Babies drinking a lot less milk?

[Jillis]

I have one last quick question before I go out-of-state. The babies seem to be drinking less milk the past couple of days. Their tummies get rounded and they seem satisfied. (They are all drinking from a 10 nipple bucket.) The first few times we used it, they all drank themselves to the bottom and I had to supplement a couple of the smaller girls who didn't get enough. I go by how rounded their tummies get.
The past couple of days, they are drinking a LOT less! I am pretty sure it is because they are eating more hay and grain, and so are easier to satisfy. They all seem healthy, even the two on penicillin are active and eating well now, and are gaining steadily.
Since I have no experience with this, my question is, as they start eating more solid food, do they actually require less milk to be satisfied? That would actually be a relief as it is quite expensive feeding them at this point!
TIA, Blessings, Jillis!

[pookshollow]

How old are they? You're quite right, as they eat more hay and grain, they will need (and want) a lot less milk. If they have free-choice hay, they will be fine!

[Jillis]

Some are 2 weeks old, most are three to four weeks old...

[Rachel K.]

That is still very young. These Babies still need to be kept on the bottle till two months to three months of age. Three months is usually the best way to go. Especially when you have smaller kids. If they look and act like they are getting enough to eat I wouldn't be too concerned. They will by now have started to nibble at Grain and hay. Just keep offering the milk for now but also let them have a choice of grain or hay as well.

[Jillis]

Thanks Rachel. I am keeping them on the bottle, or should I say bucket? for that amount of time. I have a bucket with 10 nipples. I just noticed that they seem satisfied with less milk than before.
As to the hay and grain, they are devouring it, not nibbling it! Most of them seem to have that down pat! Maybe because there are so many they all want to get everything first. With my first 2 babies, and the second 2, they didn't touch the water bucket at all. These guys stick their heads in until their eyes are covered for several seconds and come up sneezing! Three at a time! They are quite feisty and precocious! I was astounded!