# How long does it take you to hand milk each goat...



## Linsay2231 (May 1, 2011)

and how much milk do you get?

Just out of curiosity.

It takes me no longer than 8 minutes to milk Daisy and I get right around 1/2 gallon each milking, sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more. She milks empty so easily.

It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to milk Abby and I get a little over half a gallon each milking, I can milk her most of the way using both hands, but then it slows down and I have to milk with one hand while massaging the udder with the other hand for both sides to get her to empty out all the way, is that normal? 

Thanks


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## Rechellef (Oct 5, 2010)

My queen Cream, takes about 20+ mins. only because she is slow to let down and has smaller (but not impossible) teats. I have actually learned to trick her into letting down by not giving her all her grain and giving her small handfulls at a time during milking so she thinks she's getting extra and it is then that she lets down better for me - it's a mind game I play with her. Sugar, my second in line takes me less than 10 mins. and is a dream to milk and I get a lot from her. Snowflake is my FF and is not milking too well right now because her daughter is draining her, but when she is milking well, she takes about 15 mins. give or take.


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## coso (Feb 24, 2004)

I milk six in about thirty five minutes. They give anywhere from 4lbs to 6lbs each per milking.


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## Cheribelle (Jul 23, 2007)

Well, Allison and I are S L O W 

It takes around 1/2 hour, 2 quarts.


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

I timed milking last night, and I was amazed. Would have told you it was 10 to 15 minutes per goat. It was five!! WOO HOO!

The rest of the time out there is taken up with feed, cleaning, handing out peanut butter crackers and chips, cleaning water pans, bottle feeding, etc.


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## uncleotis (Mar 14, 2005)

Takes me about 5 minutes to milk Maggie but she's a dream to milk.

Pam


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

About 10-15 minutes per goat. I hate to shamefully admit it, but I use one hand while holding a small cup under the udder. Then I dump it into a larger bucket. If not it takes even longer because I just don't milk two-handed well. I just cannot squeeze well with my left hand, and am uncoordinated on that side for some reason.


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

Mekasmom, I know what you mean! I started milking years ago on my one teated doe, and it was a real struggle to teach my left hand to milk when a two teated doe freshened for us the first time. My left hand was so stupid!


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## T.Miller (Dec 1, 2006)

It takes me about 10 minutes each to milk Syeda and Piper, both giving around 7lbs per milking. The yearlings it takes about 5 minutes each (if they act like they have some sense). They are giving around 3 1/2 lbs each per milking.

Terry


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

I can do the whole chore of milking our one in about 15 minutes. That's gathering supplies, running out, getting everyone situated, feeding, milking, and coming back in with the milk.

That being said Pippi, is still gaining weight while milking and while she has beautiful, large easy to milk teats, I think the orifaces are rather small and she only milks a quart at each milking. I bought her off a breeder that milks, so she was probably one of the lesser do-ers(I imagine it was volume and oriface related).

I'm hoping the volume increases as she gains condition, but a quart at each milking still gives us plenty, we're just not drowning in it.


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## Harmony Goats (Nov 27, 2008)

Usually takes me 1 hour to 1 and a half hours to milk 15 goats. That is with 6 giving 5-6 lbs, 5 4lbs, and the others giving 2.5 to 3 lbs and thats per milking. I do have a milking machine(it's only 1 at a time), but most of the time I hand milk. usually takes 2-4 min to milk each goat. The rest of the time is moving them from barn to barn.


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

I've never timed it, but I'd say about like Harmony Goats, 2-4 minutes per doe. And that's usually half a gallon or more per milking. Penny would milk out in record time, less than 2 minutes I'd say. Soft skin, big teats and big orifices. I loved milking that doe! Her daughter is pretty good too, but not quite like her mama.


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

Adding a thought here....

I recently realized that I'm not in a milking contest, and I stopped trying to milk and do the chores in a hurry. Much more peaceful that way.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Mekasmom, I know what you mean! I started milking years ago on my one teated doe, and it was a real struggle to teach my left hand to milk when a two teated doe freshened for us the first time. My left hand was so stupid!


I feel better knowing I am not the only one. It just goes all over when I try, and I can't empty the one on my left hand.


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Adding a thought here....
> 
> I recently realized that I'm not in a milking contest, and I stopped trying to milk and do the chores in a hurry. Much more peaceful that way.


I'm this way with chores, except when I actually sit down to milk. I know my let down only lasts so long so I do feel like I'm racing! Plus I wanna see that bucket full and that udder empty.


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## Lizza (Nov 30, 2005)

5 min per goat is what I like, I cull goats that I can't milk quickly (or I just let them dam raise) but house milk animals, 5 min. 

We got a milk cow this year and I thought 8 years of hand milking would prepare me for hand milking a cow, NOT, I ordered a milk machine about day 2. I can now milk two goats at once (or one cow) with the machine but I don't like to deal with the machine for goats.


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

It's the noise of the machine I don't like. Sort of defeats the serenity of the milk house for me.


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## Lizza (Nov 30, 2005)

Totally Alice, that thing is SO loud! My husband put it in a box for me so it is a little quieter but not much. I've grown accustom to it now with the cow, but really it is a pain to clean (and listen to) if you don't have to use it. My cow loves the machine and I mostly just rest my head on her side while it is doing it's thing. I'm a weirdo and like the smell and feel of the belly of my cows and goats, I like to rest on them. 

I was in a group situation where we were going around the room and saying what is peaceful for us and I said "milking my goats", you would have thought I had two heads . Oh, well, their loss.


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

YES!! Head on goat! SERENITY!

Did you see Yarrow's post about the first time she milked? 

We goaty ladies COMPLETELY understand.


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

Milking is peaceful - lol - but it only takes about 5 minutes for the does with really easy to milk teats, and the one with short teats takes twice as long


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

Yup, 5 minutes for "good" goats. More like 15 for our problem goat...but her milk is soooo good! I think I'm the slowest at her and everyone else can milk her in half the time anyway.


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

I love to milk! It takes me half an hour to milk 5 gallons from my eight does. The reason I'm so fast is that I use a four goat stanchion. I bring in four at a time, they all go right into their places and wait patiently :angel:


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