# To Those who Separate at night and Milk in the morning



## fruittartcaprines (Mar 3, 2010)

Do you give the kids bottles at night? What time do you separate them and what time do you milk (and then return)

Thanks!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I don't separate at night until the kids are 3-4 weeks old. What I do at that time is provide them with hay and water, get mom on the stand and strip her out, then milk in the morning. I usually will separate at 9pm and milk at 4:30 am before work. No nite time bottles are needed, even if you separate for 12 hours, at this age the kids are pretty well established with hay and some will even drink water from a bucket.


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## fruittartcaprines (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks liz! I really appreciate it! I think that will likely be our plan (or something similar). 

Do you put them in a completely separate stall? Can they see each other? (trying to figure out our facilities here...)


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

in the past I have used the same method as Liz and I put the kids in a dog crate or a stall.


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## 4kids (Jul 21, 2009)

Don't your kids whine?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

why would they whine?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I've found that if they can see their moms and the kids are together, they seem to adjust very well.


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## ProctorHillFarm (May 15, 2008)

Starting around 2 weeks we start to separate moms and kids- the way my schedule works, its easier for me to separate them in the morning, milk out mom's at night and then put moms and kids together for the rest of the night.

Though definitely more ideal to separate overnight in my opinion- Right now its just impossible for me to do that, so we do it reverse, its fine either way I think. The kids all snuggle up for a good part of the day- and then spend the rest of the day playing with each other.

So when I pull the moms out in the morning I strip them out - then at night milk them and I offer all of the babies a bottle before putting moms back in, for a couple of reasons, 1) this socializes them well without having full blown bottle babies 2) the babies are much more satisfied when mom comes back with an "empty udder" they arent begging her for milk that she hasnt really got at the moment.
The kids also have access to hay/grain/water during the day to pick at

My moms and babies can see each other from their stalls - and that seems to be the best
I usually get them separated around 9 am and try to milk them around the same time that night-


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## 4kids (Jul 21, 2009)

My kids whine even if they can see the mom but can't access her


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## ProctorHillFarm (May 15, 2008)

ours cry a little bit- but they adjust to it- especially after the first day

once in awhile towards the end of the day you can hear the moms and babies starting to get anxious to see each other-- but its not like they both stress out all day over the process


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## luvbug*diapers (Feb 23, 2010)

oh i am gleaming so much for you all.
thank you for the wonderful information. :stars:


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## fruittartcaprines (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks guys! This is all really really useful. I love this forum!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

4kids said:


> My kids whine even if they can see the mom but can't access her


mine rarely do -- maybe because I separate at 4 weeks of age so they are use to being away from mom and its night time so I put food in there for them and then shut them in the stall and leave.


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## cyanne (Jan 7, 2009)

If I may ask, what is the purpose of stripping out the moms that night when you separate? I normally just separate them and don't do any milking the night before...I tried once and literally got only a few drops of milk from each side as she was totally milked out by the babies (greedy brats!).

Is there a benefit to milking out that tiny bit of milk in the evening? Will it help with production?

Thanks!


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## ProctorHillFarm (May 15, 2008)

because if you by chance pull the doe out from her babies and the kids havent nursed in a little while - you are slowly taking less and less milk- so by stripping her out when you pull her, your making sure you have all the milk out of her udder for that 12 hour fill


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## cyanne (Jan 7, 2009)

Ah yes, that does make sense!

I only have one right now who I am separating at night so I will have to start bringing her up to the stand and milking her out each night. So far her greedy kids drink her dry every day, but anything I can do to keep her production up so she stays ready for show season is worthwhile!


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## ProctorHillFarm (May 15, 2008)

Yep! And as the kids get older they start to take less and less- so it may not make much of a difference now- but it will!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I have found that my does know my schedule well and they call their kids to nurse right before I come out to put the kids up for the night so there is nothing in their udder. Scheming little devil goats


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## cyanne (Jan 7, 2009)

Hmmm...I just took her out for the night and tried to milk her. Got almost NOTHING. I think she might be being clever and having her babies nurse when she sees me come out and do the night-time chores! Clever girl!


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

I have a question....The doe I am getting only has onl kid. So, if I seperate them at night to milk in the morning, I assume the kid should be able to see mom so it doesn't get lonely? i mean if there were two then it seems they would keep each other company, but one?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

do you have a large dog crate? those work great for single kids


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

Ya know, there is one on my property that someone left, no door but I could figure something out. Thanks!


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