Disclaimer: I’m that weird friend of yours that milks goats.
Yep, we have goats right in our backyard and yep, each day we walk outside with a pail and squeeze away until we have about a half gallon of the stuff.
After that it gets brought inside to be strained into clean mason jars and chilled in the fridge until we’re ready to…that’s right…drink it.
Backyard Goats
With the interest in organic & home grown foods, has come a crowd of folks ready & willing to put a goat in their backyard and milk it, darn it. If you live anywhere outside the US, it’s likely you’ll get approving nods when you share your backyard goat intentions. It makes sense considering 70% of the world’s population drinks goat’s milk. In the States, you won’t get quite as much enthusiasm. Here is cow-milking country! And according to many Americans, the further away that cow milk is from their backyards, the better.
However, for those of us who aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty, we welcome the idea of raising food in our backyards. And so, if you’re one of us — a potential goat milking person, that is — then let me share with you all the ins and outs of buying milking goats. Because if you’re going to jump on the wagon, you might as well do it with a steady leap, am I right?
Goat Raising: 101
First things first, it’s a great idea to get up to speed on all things goats and how to raise them. Here are my top articles that will give you a good background on what to expect before you go shopping for a goat.
- How much space do you need to raise goats?
- What do goats eat?
- Supplements for goats
- Goat supplies for raising, kidding, & milking.
- A simple guide to raising & milking goats.
- Choosing a goat breed
- Does goat’s milk taste…goaty?
- How to keep raw goat’s milk fresh & delicious
Buying Milking Goats: Everything you need to know
Once you feel prepared in how to raise your goats, now it’s time to start searching for the right one to join your family. When we first started looking at milking goats, we didn’t think anything mattered other than the fact that we got a female (obviously). It turns out there are very specific things you need to look for in a milking goat.
Even in that case where you plan on purchasing a baby goat, it’s important to know what its mother should look like.
Watch our video below & be sure to subscribe to our channel!
Goat Dreams
The best advice I can give to a new potential goat owner is to just dive right in! There are so many resources available (many of them right here on my website *wink*wink*) that you should help you feel completely prepared as you start this journey. It sounds crazy, but bringing in fresh, organic milk every day can be one of the most rewarding experiences. Take it from one weird goat lady to another — go get your goat, my friend.
Hi I am a big follower of your channel. I live in Australia and I’m having trouble trying to finding dwarf Nigerian goats to buy, have any tips?
Thanks Logan
Hi Logan-
Not really sure how to find them in Australia, but you could find a goat FB group to join and they make have connections.
Best of luck finding them!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hey Logan – I am also in Aus and have some NDs. They are still fairly new over here but we have a few good studs, especially in QLD and WA! Check out Stoney Creek stud (QLD), Dandalee Park (WA), Tippy Toes stud (QLD) those are a few that I really like! I am just starting out breeding with some 75% ND bucks. Stoney Creek imports a lot of genetics from the USA 🙂
Hello! my family owned two 3 year old bottle fed weathers and they were the sweetest (louie and henry). but recently we had to put down Henry due to stones. Louie and I are very sad and I need to get him a companion, but I wanted to get a doe or two because they are less prone to health issues. If we get does will they produce milk or is it only if they get bred?Can they just be pets or do they automatically produce?
Also is it ok to get a bottle baby or do I need to purchase a goat his age?
Hi Madden-
Does only produce milk once they have been bred and kidded. They won’t produce otherwise.
If you wean the babies and don’t milk the does they will dry up.
You can get a bottle baby as long as your wether isn’t too mean to it.
Best of luck with everything!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
I’m trying to find the exact milking stand you currently use and having trouble. Do you have a link to where I can buy? Thanks!
Hi Jeanne-
DaNelle’s stand was welded by a friend of hers many years ago.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi Danielle, My two does recently had kids (3 weeks ago). I want to start milking but I am not sure the best way to do this? DO I have to wait until the babies are 6 weeks to start milking or can I start now? Do I separate the babies at night and milk in the morning? Do I milk in the evening? Twice a day or once a day? One of the mamas had triplets so should I wait longer to milk her? Sorry for so many questions! Do you have an article about this somewhere that I am missing? Thank you!
