How long after to milk?

Ok so my goat will kid soon (hopefully) I was wondering how long after she kids do I can I start using the milk for human consumption?

IMHO, you should let the kid(s) have all of it for the first 3-4 weeks. After that, you can separate the kids from mom overnight and start morning milking for you. Of course it's all going to depend on how much milk mom is producing, how many kids are drinking it, and if there's extra enough for you. By 4 weeks, the kids should be sampling grain/pellets and hay, so though they still need milk, you can start the changeover to real food.

I plan on bottle feeding the kids

Well then... just milk her out twice or even three times a day (more milking = increased production). Feed the kids as you go and any left over is yours.

I was just wondering cause of the colostrum and ect I heard about so I didn't know

The milk (IMO) tasted a little funny for the first week or a bit more... maybe 2 weeks? If you (the goat) have 2 kids, they'll probably be taking all the milk for that period anyway. Mine was a single and with 4 feedings a day for the first week I built up a back up supply, but initially I wanted to dam raise. The kid couldn't figure it out so I ended up bottle feeding. I plan on dam raising this year if possible. I may milk a bit to start to ensure max production... Haven't really decided yet. By the time the kid was 4 weeks old, she was drinking pretty much a full 28 oz coke bottle of milk every feeding. So as I dropped down in feedings I started having more for me.

It was my first experience having goat kids, milking, bottle feeding, the whole enchilada... And that was only one doe. The other doe had twins when I bought her and was raising them on her own so I didn't interfere at all. So since I wanted to dam raise, it was kinda a cluster for the first several days while I tried to get the kid to latch on, and it didn't work, and momma goat was so full she was leaking milk every time she moved. I had to milk her out to relieve the pressure. When she got that full again, it was obvious the kid wasn't drinking/getting fed. That's when milking became a requirement.

The colostrum will only benefit the kid(s) if they get it within the first 24 hours. In reality it's best within the first 2-4 hours. Ideally, you'll get the kid(s) up and nursing as soon as they are dried off enough and stable enough to walk. Momma can be cleaning up as they drink, and the nursing helps her to pass the placenta (or next kid). I forget the numbers, but the kids should drink at least like 10-20% of their body weight in colostrum. @Goat Whisperer @babsbag @frustratedearthmother ? After that, you can milk her out and freeze it (the first day's <strongest-best> colostrum) for future emergency use. Some freeze it in ice cube trays then place in zip locks or vacuum seal it to maintain freshness. That way if/when you need it you can thaw only what you need when you need it.

I believe GW takes the kids away immediately to be bottle raised and as soon as birthing is complete, she puts the doe on the stand and milks her out then bottle feeds the kids. Not sure how she does it with as many does and kids as they have at a given time. My hands couldn't take that kind of punishment. I have 4 pregnant does (Dot, Bang, April, and CB) and am not looking forward to milking all 4 of them... We'll see.

I like the legal limit for Grade A dairies is 5 days, so that's probably good.

Ok and yeah this will be my second time bottle feeding both does I have I got at 3 days old so that was fun lol. The boy was I think a month old so I bottle fed him as well. So five days to a week ok sounds good. My son and daughter go through milk like crazy and 16 dollars a gallon is kicking my budget in the rear. I buy between to 6-8 gallons a month. And that's being careful with it.... So yeah the sooner they start earning their keep the better. I should have an easy time milking my husband bought me a machine for that lol he surprised me with that.

Nice! very considerate of him! Hope you'll keep us updated. The thing with 5 days for dairies is that one cow's milk will be a small part of the larger whole tank truck full. Anybody would be hard pressed to taste it under those conditions...

I use the milk after the colostrum clears out usually 4-5 days. You can look at it and tell.