I am not quite sure how to handle this situation. Any advice would be most appreciated. We have 3 does: 2 adults Honey and Clover, and Honey's doeling who is now 13 weeks old. And we have 2 fenced areas. The primary area that the goats love is partially shaded with redwoods. The secondary area has no shade except for a little house that they sometimes sleep in. We are milking Honey twice a day, so she is staying on her own in the secondary pasture, and is not so happy about it (presumably its hot there and also she'd prefer to be in the same area as the other 2 goats even though it is right next door and they share a fence). Honey has been seperated from her baby Buttercup for about 2-3 weeks now. Milking is going fine, but Honey really fights returning to her pasture.... She has made it clear that she does not want to go back, and I do not have the strength to battle her. If I reunite her with Clover and baby Buttercup and put her back in teh nice shady pasture, will Buttercup resume drinking from Honey? Or is 2-3 weeks enough time for her to have adjusted?
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Yes, Judy, only once a day for my milk. However, I do go through the motions in the evening and give that small amount to my kitty. During the time I've been milking, I've never gotten more than 1/4 cup any other time than morning after Ginger has spent the night in the crate. The 1/4 cup I got after taking Ginger to the vet when they had been separated for several hours. Admittedly, I rarely make a real effort to get any significant amount as I discovered early on it was non-productive. I still go through the procedure in the evening just in case I change my mind to milk in the evening later when I have a realistic way to separate them. Right now, it works for me to have Ginger nursing - she finishes emptying her udder in the morning so, until she stops, I am not using teat dip because Ginger goes right to her after milking so it is all done naturally.
In the beginning I gave them berry treats (for horses) and they loved them but after a few weeks suddenly were not so enthralled with them. That's when I switched to apple slices so now I have two treats for bribery.<g> I also mix carrot slices in Capri's (mom) feed at milking time. The mix of carrot slices is to keep her occupied the extra time I need for milking after she has finished her favorite part of her grain mix. There are many other things that would surely work for treats; carrots are healthy and easy (sliced in the food processor and stored in the fridge, they stay fresh for several days, also are very easy to slice with a knife).
Buttercup is adorable!!! Congratulations. :-)
Glenna, it sounds like you are only milking once a day then? Just in the morning after Ginger spends the night in the crate? Also thanks for the tip on carrot sticks and apples. Any other treats you've found they are particularly enthusiastic for?
I finally got around to uploading a photo - that's baby Buttercup, born 3 weeks preemie. She was as tiny as my stuffed animal.
Glenna Rose said:
That's what I do, Judy, at night separate Ginger in a crate. Mine is all metal with spacing similar to hardware cloth. I really didn't want to crate her but it was the only way to have milk in the morning. With the crate in the stall a couple days ahead of time, all three of them went in and out of it all the time and often lay down in it to rest (and chew cuds). One day two of them were in it.
When it came time to shut Ginger in it at night, I gave all three of them a treat, first apple slices and now carrot slices which they go wild for. No one gets any until Ginger is in the crate. I walk into the stall with my container saying "Bedtime" (usually around 10:00 p.m.) and Ginger heads for the crate and turns around awaiting her portion. Because the other two are there close by, she has been just fine doing it though I had dreaded it. Come about 8:00 in the morning which is usually milking time, she sometimes starts calling telling that human of hers to hurry up and let her out. Of course, it might be the tiny bit of grain I give to her sister and her while Mom is being milked that might have something to do with her calling.
Those here on the group will tell you that I really felt uncomfortable about putting her in the crate and felt quite guilty about it the first few times. However, it hasn't bothered her at all. She still goes in and out of it during the day so it does not appear to be any kind of trauma thing to her. Sometimes I will go out there and Mom will be in there during the day! They like to climb on it as well, being goats. <g>
Do you have a place where you could put baby at night, even a large dog crate? Then you could at least separate them at night and milk Honey in the morning.
Well I felt so bad for Honey that I put her back in with her baby and Clover. It took about 5 mintues before baby Buttercup was trying to suck from Honey. Some jossling occured as Honey pushed her away, a few minutes later another attempt...and so forth. Everntually baby was successful:-( i'll still try and milk Honey tonight to see how much is left in her udder.... If anyone has any more creative suggestions for me, don't hold back!
We've had our bucklings separated from the does for over a month. When they had opportunity to get to their mothers after a week, one of the mothers wouldn't let her kid nurse. The other one will still let her kid nurse if he is able to get to her, even a month later. I guess they're all different. You'd have to try it and see, I guess. You could also try teat tape to see if it would work to keep baby from nursing. I don't have any experience with that though.
Best wishes! :)
Oh, I hate to say this but probably.
You know you would think that we would have covered this and I am sure that it probably has been, but I don't recall having seen it either, so thanks for asking and I am sure someone will chime in later with an answer.