Hi Summer
At 2 weeks, you can separate the babies from the mom for 12 hours of the day (preferably at night), then you can milk in the morning and let the babies and mom back together after you milk.
So, essentially, you’ll be milking once a day starting at 2 weeks postpartum until they are officially weaned at 8 weeks, in which case, you’ll have the option to continue to milk once a day (and let her milk go down) or milk twice a day since the babies are no longer eating from her.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
This article was so helpful thank you so much weed em and reap
Hi… I am obsessed with farm life and animals and I am trying so hard to convince my family to get some goats and chickens.
I am on the verge of Winning!!!??
I would love to know where you got your milking stand Danelle? It is am amazing one and I would love to know where you found it
Hi Jessica-
Goats and chickens can be amazing animals! I hope everything works out for your farm life and animal plans!
DaNelle had someone weld her stanchion for her. If you want to build your own here is a free download on how to construct a wooden one: https://www.amazon.com/Building-Milking-Stand-Foxhole-Homestead-ebook/dp/B006LNUM30/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1470700000&sr=8-1&keywords=milking+stand&linkCode=sl1&tag=resourcesweedreap-20&linkId=cc204d8d28e92fbb08d1b6234eff8181
I hope that helps! Best of luck with everything!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi, I’m obsessed with all this stuff too! We’re thinking about moving and getting a bigger piece of land so we can have goats. We currently have chickens. Glad to hear I’m not the only one!!
I know how hard it is to deal with health issues. I have arthritis and it can be extremely overwhelming mentally and physically at times. I;m getting goats in the next few months. Trying to get things ready before getting them, that is if this snow will ever stop. I’m in Montana so can be very cold and snowy. So I want to have the proper shelter in place before getting them but the ground is frozen can’t dig post hole. Should I insulate it? And how do you separate the cream so I can make butter? I have canned my own food for yrs and make my own bread this is one step closer to eating healthier. And I can tell you cutting out the processed food makes a big differance in your health.
Hi Cindi-
If you cannot put posts in to build fence you can always temporarily hook together horse panels that have been covered in fencing/wire that is too small for goats to fit through. The goats definitely need proper shelter. Insulating can’t hurt as I assume temperatures in Montana can drop pretty low.
As for making butter, this article DaNelle wrote is a great resource: https://www.weedemandreap.com/making-goat-butter-with-goat-milk/
Best of luck in your goat and health journey! Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
I bought a Nigerian dwarf buck and wether last year and want to get a doe this year. I want to get a doe that’s one year old so I can breed and have a kid this year. Should I keep her with the buck and wether or seperate pen?
Hi Pam-
Congrats on starting your goat family! Your doe can be kept with your wether because goats love company and never do well all alone. That being said, bucks on the otherhand need to be kept in their own separate pen. When it is time to breed you can place the doe in his pen and then remove her once she is bred.
I hope this helps! Best of luck and Happy Goating! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
DaNelle,
I recently purchased a Nigerian Dwarf doeling, thanks to you 🙂 (she has 2 wethers to keep her company). I live in Queen Creek and was wondering where you find your stud services. I’m sure you’ve got a network now, but where did you look when you started out? I’d really appreciate some pointers! Thanks!
Hi DaNelle/Bobbi!
Finally got me some goats yesterday… 😉
One 2 yo Alpine doe, and
one 3mnth old Speckled goat X (breed in South Africa)
They are gorgeous and we are very excited for the journey ahead. I just have a few questions which I thought perhaps you could advise on?
The doe was through some stress yesterday. Her baby was separated from her the previous day, she was moved to a new home (in the rain, which she hates) and milked by a stranger (my hubby). It shouldn’t come as any surprise, but her milk tasted like a super-stressed-out goat! Also, she lies down if we need to milk her… I get the feeling she may have /been abused at some stage. What would you suggest we do to get this goat happy, confident and trusting toward us? And how can I keep her standing so that we can relieve her poor udders?
