How to Build a Goat Stanchion

If your goat is going to have kids soon, you don’t want to wait much longer to build a goat milking stanchion. Goats are very independent animals, and while a simple head lock or a pile of hay is enough to keep a cow in place to be milked, it simply won’t do the trick for a goat. The stanchion must be elevated and have a grain tray, a head lock and optional leg ties.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Two 23-inch 2 by 4s for bottom braces
• Two 23-inch 1 by 6s for leg supports
• Four 10 1/2-inch 2 by 4s for legs
• Two 48-inch 1 by 12s for bottom
• Two 44-inch 1 by 2s for front uprights
• Two 24-inch 1 by 4s (top brace)
• One 8-inch L-bracket
• Two 36-inch 1 by 1s for head catch
• Three screw eyes
• Rope
• Screws: 1 1/4 inch and 1 1/2 inch
• Feed box materials:
• One 13 1/2-inch 1 by 4 (front)
• Two 12-inch 1 by 4s (sides)
• One 15-inch 1 by 12 (bottom)
• One 24-inch 1 by 4 (back and feed box rail)
• Tools:
• Electric drill
• Screwdriver
• Saw

1. Floor support and legs: Place one bottom brace flat; place a leg support on edge at the edge of the bottom brace. Predrill four holes and screw. Place two legs at the outside edges of the leg support (opposite side from the bottom brace). Predrill three holes per leg and screw. Repeat with other bottom brace, leg support and legs.
2. Floor: Set one pair of legs upright on the floor (braces and supports on top). This will kind of lean over; you can prop it up against something if you need to. Place the two bottom boards side by side on top of the upright legs with the edges flush. Predrill and screw through bottom brace and legs. Place the other pair of legs underneath the other end of the bottom boards. Predrill and screw through the bottom brace and legs.
3. Pick one end to be the front of the stanchion.
4. Uprights: Place one of the front uprights at the outside edge of the front of the stanchion. It should sit flush next to the edges of the bottom boards and the side and bottom of the legs. Predrill and screw. Repeat with the other front upright on the other side of the stanchion.
5. Top brace: Place one of the top braces flush with the top of the upright front boards on the stanchion side of the uprights. Predrill and screw.
6. Head catch: At this point, you need to decide where the stanchion will sit and on which side of the stanchion you will be milking the goat from. Measure 10 inches from the edge of the top brace from the side where you will be milking from, and mark. Mount the L-bracket flush with the bottom of one of the head catch boards. Place the L-bracket on the floor of the stanchion so that the other end of the head catch board is on the mark that was made on the top brace. The head catch board should be on the outside of the top brace. Predrill and screw in place on the top brace. Predrill and screw the other end of L-bracket to the floor of the stanchion.
7. Head catch: Place the other head catch board next to the one that has been fastened to the stanchion. Drill through both with a 3/8-inch bit. Thread the rope through the hole and knot on both ends, this should not be tight; the unfastened head catch board needs to pivot.
8. Top brace: Place the other top brace flush with the top of the front uprights, on the outside of the uprights. Predrill and screw through the front uprights and the stationary head catch boards. Measure 2 inches down on front of the unfastened head catch board, and screw in screw eye. Measure 2 inches from the milking side of the outside top brace, and screw in screw eye. Thread the rope through, and knot on both ends. There should be plenty of slack.
9. Feed box: Screw together the front to the sides. Use two 1 1/2-inch screws in each corner. Attach to the center of the back/feed box rail. Attach bottom using three 1 1/2-inch screws per side. On the front uprights, measure 8 inches down from the top brace. Place the back/feed box rail side of the feed box on the uprights at mark. Predrill and screw in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Put your grain in the feed box, get your goat up on the stanchion, show the goat the feed to get her to put her head through the head catch. When the goat’s head is through the head catch, pull the head catch rope to tighten the head catch. Tie with a pull-away knot so that if the goat starts fighting the head catch and you need to release it, you can do so quickly and easily.
• Options: There may be times that you need to be able to apply some sort of restraint to your goats. You can attach a screw eye to the far back corner of the stanchion floor. Tie a knot in one end of a 2’ length of rope, thread other end through screw eye. When you need to use it, tie a break-away knot, so that it won’t tighten down on the goat’s off-hind ankle.
• Options: There is nothing like being just about done milking and having your goat kick the bucket…literally! If you have problems with this, and you have a standard bucket that you use for milking you can drill a bucket hole in the bottom of the stanchion. Mark a point in the middle of the stanchion floor-I won’t tell you how far back, because goat breeds vary in length of the goat, but you want it to be where your bucket would sit for your goats. Measure the circumference of your bucket, 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. Mark circle of that size circumference centered around the mark that you made on the stanchion floor. Cut this circle out. Now your bucket will sit down into the stanchion a little bit and will withstand some bumping and kicking.

Who Can Help:

• Find Awning Services Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation.
• Find Deck & Porch Services Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation.
• Find Contractors Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation.