# Weaning kids



## PotterWatch (Jan 23, 2009)

Anyone have any tips for me on weaning kids when they are still around their mum? I don't have the land to make a separate area for the kids, so I can't physically separate them. Is there a product I can use on her teats to keep them from nursing?


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## Laurel_Haven (Oct 20, 2007)

I have heard some use teat tape to cover the teats so the kids can not nurse. 
I don't know how effective this is as I never used it myself cause I seperate kids from dams.
But maybe someone else on here has and could tell you more about it.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

You could use teat-tape on her...you can get it from most dairy supply places online. 

Eventually, the momma will wean the kids on her own--usually by the time they're 7 mo. to a year old--but teat tape can help speed up the process.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

The teat tape helps....but not always! I have used it at different times and depends on how persistant the kids are...or how long mom will stand to let them try......I eventually had to put kids in a separate stall at nite to allow me to milk in the mornings, then tae the teats and have the kids out during the day....it eventually worked this way, took awhile though.


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

my kids always rip the teat tape off, or the moms do. There is a bitter apple spray that you can try. its safe to use on skin but you have to spray teat several times a day. I only ever dam raised one kid, and it took him nearly a year and a half to fully wean. Even when his mom had new kids i caught him nursing. I bottle raised those kids and he would suck harmony dry before i could get any milk. I finally sold him and just started bottle raising after that.
beth


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

depends -- are you wanting to use mom for milk? are you keeping any of the kids for your own herd? are the kids being sold?

I have different suggestions depending on the need/reason for them to be weaned


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## PotterWatch (Jan 23, 2009)

I am milking her now and will continue to, but just for our own personal use for drinking, baking, etc. I am planning on keeping the doeling she just had as well as I have her older daughter from her first kidding (who is on a mini-vacation right now because she was nursing and taking milk away from the new babies).


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Then i would try teat tape during the day. that bond between mother and daugher is very strong.

I would separate the kids at night and then milk mom out all the way. If you have a way to remove the kids during the day that would also be good for them to transition into not nursing


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## PotterWatch (Jan 23, 2009)

Would it just be better in the long run to sell her two daughters and get another doe?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

once the older daugher kids she should stop trying to nurse. So since you have gotten that far with her I wouldn't get rid of her. now for the young doeling right now, it depends on how much effort you are willing to put into weaning her. I have only kept daughers if they were bottle raised.


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

i've had a 4 year old doe nurse off her mom and herself... talk about :hair: :hair: 

but if only you could separate them for a longer amount of time ( i wean mine for like 6 months) then they forget about it usually.


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

A friend of mine had that happen. she couldnt get those doe to wena her three yer old daughter who by the way does have kids of her own. So she seperated the two, then chanelle started to self nurse. She finally put that doe in the freezer, it turned out that all the kids she kept out of that doe ended up as self nurses as well. We think they got the idea from watching mom. After she started bottle raising kids she stopped having the problem.
Anyways, i would try and breed your younger doe and see what happens. She may be so distracted by her own kids that she will stop. If she doesnt you can always try and sell her and get a new doe.
beth


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## PotterWatch (Jan 23, 2009)

Ok, I guess I will trying weaning the little one when she is a little older and I will hope that when the older daughter kids in March, she will quit trying to nurse. If she doesn't she will either find a new home or go to freezer camp. She is a very skittish goat as it is and my husband doesn't care for her.


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