# Seperating kids at 2 weeks



## billyjane (Nov 11, 2013)

I've scene some recent posts on this lately and have been wondering about this too. This will be mine and my two girls FF. Not interested in bottle feeding unless completely necessary (mom rejects kids, mom not producing, to name a few). My plan is to let the kids be with mom FT for about 2 weeks and then start milking her twice a day. I'm also planning on separating the kids at night and put them back with mom after their morning milking. Their pens will be right next to each other and the fencing is going to be made so they can still see, smell, and touch each other. 
I'm hoping this will help the stress and limit the noise factor. We are on a small lot and have close neighbors, so we are not wanting screaming babies and mommies all night. Will having them close help with keeping the noise down or will it make it worse?


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## 7blessings (Jun 30, 2013)

Following...I'm interested in the advice also!


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

I would start by milking once a day in the am after pulling the kids for the night. I never had much milk once the kids were on for the day.. 
As far as the kids and noise go, they are going to cry! I kept mine close to mom when I was in the city and the nights were fine, but you shoulda heard them come morning!!! Especially once they see you coming!!! Good luck!


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

I did it that way where they could reach each other through cattle panels and no one was worried about it. At two weeks I wouldn't separate for a full night though, I started with about 3-4 hours and gradually increased it.


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## billyjane (Nov 11, 2013)

milk and honey said:


> I would start by milking once a day in the am after pulling the kids for the night. I never had much milk once the kids were on for the day..
> As far as the kids and noise go, they are going to cry! I kept mine close to mom when I was in the city and the nights were fine, but you shoulda heard them come morning!!! Especially once they see you coming!!! Good luck!


Yeah I anticipated "rowdy" mornings, but as long as its not an ALL night thing that should be doable/livable  
We have mini lamanchas and the chickens are louder than the girls lol. So hopefully the girls can teach their babies to be quite too


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## billyjane (Nov 11, 2013)

zebradreams07 said:


> I did it that way where they could reach each other through cattle panels and no one was worried about it. At two weeks I wouldn't separate for a full night though, I started with about 3-4 hours and gradually increased it.


You answered another question I had, thanks!  I was originally going to do 6hrs but felt that was too long for them being that young.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

I had a large dog crate in the goat pen. mom and baby could see and smell one another, and snuggle through the crate (it was the metal ones, big enough to fit a great dane). you probably won't get much in the evening milking unless momma makes a TON of milk that babies can't finish during the day.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I prefer to pull the kids in the morning, milk at night, then let her back with her kids for the night. That way the kids have their mom to feel safe at night, and she helps to keep them warm.


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## billyjane (Nov 11, 2013)

Little-Bits-N-Pieces said:


> I prefer to pull the kids in the morning, milk at night, then let her back with her kids for the night. That way the kids have their mom to feel safe at night, and she helps to keep them warm.


I like that idea, did it effect with production? I heard they naturally produce more in the mornings, which made sense to me because I BF both my kids for a year each and would always have more milk in the early morning (and they both would eat every 2hrs too lol).


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## billyjane (Nov 11, 2013)

nchen7 said:


> I had a large dog crate in the goat pen. mom and baby could see and smell one another, and snuggle through the crate (it was the metal ones, big enough to fit a great dane). you probably won't get much in the evening milking unless momma makes a TON of milk that babies can't finish during the day.


I have a large crate too. My husband would love this idea because it would cut back on labor & cost on him building another fence. How many would you keep at a time in there? And for how long?


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

We don't separate at all. We just leave babies with mama's and milk once a day in the evenings. We get around a half gallon each from our 2 big does (but lost one of them this kidding season) It really depends on how much milk you are wanting and what you plan on doing with it.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

billyjane said:


> I like that idea, did it effect with production? I heard they naturally produce more in the mornings, which made sense to me because I BF both my kids for a year each and would always have more milk in the early morning (and they both would eat every 2hrs too lol).


Nothing too bad. I'm not concerned with that though since I don't drink goat milk, and if I dam feed I normally want them to have all they can get so they grow their best. 
But out of my milkers (depending on which one) I'd get 3/4 of a gallon to a 1 1/2 gallons in one milking.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Little-Bits-N-Pieces said:


> I prefer to pull the kids in the morning, milk at night, then let her back with her kids for the night. That way the kids have their mom to feel safe at night, and she helps to keep them warm.


Lacie...do the does really nurse them through the night? I just wonder if they get much if momma is sleeping...


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

My does are pretty active at night, they are still out eating at midnight, 4 am, all hours, and my baby goats are little pigs and wake their moms up at all hours to eat. And because the babies are such pigs, I have to watch the does udders like a hawk for any sores from the kids.


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## billyjane (Nov 11, 2013)

kccjer said:


> We don't separate at all. We just leave babies with mama's and milk once a day in the evenings. We get around a half gallon each from our 2 big does (but lost one of them this kidding season) It really depends on how much milk you are wanting and what you plan on doing with it.


We are planning on drinking it. We are a family of four that are big milk drinkers AND I make soaps, was looking forward to making a milk soap this summer for the first time and wanted to learn to make cheeses. They are mini's so the more the merrier 

P. S. I'm so sorry you lost one of your girls!!


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Well, I separated the whole night after a week, but he also had a buddy friend with him. They cried for the first few nights, but then got used to it. I have a girl who gave birth to triplets, so I'm wondering even if I do this if I'm going to get any milk...?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I probably would leave the milk for the triplets. They drink a lot of milk.


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

We put our kids in a crate at night in the pen with mama beginning when they were 2 weeks old. Ours did not cry, but called for each other for a few nights. We have Alpines. We milked first thing in the morning and then let the kids out, who bee-lined it to mama! We stopped using the crate when they got bigger...I can't remember what age, maybe 7 or 8 weeks, and put them in an adjacent pen where they could still be right next to mama. She weaned them on her own at around 6 or 7 months, so they can stay all together now. We only milk x1 per day in the morning and get over 1/2 gallon from her, the same amount as when she was nursing them during the day. The amount has gone down a bit now with this cold weather.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

They will cry but just depends on the kids and the dam on how bad it will be. But after a couple of weeks to a month, especially when are nibbling on solid food, it will be easier. From about 2 weeks old Id just keep food in the babies pen available for them.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

We pull babies at 2 weeks, if they are strong and doing well...we have a kid pen set up for them where they will be safe and warm...we milk mom in the AM and let them have baby the rest of the day...waiting too long to begin milking mom will reduce her production and in FF you want to set them up right. The sooner you get them on the table the better...
It is noisy at first...babies and moms calling to eachother..but soon it quiets down and before long the babies run to their pen at night where at about 1 month old we begin a bit of grain, moms begin searching for you wanting to know whats taking so long to put the kids to bed lol...


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I pulled Beebop at 1 week, I will most likely do the same this time. I might bottle feed I haven't decided yet. I really would like the milk from mom though, and I've heard that even with triplets (with kinders anyway) that I should get some milk in the AM.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I raise Nigerians and it's usually at around 3 weeks that I will put kids in a large dog crate at night to milk in the mornings... This year I will have 2 FF so I plan to start them with milkings as soon as they deliver, if anything it will help increase production and get them used to being touched.
With my experienced girls I've found that if I leave them longer than 8 hours they are very tight and to me if they are that full after 8 hours, how can they possibly produce more with being left to fill for 12 hours... IMO letting them go that long would inhibit production. I put kids in bed at 8, milk out moms and am milking them at 4:30 am, offer kids a dish of grain as I milk mom then kids are with mom the rest of the day... when I feed at 4 pm, I will milk out moms again regardless of how much they may have in their udders.

Separating at night when it's dark and goats are in "sleep" mode is much quieter than keeping kids separated through the day when they are in "eat and play" mode


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