11 for more about poisons.) I had a rhododendron plant in my front yard for years, and when I let the goats out they sometimes took a little taste. I found it nerve-wracking and finally removed the plant, but none of my goats ever showed signs of poisoning.
Building a Milk Stand
One essential item for goat owners is a milk stand, sometimes referred to as a stanchion. This device enables you to secure your goat not only for milking, but also for doing all the routine care and important tasks that I tell you about in Chapter 10.
You can purchase a metal milk stand at a livestock supply store or make a wood milk stand yourself, if you have the skills and equipment. Caprine Supply and other online livestock product suppliers sell the headpiece (technically, the headpiece itself is the stanchion) separately. For bigger goats, there is one that the head rests on instead of having a locking mechanism.
The simple, wooden milk stand in Figure 4-2, is for miniature goats and is easy to make. If you want to make one for a larger breed, you can lengthen the plywood and the side boards and make the legs longer. A similar milk stand can also be found online for only about $100.
FIGURE 4-2: A milk stand.
Before you dive into hammering, gather your materials and equipment. You’ll need the following from your local lumberyard:
One 2 x 4 measuring 8 feet in length
One 1 x 6 measuring 10 feet in length
Two 1 x 4s measuring 10 feet in length
One 2 x 2 measuring 8 feet in length
One sheet of 5⁄8-inch plywood measuring 36 x 21½ inches
Pick up the following hardware:
One box of 100 1-inch deck screws
One box of 50 2-inch deck screws
One ¼-20 2½-inch bolt
One ¼-20 lock nut
One 4-inch hook-and-eye latch
Finally, make sure you have the following tools handy:
Drill
Drill bits: 1⁄8 inch and inch
Saw
Sandpaper (and a sander, if you have one)
Pencil
Square
Tape measure
Screwdriver
Clamp
The following sections cover all the steps for building.
Cutting the lumber into parts and marking the pieces
Start by doing the following:
1 Cut the 2 x 4 into four 14-inch-long leg pieces, and label each of these pieces A.
2 Using the remainder of the 2 x 4, cut a 20½-inch piece for the feed holder, and label the piece N.
3 Cut the 1 x 6 into two 20-inch end pieces and label each of these pieces B.
4 Using the remainder of the 1 x 6, cut two 36-inch side pieces, and label these pieces C.
5 Cut one of the 1 x 4s into four 21½-inch pieces, and label these pieces G, H, I, and J, respectively.
6 Using the remainder of the 1 x 4 from Step 5, cut one 18½-inch piece and label it F.
7 Using the remainder of the 1 x 4 from Step 5, cut two 4½-inch pieces, and label these pieces M.
8 Cut the second 1 x 4 into two 36-inch pieces, and label them K and L.
9 Using the remainder of the 1 x 4 from Step 8, cut one 18½-inch piece and label it E.
10 Using the remainder of the 1 x 4 from Step 8, cut two 12-inch pieces for braces and label it O.
You’re done cutting the lumber!
Attaching the legs to the base
Lay one end piece (B) on your work surface and screw two of the legs (A) to the inside of one end of the end piece (B) using 1-inch screws. Make sure that the screws are flush with the top and side of the end piece. Repeat with the other two legs and end piece.
Attaching the side pieces to the base
Screw the side pieces (C) to the end pieces (B) using 2-inch screws. The legs and ends should be on the inside of the side pieces.
Finishing the platform
Turn the structure so it’s standing upright on the legs. Lay the plywood across the top lengthwise, making sure that one end of the plywood is flush with the end of the base. When you’re sure it’s square, drill holes with the 1⁄8-inch drill bit. Screw it all together with 2-inch deck screws.
Preparing the stanchion
To prepare the stanchion, follow these steps:
1 With a tape measure, measure over 2½ inches from the top corner of piece F, and mark with a pencil.
2 From the same corner, measure down the side 5¾ inches, and make a mark across the piece.
3 Using your square as a ruler, draw a line from the first mark to the second mark.
4 Cut with your saw along the line.
5 Place
