# Weaning Nubians and when to separate buckling



## Jesusfreak101 (Feb 13, 2019)

Ok I have four Nubian kids they were bein dam raised an in oreor to help the. Become friendly i am bottle feeding now I ave two doelings that are seven weeks an the younger two who will be four weeks on Feb 23. I was thinking of weaning the older two and weaning the youngee in March. The older two are already huge lol the weigh about 25-30 pounds(scale broke will be getting new one). I currently give found bottles of ten oz to the older two and four bottle of seven Oz to the younger. If I wean then by 7-8 weeks is that to young and when should I separated the buckling I have Nubians so they are seasonal breeders but I just don't want to him breeding his sisters. I can put him in with Dad if need be that's where he be since we keeping him.


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 13, 2019)

7-8 weeks is far to young to wean a Nubian IMO.

We keep ours on milk for at least 16 weeks. 12 weeks is the absolute earliest I'd wean a large breed goat- and even then it's a bit early.


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 13, 2019)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> I currently give found bottles of ten oz to the older two and four bottle of seven Oz to the younger.


Is this 4, 10oz bottles a day? For 7 week old kids? Are they nursing from their mother?


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## Jesusfreak101 (Feb 13, 2019)

The 7 week olds get four bottles of 10 oz and the three week olds get four 7oz bottles. They get grain and hay as well.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Feb 13, 2019)

They will nurse from Mom but I chose to separate to help get them more friendly as to where before they really wouldn't come up to now they run up to me.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Feb 13, 2019)

Sorry I my typing confusing I am having to run around so my brain is still rushing around.  Need to slow down sorry. I looked up the schedule (couldn't remember what I did two years ago) and It showed the amounts and how often. It said I could give the 7 weeks olds 20 oz twice a day I figured that was a big bottle so I went with the other option of offering f10 oz four times since I already had to go out to give the other two theirs but it showed weaning at 8-10weeks.


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## goatboy1973 (Feb 16, 2019)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> Ok I have four Nubian kids they were bein dam raised an in oreor to help the. Become friendly i am bottle feeding now I ave two doelings that are seven weeks an the younger two who will be four weeks on Feb 23. I was thinking of weaning the older two and weaning the youngee in March. The older two are already huge lol the weigh about 25-30 pounds(scale broke will be getting new one). I currently give found bottles of ten oz to the older two and four bottle of seven Oz to the younger. If I wean then by 7-8 weeks is that to young and when should I separated the buckling I have Nubians so they are seasonal breeders but I just don't want to him breeding his sisters. I can put him in with Dad if need be that's where he be since we keeping him.


We are a Spanish Goat breeder so not concerned about milking our does so we pull all buck kids off momma at 3 months and leave the doe kids on momma to wean naturally. We put the weanling buck kids in the buck lot and feed them a custom mixed goat ration that's about 21-22% protein plus they have pasture, browse, and whatever else they find in the woodland plus hay on snowy days. We feed the ration for up to 3 months until they are sold at 6-7 months of age. Feeding the ration every other day tames these boys a bit and gives them a good start in life. We don't provide any shelter and the days they don't get any goat ration, forces them to forage for food in the form of deer plot vegetation, woodland browse, and pasture. This also prepares them for a variety of goat production operations. Our goat operation is all grass fed with exception of the 3 or so months that we feed our weanling bucks.


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 17, 2019)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> Sorry I my typing confusing I am having to run around so my brain is still rushing around.  Need to slow down sorry. I looked up the schedule (couldn't remember what I did two years ago) and It showed the amounts and how often. It said I could give the 7 weeks olds 20 oz twice a day I figured that was a big bottle so I went with the other option of offering f10 oz four times since I already had to go out to give the other two theirs but it showed weaning at 8-10weeks.


I just saw this. That is not near enough for a Nubian. My two week old Nigerians are taking almost that much.


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## Georgia Girl (May 30, 2019)

goatboy1973 said:


> We are a Spanish Goat breeder so not concerned about milking our does so we pull all buck kids off momma at 3 months and leave the doe kids on momma to wean naturally. We put the weanling buck kids in the buck lot and feed them a custom mixed goat ration that's about 21-22% protein plus they have pasture, browse, and whatever else they find in the woodland plus hay on snowy days. We feed the ration for up to 3 months until they are sold at 6-7 months of age. Feeding the ration every other day tames these boys a bit and gives them a good start in life. We don't provide any shelter and the days they don't get any goat ration, forces them to forage for food in the form of deer plot vegetation, woodland browse, and pasture. This also prepares them for a variety of goat production operations. Our goat operation is all grass fed with exception of the 3 or so months that we feed our weanling bucks.


I have a month old buckling that is frequently riding his sister, how do you all manage this at this age and when should I separate him or put an anti-mating apron on him?


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## Jesusfreak101 (May 30, 2019)

What breed is he?


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## goatboy1973 (Jun 10, 2019)

Georgia Girl, 

At a month old I wouldn't worry too much, but in a couple of months you either need to separate him from your does, castrate him, sell him, or use one of those aprons. I am not too familiar with the aprons, but saw a YouTube video showing one in use. Goats are very fertile critters so if you use the apron make sure it is as tight as it can comfortably be on your buck and check daily that the apron is not hung up on anything.


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