Preparing to wean kids for the first time - advice please ...

[The Egg Bandit]

Hi! I've read lots of different ways to wean kids, but I'm wondering if y'all might suggest once again what's worked best for you.
I have two Saanen doe kids, one born 2/16, one 2/18. I'm kinda tired of sharing the milk with them, the little hogs. I have a small space set up in the barn where I am planning on putting them at night. Then I'll milk the moms in the morning. Should I let the kids out to the field with mom, or keep them totally separate? I can keep them in the barn. If I do keep them separate, how long will it take to wean them? I hate the thought of the kids being confined to the barn 24/7 for a long period. I also milk in the evening.

Thanks so much in advance! You guys on here are the greatest!

 

[chubbydog811]

Everyone does it differently, but the way I do it - I let them have mum all to themselves the first 2 weeks of life. After that, they come in at night, and I milk in the morning. Then around a month to a month and a half old, I completely wean them. My 2 kids, who are a little over a month old, are getting weaned completely tomorrow...They are both eating grain, and keeping weight well without as much milk, so it's time to cut them off...And I noticed the little doeling is being something aweful to her mum's udder...The doe has actually started weaning her on her own - kicking her every time she nurses...

Anyway, hope this helps

 

[The Egg Bandit]

Thanks chubbydog811 (I bet there's a story in THAT name!). Weaning that young? I've been reading 8 weeks till weaning. What breed of goats do you have? Does it matter? And yes, my girls have been slapping their mums' udders so horribly that I'm surprised that the mums haven't slapped their kids into the next county!

 

[chubbydog811]

lol not much behind the name...One of the jacks that were born here that I kept, I named him Chubby because he was the biggest of the litter

I know it's not what's recommended to do, but that is what I have always done. All my does have gotten sick of their kids around 1 1/2 months old, so that's just when I wean...I have dairy goats now...9 of them actually - Lamancha and mixed, Nubian and mixed, and Alpine and mixed ...though half the herd is under a year! I used to have pygmies and did the same thing

It's just the way I do things!

 

[haviris]

I would never wean before 8 weeks. This year my only keeper kids are bottle raised, so the dam raised kids are put in the barn a week before going to their new homes. Although in the past it seems to work well to remove the does instead of the kids, by the time I wean (generally 10-12 weeks old depending on the kid) they are spending more time w/ each other instead of mom anyway and often don't notice for awhile that mom's gone, and usually don't even make a peep!

In your case what I'd probably do is start putting them up at night for a week or so before taking them completely. Unfortunately it can take alot of time before they are completely weaned, especially w/ the does staying in milk.

 

[chubbydog811]

You should read up on the Fiasco website if you havent yet...That's actually where I got the idea of sparating them at night - the idea is that you start getting milk from your doe with out having to fight with the kid/s drinking it all first...and it is a good way to start weaning...


Like I said, everyone has their own beliefs/ways to do things, you just need to find what works best for your situation. One might say NEVER, while someone else might say go ahead.
I also do it about the time I see them eating grain like a goat is supposed to be (meaning inhaling it!!)...That's usually my sign that they can be weaned...I wean about the same time for bottle babies (and might I say, I am never bottle raising a kid again unless I absolutely have to!! again, personal preference!)

 

[Lil-patch-of-heaven]

I hope things go well for you. I'm doing my first weaning too, and I hadn't planned to. He's about 2 months but he was showing signs of sexual maturity and his dam was showing signs of being in heat -- at least to my inexperienced eyes.

It's been rough around here. I separate them at night of course. Daytime they are in adjacent pasture so can visit, and I do let him nurse under close supervision 2-3x a day. I think the doe is deciding she likes the break from his violent bumping of her udder and doesn't have much patience to nurse anymore. He is comforted by being with the other doe. But tries to nurse her now. And having another buckling his size is helping too.

He's gotten less interested in eating than he was before though. I had to hold the grain bowl to get him to eat much -- and he doesn't even like me! I have a feeling we're going to become better friends without mom around.

I hope all the best for you!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I wouldn't wean before 8 weeks because their rumen doesn't really start developing until at least 4 weeks old, and it takes another month or so before it's really working well. I just prefer to keep them on milk until at least 8 weeks so I know they're really able to digest their feed well.

 

[cmjust0]

My 2 kids, who are a little over a month old, are getting weaned completely tomorrow...They are both eating grain, and keeping weight well without as much milk, so it's time to cut them off...

Consider two kids...

Kid1 is started on grain early and weaned at 4wks.
Kid2 has limited access to grain, but browses, grazes, eats hay, and is weaned at 8wks.

At 8wks of age, perhaps both kids are the same size and weight because what Kid1 didn't get in milk, it got in grain.

What happens if both those kids are then put together on the same diet of browse, graze, hay, and supplemental grain?

Kid2 continues to grow out nicely without much supplementation because Kid2 actually has a rumen. Kid1 will either struggle to build a rumen, falling further and further behind Kid2, or it will have to be fed more grain (and cost you more money) to keep up with Kid2.

And that's when you'll see the problem with graining heavily and weaning at 4wks.

 

[Lil-patch-of-heaven]

Hmmm ... I know you weren't talking to me but ...

My guy has been on his mom, browsing, and getting very limited grain. There's hay in the barn but no one eats it really. He's gotten a little thin in the belly from not browsing as much so I've been pushing him this last day to eat grain. Really about 90% of the grain goes to the does on the stand. I give very little to the kids.

I'll watch him. For the past 2 days I tied down the leaves of his favorite tree to encourage him. He's teaching my new kids to browse. They are not fully weaned at 2-1/2 and 3 months but have been easting alot of hay and grain at their old place so NOW I put outgrain for the kids (making sure they get it and the llama doesn't - I suspect it has copper).

Thanks for all your info!