horse trailer along with a small hoop. The hoop would serve as a covered holding area as they are rotated through. The trailer, being small and solid walled, should be much easier to light, heat and clean.


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## whinnyninny (Aug 17, 2005)

jimandpj said:


> If it were me - I wouldn't buy anything. Find a place to stick a milk stand. I know lots of people who have even kept the milk stand in the stall b/c there was no better place.


I don't have anything, besides the 3.5-sided goat shed that is too short for me to stand up in (it's below my shoulders, actually, and I probably wouldn't even be able to sit upright on a stool in there, but it's quite cozy for the goats). I have no barn, no stalls, nothing. I am a wuss so when I have a 20Âº windchill outside on winter mornings, I really don't want to be milking in that wind (block the wind somehow, and it's much more comfortable).


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Do you have a garage or out of the wind area next to the house? 

Our does pee and poo when they see us walking toward them at milking time, so you could even bring them into an enclosed living area to milk without worry of mess.:clap: They don't mess on the milk stand.


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## Feathers-N-Fur (Dec 17, 2007)

http://goatseeker.com/guides/quonset-hut-goat-shelters
This is a cheap way to get shelter from the wind and weather while milking. It's how we started. Of course, if you can afford the shed, knowing that you may not stick with milking, go for it. You can always use a nice shed for other purposes as well. With the shed, you could set up a space heater, and be relatively comfortable while you milk, but remember, after you get the hang of milking, it only takes 5 minutes or so per doe.


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