Once a day milkings?

[colemangirly]

Okay, I have a question for all you who do once a day milkings. When you separate your kids from the does at night, do you do it close to them, or farther away? I am trying to decide how to go about this. Everyone says to separate at night until after morning milking, but details. Can I just put them in the next stall at night, or will that upset the momma to much to give milk? How far do I have to put them?

Thanks;
Rosina

[mpete]

I had always put them in the pen next to mom. Not much stress was noted.

[chamoisee]

I still milk twice a day even when the kids are on....

[rootsandwings]

pen next to mom - lower boards are tighter than upper boards and mom can stick her head through and lick them. they can also stick most of thier heads through when they put their feet up on the boards, but then they are too high to nurse. I suppose a clever and determined mom could go up on her back legs and let them nurse, but so far that hasn't happened.

[Wags]

I have a kidding stall that doubles as a night time kid stall that opens into the main barn. Both kids and dams figure out the night time routine pretty quickly and the dams will often put their kids to bed, if the kids haven't already gone in on their own. All I have to do is close the gate. Usually seems like the dams are relieved to have a bit of piece and quiet by the time I start the routine at 2 weeks.

[Sonshine]

Pen right next to the mom.

[nehimama]

Just like Wags said, only when MY kids know I'm coming to put them up, they run like heck! They're put in a pen nearby so Moms can see them, and it lessens the separation anxiety.

[Alice In TX/MO]

If they are itty bitty, they can go in a dog crate in the same pen with mom.