Then my last question. What would you recommend to keep parasites at bay? I am using EO for ourselves. We have lots of land with LOTS of yummy bushes and shrubs, so I think they will already have good immunity after a few weeks of roaming, but ticks are a bother even if they aren’t a threat.
I love your blog and will definitely be reading a lot more now that we are on our way.
Thanks in advance!
René
Hi Rene-
So excited you goat your goats!! They sound like some nice looking little goaties!
Yes, moving and strangers can stress a goat out. To make her more comfortable, simply spend a lot time with her in an environment that feels safe and calm to her. She will associate that feeling with you. A little TLC goes a long way!
If she keeps laying down when you milk her, place a bucket under her tummy. With it there she cannot lay down. Just make sure it is not too high or rough on her tummy.
DaNelle has a great article about how to and what schedule to follow for deworming goats: https://www.weedemandreap.com/natural-goat-dewormer/
And her article here is a great resource for keeping pests at bay naturally: https://www.weedemandreap.com/homemade-fly-spray-recipe/
I hope this helps and I hope your goats are happy and healthy! Best of luck with your new family members and Happy Goating! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi DaNelle,
I’m thinking of getting a couple of goats for our homestead and I just took an interesting class where we got the chance to practice milking them and hanging out…so fun! The teacher covered how often you have to milk and talked about milking once a day vs. 2x/day. My question is do I have to milk every single day? We don’t drink a TON of milk. Can I just let the baby stay with momma until we need more and then separate them before I milk, or do I need to milk every single day?
Thanks! Love you blog!
Monica
Hi Monica-
I think that’s so great you took that class and are getting so prepared!
If the baby is still nursing you don’t have to worry about milking all the time. Just know a doe only produces as much milk as is needed. So if you aren’t milking she will just produce enough for her baby, and this will decline the less it nurses. So when you start milking you may not get as much as before. I hope that helps! Good luck with everything and Happy Goating! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
This may be a silly question but do you need a male goat integrated with the female goats to get them to begin lactating? We just want milking goats and are trying to get a better understanding of the lactating process of the goats.
Hi Nadia-
It’s always good to understand as much of the goat process as possible! In order for a doe to produce milk she has to be freshened, which means she must be bred, give birth to kids, and then she will start producing milk. So in order to have milk you need to have a doe that has kidded.
Here’s a great article DaNelle wrote about goat breeding: https://www.weedemandreap.com/goat-breeding-101/
I hope this information helps! Thanks and Happy Goating! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hello! I recently stumbled upon your blog and YouTube channel while researching all things goats! lol we have two Pygmy goats babies moving in this week and I’m curious if you have had pygmy goat milk? I don’t know if we’ll end up milking them or not but I’m wondering if it would taste good?! We have a farmer down the road that sells us raw cows milk but I’ve always been curious about goats milk! Thanks!
Hi Sarah-
I think this article DaNelle wrote is a great answer to the question you have. https://www.weedemandreap.com/does-goats-milk-taste-bad/
Give a read and let us know if you have any questions. Thanks for reading and posting! -Bobbi
Hi DaNelle,
Your blog has been very helpful to me as I am thinking about getting a couple of goats for my backyard. I really would love to have goats for milk, but I am concerned about what to do with the babies each year. Are you able to find them a good home? I’m concerned that I would not be able to find a caring person to take care of the babies. How do you go about doing this?
Hi Tracy-
It’s great you are thinking ahead like this! It’s always good to plan for your herd.
As for raising kids, but not keeping them, there are some things you can do. If they are males you can castrate them and sell them for meat. If that’s not something you want to do with your males, or you have does, you can always look to see if there are 4-Her’s in the area that need a 4-H project goat. Getting in contact with your local 4-H Extension agent can provide you with some possible 4-H families that are looking for goats. Going this route will let you know your goats are going to some hardworking youth and will help out your local community.
I have found more homes for all types of animals this way and been able to see some 4-H youth really shine.
I hope this helps! Best wishes and Happy Goating! -Bobbi
Thanks for the video, Danelle! Where do you suggest locating goats? Craigslist? We’re about to take the plunge!!
YES! There are lots of great farms that advertise on CL!