weaning time.

draggahaus · #1 03/15/08, 07:42 AM

how do you guys wean. do you just take them away cold turkey? Or do you bring in the moms once a day or something like that. It is really hard to catch these guys so I am thinking of just putting them in a different pen and not letting moms back in. Right now I only have 2 and in a month I will add the others...the births were very spread out.
Heather

Bearfootfarm · #2 03/15/08, 07:55 AM

Cold turkey is the best way, and its better if you can seperate them far enough that they cant hear or see each other

draggahaus · #3 03/15/08, 08:13 AM

I don't have pens that far apart...is it just that they will cry for a long time, or does it cause the mom to keep her milk, hearing the baby crying. Also I keep my ram with the girls all the time, how quickly will he re-breed her...these are Dorpers.
Thanks
Heather

sheepish · #4 03/15/08, 08:13 AM

How old are the lambs? Why do you need to wean them now?

draggahaus · #5 03/15/08, 08:15 AM

They are 12 wks old, that is what the book said from 10 wks to wean them...and they are boys, which I didn't cut. I don't want them to breed anyone.

Bearfootfarm · #6 03/15/08, 07:36 PM

The Ram can rebreed the ewes any time after about 30 days.

I try to wean mine around 12 weeks.
If they can hear each other , it just increases and prolongs the stress ( On them and YOU ) LOL

draggahaus · #7 03/15/08, 11:21 PM

Thanks, We only had 2 girls this time, hope later this year we get more girls..trying to build this herd up. So we will have Oct, Nov, and Dec babies this year.