[Thrift Bee]

We separated our 3 and a half month old kids from mum 10 days ago, thinking they were going to a new home on Saturday.

Unfortunatly the person taking them broke her leg last week and i'm not sure how long more we will have them. 

We are very tight for space, and for 10 days they have been kept indoors. I'm desperate to let them out for a run.

Mum doesnt look to be producing the amount of milk she was before, But i'm not sure she's actually 'dry'.

Can i let them all run together again?

[Anke]

Probably not.. But - can you let them out in turns?

Are you milking the dam? If she smells of milk the kids are much more likely to bother her, and also she is more likely to let them suckle.

[shygirl]

in my experience with cows and ponies, they will suckle again even after 6 weeks apart , but that wont do any harm as they are still young.
would it matter if they suckled again?

[Thrift Bee]

Thanks Anke, No, I'm not milking mum, she was too young kidding and i'm giving her a break to recover.  Very difficult to let them out seperatly the way our shed is configured.  Was going to try today because OH is home and can help.

Shygirl. Well i cant keep them in for 6 weeks!  But your right, does it really matter if they suckle again? I just want them to be independant whenever they can go to their new home, and mum not to be at risk of mastitus.

What shall i do? 

[shygirl]

if it was me - id put them back together as we havent experienced any problems when ponies and cows have joined their offspring again (usually by accident as their bond is still strong) but the re-suckling hasnt caused any problems with us as its supply and demand. we dont normally wean kids til 5 mths tho if they are staying with us we self-wean.

if you dont want them together - could you not tether the nanny somewhere nearby, or put the nanny out at night and the kids out during the day?

[Anke]

Well if you don't milk the nanny - yes you can put them back together again, and as long as they eat good amounts of solid food they will re-adjustto no-milk if and when they go. I would normally not wean until 5 to 6 months (even my bottle ones), but you are right better to give the nanny (a kidded kid, now goatling I presume) a break to let her continue to grow.

If they are only together for a short time during the day - kids will be happy with an hour or so running round outside, and can then go back in for mum to continue to be outside to eat lots of greenery. But be prepared she may start to produce more milk again and you will need to watch that udder.

[jinglejoys]

Or you could always let the kids out during the day and the nanny at night or split the day...they tend to do most of their grazing in the first 20mins anyway