# How to wean Nigerians?



## millefleur (Feb 8, 2014)

Hello,

So my mama goat had twin girls. They are a little over a week old. I have been doing some reading about when to wean them and have decided to try to wean them at three months. My question is how do I wean them? They are being dam-raised and doing great! When its time to feed, I usually just place the food (mixture of medicated Purina Noble Goat and Sweet Feed) for the mama on the ground and the babies will pick at it and eat some of it. I have also seen them munch on the loose minerals and nibble on the hay I have set out. Will they just eventually (when they are older) start eating the food more and more and eventually become weaned off the mama's milk? How does it work?


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

They will naturally wean themselves. And probably be weaned by 6-8 weeks but I have had baby goats that are weaned but had still drunk milk from their momma at the he of 5 months.


Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Yes, as they get older they will eat more. Most does do not wean their kids, so you will probably have to physically separate them when the time comes to wean. My nursing girls are getting straight alfalfa hay, around a pound of grain, and the kids are being creep fed so, about a week prior to weaning, I will start transitioning them back to grass/alfalfa hay and start cutting out the grain. Come weaning day, I pull the biggest kid off each doe, wait a week, then pull the next biggest kid. I keep doing this until all kids have been pulled. That gives Mom time to adjust her milk production so she isn't as uncomfortable. The creep feeder stays active until the last kids are pulled.


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

4seasonsfarm said:


> They will naturally wean themselves. And probably be weaned by 6-8 weeks but I have had baby goats that are weaned but had still drunk milk from their momma at the he of 5 months.
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


The vast majority of goats will not self-wean their kids. I do not have a single doe that will wean her kids, nor do I know or talked to anyone that has one.

ETA: If they are still nursing their mother, they are not weaned.


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

Well they mostly ate food but every once in a while (few days- a week) I'd see them try to drink for a second. And I know several people who have does that wean their own kids.


Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I have a few moms who will ween their kids..but most wont..


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Maybe at 7 to 9 months of age, but not at 6-8 weeks.


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

Well around here there are alot of momma goats who wean there kids. I had one who would wean her kids around 5 weeks but would only let her kids nurse very little the 6th week. 


Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

That is not normal, and any doe of mine who weaned her kids at 5 weeks of age would have a one way ticket to the sale barn.


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

She was a sweet doe but I got rid of her because she was only producing single births.


Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

I don't blame you there - a doe who consistently produces singles is not paying for her day to day feed, healthcare, and maintenance.


----------



## 4seasonsfarm (Jan 22, 2014)

She was sweet and all but she wasnt producing enough. And she never showed signs of kidding before birth.


Sent from my iPod touch using Goat Forum


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Most likely she won't wean them herself. I do have some who will and some who will still allow their year old kid to nurse! Just be prepared to have some place that you can separate them. Oh....and make sure the babies can't get their heads thru the fenceline when you do....we have one that we caught still nursing mama thru the fence! The only thing I would change right now is to not feed on the ground. Put a feed pan of some sort out there. They can pick up a lot of parasites eating off the ground and they will work to pick up all the grain which means they will dig down some. Yes, they can get them from grazing but won't usually dig down like they will for grain. I argue with my hubby about this all the time....the more they eat hay or grain off the ground, the more parasite problem you will have. Especially if you feed in basically the same spot all the time.


----------



## ciwheeles (Apr 5, 2013)

Most goats won't self wean and if they do it won't be for anywhere from 7-8 months.  Or at least that's been my experience.

I tried last year getting a goat bra-that failed. Tried putting bitter tasting things on the udder - that failed. Taping the teats- that was a sticky failure. 

My opinion now is if you want them weaned it's best to just take them out when your ready to and keep them separated till the dam is dry. If you put them back when the dam is in milk there's a pretty good chance she'll "welcome" them back by letting them drink or refuse for a while and then relent. 


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


----------



## Rhandi74 (Dec 6, 2013)

My 5 kids are 3 months old and eat hay and grain like horses but they still nurse. I do not foresee any of my does weaning them anytime soon. I believe they will have to be seperated if I want them weaned.


----------



## millefleur (Feb 8, 2014)

kccjer said:


> Most likely she won't wean them herself. I do have some who will and some who will still allow their year old kid to nurse! Just be prepared to have some place that you can separate them. Oh....and make sure the babies can't get their heads thru the fenceline when you do....we have one that we caught still nursing mama thru the fence! The only thing I would change right now is to not feed on the ground. Put a feed pan of some sort out there. They can pick up a lot of parasites eating off the ground and they will work to pick up all the grain which means they will dig down some. Yes, they can get them from grazing but won't usually dig down like they will for grain. I argue with my hubby about this all the time....the more they eat hay or grain off the ground, the more parasite problem you will have. Especially if you feed in basically the same spot all the time.


Thanks for the advice! Also I do feed them on the ground like I said but it is on concrete, not the actual dirt.

Thanks everyone for the advice! Looks like I will just have to get a pen built for them when the time comes.


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Ok. On the concrete is probably ok. Just didn't want you to have extra problems with parasites. BTW....they are pretty!


----------

