After my Mancha has her baby/babies, and after the first 2 weeks, is it necessary to separate mom and baby/babies? Or could I just leave the baby/ies with her, and milk once in the morning and once in the evening? Would leaving them with her seriously mess up her supply, or would it stay the same (supply and demand, if you will)?
You don't have to separate. It just depends on how much milk you would like to have. You could certainly try milking her twice a day and see what you get and go from there.
Yep, it all depends on the particular goat. I have one that can keep her babies 24/7 and I get plenty of milk for my needs and another that I won't get a drop if I leave her babies on her.
I find that nomatter how much I milk they still decided to wean those kids and stop producing milk! Im about to pull all my show does kids and bottle feed. Not this year but in years to come when I can get serious about showing then thats what I will do. All my kids nurse their moms dry I cant get but a squirt out of them if I leave kids with moms 24/7
her production will drop since she will only make what is being used...but if you dont need much milk it should be fine...are you concerned about how hard it will be on the kids and mom to put them up at night? if so they will cry the first few days but I find after the mom sees her babies are safe she actually looks forward to us putting the kids up..gives her rest..we use this time to introduce a little feed to the kids...
Yeah. I don't want to upset them. I'm also not sure how to pull them, as I don't have another pen/house.
For the first few weeks it works out okay not separating them but usually the kids turn into real pigs and you won't get very much after they are a month old. You may get some milk, but, frankly, I find it annoying to go through the whole milking process to only get a very small amount. It is much more convenient to separate, milk once a day and be done with it than to dicker around twice a day HOPING that the kids left enough, IMO. You could easily and cheaply set up a kid pen with a few cattle pannels or pallets and a tarp. They don't like being separated at first, but if you give them grain and good hay in their "play pen" they will be running to it as soon as you open the gate after a couple weeks....and the moms get used to it as well and appreciate the break.
I never pull the kids if I leave them on the does. I have tons of milk even with them feeding their kids. My big Lamancha doe fed her Quads last year and still provided for the house.
As for how to separate - if you have a large or x-lg dog crate you could put them in there overnight right inside the pen. I have Nigerians and a fellow goat friend does this too...she pens mom or babies (depending on what works better at the time) in a dog crate inside the barn with the other goats. That way they're not really "separated", no crying and kids don't steal all the milk at night.
If you do pen them (we did with no problems) do ensure the kids aren't nursing momma THROUGH the fence / pen....some does will stand at the fence so the kids can reach over to nurse.
I separate once I know the kids will be warm enough with each other at night, usually at 3 weeks BUT this weather has been too up and down for me to feel good about doing it. I use a large dog crate and place kids in it at night, provide a small pail for water and give hay, they can see mom but can't nurse They do fuss a little after the first few minutes but eventually go to nibbling hay and then to sleep. I currently have a set of 4 week old triplets and they are all over 11.5lbs...so they are definately big enough to go without milk over night
I am sure it depends on Doe - but I have never seperated. My does seem to know will leave some for the babies.
I have enjoyed reading these posts....my does will begin kidding in May and I have been concerned about milking and separating the kids from the Does I did not really want to do that...but it seems from reading every ones post that I have options. we will not need much milk...a wee bit to make some chèvre for the house but wanted to be good to the kids as well. so it seems that I can leave the kids on and still milk maybe once a day?
Great timing for this as I am just getting ready to do this. My problem is I have 2 singles, but only one of the momma's will be milked. For company and warmth I suppose I will pen them up together, but I do fear my does will carry on. I WISH the doe that won't milk would take over both kids... I do worry about the weather not cooperating as it is due to be cold this week.
