Author Topic: Does anyone keep the kids on their mums?  (Read 9872 times)

chickenfeed

  • Guest
Re: Does anyone keep the kids on their mums?
« Reply #15 on: February 22, 2012, 06:10:14 am »
 :wave:my parents leave the kids on mum for about a week then the kids go off to the big kid pen and the bottle comes out, the reason they do this is they show the goat and its no use entering a milking comp if the kids are having the milk  ;D and they can make sure each kid is getting its daily ammounts in prep for their show debut.

kelpy

  • Joined Jun 2011
Re: Does anyone keep the kids on their mums?
« Reply #16 on: February 22, 2012, 12:43:34 pm »
hi,
i suppose it depends on wether or not you want the milk.
we keep our kids on the mums because we rear for meat.
we wean at 4 months,just take all the kids away & put them into a clean paddock,had no problems at all with this.
i have milked our goats in the past,& i used to shut the kids away at night in a pen next to her,milk her in the morning,then turn her out with the kids.
but evey one has different methods,you just have to find what works for you  :)
oh some goats object very strongly to you nicking there milk.
we had one last year with tons of milk & only one kid,she was awful as soon as you touched her udder she'd lie down bleat & get stressed out i only tried a couple of times then gave up,not much fun trying to hold a goat up while trying to milk it  ;D

wytsend

  • Joined Oct 2010
  • Okehampton
Re: Does anyone keep the kids on their mums?
« Reply #17 on: February 22, 2012, 03:33:16 pm »
I have always believed you have to do what suits your way of life..... I take the kids away almost immediately after the mother has dropped the afterbirth.

I believe, rightly or wrongly,  there is far less distress to the mother because the bond has not developed.   I am sure somebody will shoot me down on that point,  but I find it works for me.   The sound of a mother bawling for her babies is heart wrending ........ I try to save them this distress.

My girls now, practically hand me the kids  and get back to eating !!

I also milk record so it is easier not to struggle with making sure the kids haven't nicked all  the milk on recording day.

kelpy

  • Joined Jun 2011
Re: Does anyone keep the kids on their mums?
« Reply #18 on: February 22, 2012, 04:41:39 pm »
completely agree with you wytsend.  :)
you can have a hell of a battle getting even a 3 or 4 day old kid to take a bottle.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Does anyone keep the kids on their mums?
« Reply #19 on: February 23, 2012, 10:47:28 pm »
You've been quiet wytsend, busy kidding?

wytsend

  • Joined Oct 2010
  • Okehampton
Re: Does anyone keep the kids on their mums?
« Reply #20 on: February 24, 2012, 05:48:26 am »
Yep     ..... quite a few around now..... 5 currently in my mobile home with me,  all born yesterday.

Sales of the Minerals rocketing... everybody reporting tremendous improvements in the goats right across the board.

Mays

  • Joined Jul 2010
Re: Does anyone keep the kids on their mums?
« Reply #21 on: February 24, 2012, 08:48:20 pm »
I am finding this an interesting thread, I have only one goat due to kid next week. Her milk is going to be be very valuable on account of my 30 ewes due to lamb in a months time ( I always get an orphan or two) I have been advised to take the kid away immediately, as it causes less stress, of course if she births behind my back, that plan is out of the window!

ideally I woudl rather milk once a day, but I dont want her udder to be chewed up by the kid either... as ideally I would like to show her... decisions decisions!!  ::)

princesspiggy

  • Guest
Re: Does anyone keep the kids on their mums?
« Reply #22 on: February 24, 2012, 09:01:08 pm »
Will have more milk than we know what to do with )

u r needing a couple of weaners !  ;) ;) ;D

 

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