At what age do you wean goats???

[Haviris]

They are adorable! It sounds like they lucked out and got a great home!

 

[Nupine]

It all depends. We have nubians and alpine. We dam raise if possible. The dam raised kids are weaned when mom wants them to be [5 months usually] unless they are sold before that, then about 2 months. We milk in the morning. If we bottle raise than about 2 months. But this can change depending on size and how well they are eating.

 

[joni1986]

How do you wean the babies from momma but keep her milk supply for milking?

 

[Stacykins]

How do you wean the babies from momma but keep her milk supply for milking?

You should have definitely made a new threat...the last post here was in 2008. Reviving ancient threads with new questions is rather poor forum etiquette, and gives me the opportunity to use this:



ANYWAY. How old are the kids? If they are 8-12 weeks, you could totally wean them. But if they are younger than that, they still need their mother.

I start separating the kids from their mother at night around 3-4 weeks, so I can milk her in the morning. In the morning, I milk her out, then the kids get her for the rest of the day. When I want to wean completely when they are old enough, they just don't go back with their mother one day. They are separated completely into a different pen. BUT they are eating hay and grain with gusto by then, and know how to drink water from a trough/bucket as well. I do not pull them away unless they can do fine without her.

I did have a doe and kid who were rather...tenacious. After the kid was separated for a complete month, she went right back to nursing when she was put back with her mother (I was milking the doe, so she was obviously producing). I had to use a Udder Support Harness. It wasn't to support a sagging udder, It denied the kid access to the udder. Just make sure there is nothing the straps can catch on in your fenced in areas.

 

[joni1986]

They haven't been born yet just wanting to know as much as I can and have no idea how to start a new thread sorry

 

[perez]

Hey guys. I have somehow inherited a young baby goat where I was told it was just 3 weeks old! He looks a lot bigger than that to me but anyway. He absolutely refuses to drink from the bottle! I'm just wondering if There are any tips you may have on bottle feeding? Or do you think he's ok. He munches on grass alllllll day. And is still bright and happy. Eats veges but just no milk. We put him in the laundry at night and he sleeps under his heat lamp. But only seen him eat his pellets a couple of times. Sorry just worried! Any advice will be good!

 

[cassie]

Most people wean their kids at about eight weeks of age. A kid that has been nursing on its mother may flat out refuse to take a bottle. Offer your kid hay and grain. If it eats that it will be OK.

 

[perez]

Sweet. Thanks for that! He's eating grass all day and I put him in at night with grains.

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

I wonder if you could give milk in a similar container that you give water Perez?

 

[cassie]

He wouldn't drink it. Once a kid decides it doesn't want milk, it doesn't want milk. You can mix a little dry powdered milk or replacer in the grain if you want.