Weaning & Separating & night time play advice??

I am not sure to post here or in Ferals, but here goes:

When do I start to handle the babies, seeing as Momma is
a feral (and hissing and swating me when I'm near HER
babies thank you!)? I don't want them to get feral
instincts from her, I want them to be as tame and friendly
as possible!

I know they start to wean at 4 wks, and have heard that
I should take Momma from them when they are eating
solid food. So... who has done this and how? Esp. since
all recommendations say to NOT remove kits from mom
till 9 wks minimum, and more like 12? (Which would be
very bad IMHO since Momma is FERAL, hates, but hates
being inside and besides needs to be spay ASAP after
weaning!! Just in case anything happens with her getting
out, it would break my heart if she were'nt fixed.

So advice from those with feral Mommas and who have
socialized kittens??

Oh, and how to handle foster kitten
Miew Miew - who keeps getting out of
confinment at night and last night wound up waking all of
us up (me and the senior kitties) at 4:30 am to play

(after escaping cleverly from her
place of confinment by opening the shut door to the computer office room!!)
Smart kitty...

I have fed her before bed and played extensively with her,
but although she's about 6 mo to 8 mo old she shows NO
signs of slowing her playful ways...

(and my indoor outdoor
Lexi, at 3 yrs of age seems to have NO play left in her... I thought
they'd play together...HA was I ever wrong!! Lexi just
comes in from being out all day and watches
Miew Miew's antics like she was some sort of
excellent entertainment!! Besides, Lexi is this heavy solid
Manx build and miew is just a long stringy thing next to
Lexi... no heft at all. Lexi could knock her sideways with one
blow of her paws...)

I would think the mom would let them go a little once they start eatting solids. The babies are going to want to roum around. You could then try to handle them. If the mom wasn't so protective I would say to hold them when she goes to eat or potty, but if your smell is on them she might just reject them then.

When do I start to handle the babies, seeing as Momma is
a feral (and hissing and swating me when I'm near HER
babies thank you!)? I don't want them to get feral
instincts from her, I want them to be as tame and friendly
as possible!

I have stolen many a kitten from feral moms & it is a difficult call on the "when" to do it. If you wait too long, the harder it is to socialize & they start to wander...don't want to have any M.I.A. So...I would wait until they are approx. 5-6 weeks of age and the bottle-feeding/nursing is just about over...kittens should start or be weaned by then.

I know they start to wean at 4 wks, and have heard that
I should take Momma from them when they are eating
solid food. So... who has done this and how? Esp. since
all recommendations say to NOT remove kits from mom
till 9 wks minimum, and more like 12? (Which would be
very bad IMHO since Momma is FERAL, hates, but hates
being inside and besides needs to be spay ASAP after
weaning!!

Again, have swiped many a kitten from a feral mother...you do it quickly & quietly. Have an area set-up inside waiting for the babies or a good foster-home in place for them. I usually keep them in a large cage or carton lined with towels. I keep a smaller box inside also lined with towels & toys to keep them feeling secure. Yesterday's News is a great brand for kittens to start learning litter-pan manners...try using a small cardboard box or a baking sheet...something disposable. Feeding: premium wet food, mixed with premium dry food, mushed-up with KMR (milk replacement) in a small shallow bowl or plate is best. This will be messy

Oh, and how to handle foster kitten
Miew Miew - who keeps getting out of
confinment at night and last night wound up waking all of
us up (me and the senior kitties) at 4:30 am to play

Where or what is Miew Miew kept in that she is escaping?

Actually, currently Momma feral is inside, making the job a bit
easier, and so are the kittens - in my basement room - with kittens
in a carrier and her nursing.

She is free to roam the room, and takes breaks from feeding
by sitting at the window, looking outside ... I know she wants to go back out desperately!!

I was thinking that when they start to wander and after they
wean (weeks 4/5), I will put the kits into the large dog kennel cage, with litter box and nesting area...

Then I can take one out at a time and work with them in the house -
expose to my other senior/young kitties and my foster kitten Miew.
That way they get house trained and become nice and friendly!

Then Momma will be lured into the trap/cage, and taken to the vets...
so she can be spayed.

(I am not sure but I think you have to get the
milk to dry up first, but if you can do it immediately while still lactating
then that would be my option that I'd prefer - to get her done and back outside ASAP. She's been inside for nearly 2 months and is completely MISERABLE. She wants back out to her colony I think.)

As to Miew, the computer room is next to my bedroom, but the
door doesn't shut firmly - I think she works on pawing the door open.
OR the other cats do it from outside the door... either way, last night
she was put in the basement large room (very nice view outside
and v. comfy sleeping bag bed with food, water n/ litter box, plus
climbing tree and toys...). She was very quiet. I slept (and the
seniors too!) very well!! She was totally glad to see me when I
woke up and let her out to roam the house.

I would leave out all the time, but my other cats are indoor/outdoor
and I worry she'll go out the pet door. Plus, she is frightened by
loud noises and dogs, and would run like heck if she got out... she
isn't like the other cats who are very assured and confident outdoors.
I am working on that however... leash walking her round the fenced yard,
so she'll at least get the scents of the yard firmly in her head. And sometimes I put her on the lead and on the deck, if I'm working outside and can keep a good eye on her.

Actually this whole thing has been very educational. I don't have kids, and always wondered what it was like. Now I know what having a toddler and
baby must be like, its exhausting!!

Does she ever leave the kittens when you are in the room? Is there any chance to feed her KFC in one corner, while you spend 2 minutes per day picking them up?

I never believed in handling tiny kittens until reading how the breeders do it, and now I have weighed my current litter almost daily since birth. They are the tamest of the last 4 litters!

If you could just hold each baby briefly, I think it would help. And they learn to be handled, yet still get to go back to Mommy.

I never had a feral Mom before. I have had kitties spayed before the milk was fully dried up...poor girl, hopefully she can get back outside soon, all spayed and ready to get on with her life!