Is there any way to wean a baby without separating them from mama? I've heard of possibly taping teats but wondered if there is anything on the market that would keep baby from accessing teats when they are with mama. Like some kind of bra or udder cover? Odd questions I know....just wondered if there was such a thing.
odd weaning question...
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EggsForIHOP
Ridin' The Range
IDK...but my personal vote would be that udder coverings and such are BOUND to be a bigger PITA than separation....think about it...
Tape = sticky mess, covered in dirt and hair from being out of doors PLUS a clever kid will find a way to nibble it off, eat it, leave it hanging there half on while they suck away at all that milk...
Udder cover (cloth type bra thing) = dirty mess should it rain or be muddy out especially and said goat should ROLL in an attempt to shake off the contraption (because goats are just ornery like that sometimes), needing to be washed, thus adding to chores of the evil housework type (YUCK!) and then there is always the chance of it getting caught or snagged on something, thus getting the goat it is attached to stuck, and miserable, and potentially hurt...and did I mention you're gonna have to add it to the laundry at some point...not my favorite thing adding to that dreaded laundry...
I'm just saying...tossing out a friendly opinion....I'd rig somewhere up to keep them apart and then have a secondary place for future kiddings, future quarantine, future sick pen, etc...and put my time into that over potentially doing MORE laundry ANY day
Just saying...tossing it out there...
Tape = sticky mess, covered in dirt and hair from being out of doors PLUS a clever kid will find a way to nibble it off, eat it, leave it hanging there half on while they suck away at all that milk...
Udder cover (cloth type bra thing) = dirty mess should it rain or be muddy out especially and said goat should ROLL in an attempt to shake off the contraption (because goats are just ornery like that sometimes), needing to be washed, thus adding to chores of the evil housework type (YUCK!) and then there is always the chance of it getting caught or snagged on something, thus getting the goat it is attached to stuck, and miserable, and potentially hurt...and did I mention you're gonna have to add it to the laundry at some point...not my favorite thing adding to that dreaded laundry...
I'm just saying...tossing out a friendly opinion....I'd rig somewhere up to keep them apart and then have a secondary place for future kiddings, future quarantine, future sick pen, etc...and put my time into that over potentially doing MORE laundry ANY day
Just saying...tossing it out there...
AdoptAPitBull
Ridin' The Range
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You can also just let nature take its course and let mom wean. If you want milk, separate the kid overnight, and milk mom in the morning before you reunite them. Offer the kid some hay and a bit of grain in their "bedroom".
It's not as traumatic as you think, really. I was devastated when I pulled my first kids from mom to sell them. She cried for a few minutes, then I gave her some fresh hay, and she forgot all about them. They're not nearly as dramatic as separating a cow from its calf!
It's not as traumatic as you think, really. I was devastated when I pulled my first kids from mom to sell them. She cried for a few minutes, then I gave her some fresh hay, and she forgot all about them. They're not nearly as dramatic as separating a cow from its calf!
DonnaBelle
True BYH Addict
Yep, we put the babies in a stall at night, with food and water. Mom is out in the barn with the other goats, and we milk her in the morning. We leave some in for the babies to get a taste in the morning and all is well.
Now the first night, the babies will bawl a little, but I do believe Mom welcomes a little relief.
DonnaBelle
Now the first night, the babies will bawl a little, but I do believe Mom welcomes a little relief.
DonnaBelle
This made me giggle! I am the same way. Outside chore? No problem. Inside chore? YUCK!!
Queen Mum
N.E.R.D.
Put the babies in one pen where they can see Mama but not nurse. It's about the only way to do it. They cry and fuss and carry on, but you can bottle feed them and they will be fine as long as your are regularly milking mama. They get over it pretty quick.
beckyburkheart
Overrun with beasties
um... I have several does that never really wean their babies. The worst one, I finally just sold her. She was nursing her new kid, her year old kid AND her grand-kid. The year-old doe was so traumatized when I finally did separate them that she figured out how to nurse her own tits. .... *head desk*AdoptAPitBull said:
the others i have stay very attached to their kids and will nurse grandkids and brothers and sisters and such, but not actually still nursing the year old and other older kids like the one doe was doing.
Queen Mum
N.E.R.D.
OMG, that is the kind of goat that you take the babies away at birth and milk the doe and bottle feed the babies. The doe is a little bit of a nut. Then you don't have to worry about them nursing the kids or weaning them.beckyburkheart said:
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I'm already seperating baby at night (she's about 6wks old I think) and that works fine but I'm planning on keeping the doeling for a future milker and would like to increase milkiing to twice a day once she's 3-4 mo's old and was hoping to not have to seperate since it's a pain. I have another mama who kidded last May and her buckling still nurses at almost a year old so I didn't want to go thru that same thing with this mama and doe.
