Separation of mom and kids

I assume you mean for weaning? I really don't know what's long enough. The only time I ever tried this was the first year I had goats. I had separated a mom from her three bucks until I decided who I wanted to wether. They were separated for a month. I put the two wethered boys back with their mom, and within three or four days, they were nursing again. It's a pretty funny story actually, because I went to milk the mom one night, and I got about three squirts. I was shocked because I KNEW that a goat does NOT just dry up in 12 hours! Then it clicked that she was letting the boys nurse again. I'm sure this varies from mom to mom, because I've also had some goats that will refuse to let a one kid nurse after I sell one of the siblings. So, you just try. If mom lets the kids start nursing again, you'll have to separate again.

Replies

Heidi Sloan March 22, 2010 at 4:12pm

Well, for my gal and her kids it has depended on how 'separate' they were.
The kid that was out of ear shot, not within sniffing range, and separated from ma early on (i think day 3) was weaned in 2 weeks. She was a bottle baby and, even after being weaned from the bottle, never tried to nurse again.
Brother, on the other hand, was kept with ma until 8 weeks old and then separated so we could start milking her. He has been in a different pen from her for 5 months now, but always within sight. And if I let them in together tomorrow he would nurse and she would let him.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle March 19, 2010 at 9:24pm

I assume you mean for weaning? I really don't know what's long enough. The only time I ever tried this was the first year I had goats. I had separated a mom from her three bucks until I decided who I wanted to wether. They were separated for a month. I put the two wethered boys back with their mom, and within three or four days, they were nursing again. It's a pretty funny story actually, because I went to milk the mom one night, and I got about three squirts. I was shocked because I KNEW that a goat does NOT just dry up in 12 hours! Then it clicked that she was letting the boys nurse again. I'm sure this varies from mom to mom, because I've also had some goats that will refuse to let a one kid nurse after I sell one of the siblings. So, you just try. If mom lets the kids start nursing again, you'll have to separate again.

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