Feeding Babies

[Bluecreekrog]

Just wondering if the babies could be seperated from the mommas at night, and allowed to run with them during the day. I really don't need a lot of milk, and would rather not hand feed the kids.

Rog

[mpillow]

I separate after 2-3 weeks if babies are doing well. I leave babies in the stalls and let moms feed all day then milk in the evening. I leave a little milk for kids in moms udder so they can have a snack when they get back together in the stall for the night. I choose to separate during the day because it is usually colder at night and being able to snuggle mom keeps babies warmer.

[steff bugielski]

I do the opposite, but I have about 15 other goats with the babies.

[Ark]

Will mom go "out and about" to feed during the day if the babies are penned up? Or will she hang around the barn crying for her babies?

[mpillow]

I usually tempt my girls with food....its not long before they dont look forward to going back with babies because babies are anxious to eat and a bit rough on mom's udder. Again I feed in the stall to get mom back in. Adult gang feeder in the morning, stall fed at night, grain on the milkstand....my girls learn routine quickly and come in order to the milk stand....they are very smart and like routine.

[Stacy Adams]

Originally Posted by Bluecreekrog

I really don't need a lot of milk, and would rather not hand feed the kids. Rog

Well, if you really don't need all that milk, and you don't want to hand rear the kids, why not just leave them on her 24/7 and don't worry about the whole separation thing? With my two does rearing the kids, I milk in the morning and still get almost a gallon a day. yea, I only milk once a da, and since I spend time with the gang on a daily basis, the kids are tame, and since they're on momma's milk, their big and healthy to boot..

[Corky]

I let my doe go out with the gang after about a month after kidding but she had triplets. I milked her in the evening and then put here back in with the kids but I was sure the kids were eating browse and grain and some hay before I did this. I also made sure the kids had a large pen and lots of toys and playground equipment. I sold two of her kids but kept a wether so I wouldn't have to milk twice a day. I don't think I could have left them together and still got any milk for us as a couple of times the kid got loose and in with the others and I got no milk that evening at all. He was a hungry little fellow.