Kid not taking bottle

[No Regrets Farm]

I purchased 3 beautiful doelings that are over a month old. I picked them up last Sunday. All three have been doing well, seeming very healthy until last night, one of the girls only took 1/2 of her bottle. This morning she refused all together.

She does not have diarrhea, no coughs, etc. She isnt as playful as she was, but I wouldnt consider her lethargic. She's not bloated. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Cindy

[ilikefathorses]

Are you feeding them straight milk, or replacer? Were they taken off their mother, or hand-fed? Sometimes if you feed the babies a different brand of replacer than they're used to, or milk when they're used to replacer (or vice versa), they will not (willingly) drink a lot until they're used to whatever it is that you're feeding them. Also, sometimes older ones that are being fed something different will just decide that it's gross and they don't want it anymore. I've actually had some just decide to wean themselves. If she's still healthy and happy, I'd just keep working on the bottle (she's too young to wean in my opinion). If she start's getting weak and sickly, I would tube her. Good luck!

[goatmarm]

Give her a little yogurt, or probios if you have it. Put a dab of corn syrup on the nipple when you offer the bottle, and make sure the milk is nice and warm. Often a kid will refuse the bottle if the milk is too cool. Test it on your wrist like you would for a baby. It should be warm, not hot.
I agree with Ilikefathorses, this little one still needs milk. Do you know what the other folks were feeding her, or was she on her dam? If the kids were on their mom, give cows milk rather than replacement formula. Some kids just don't do well with the replacement stuff. I know I'll never use it. Goats' milk is best, if that's not available, go with cow's milk. Also, at that age the kids should have access to warm water, hay, and grain.
Good luck with your does!

[witchysharon]

Warm the nipple in HOT water. IF the nipple is hard and cold, the kid won't want it. If it is warm and soft (like mom's teat) the kid is more apt to take it. Also rub the kids rump like mom does to get them to nurse. Bending over the kid sometimes helps too because it will seem more like being under mom.

[Goat Freak]

Here this should help, Help!!! it has LOTS of great advice on how to get a baby to eat, and post #27 has the recipe that me and my mom used on our orphan, and it worked great! Of course, goat milk is MUCH better. Good Luck with the little ones, keep us updated please. Good Luck. I will be praying for your little ones and you. Bye.

[DeltaDawn]

With Delta, I just had to stay home from school the morning she was born, and I sat in the living room in a chair and had to open her mouth to squirt a little milk in, after a day of that, she figured out that laying on my chest and bending her neck upward to get the bottle worked, then we moved onto her standing on the ground and me hiding the nipple in my hand, and kind of hanging my hand there over the nipple while she drank, after a few days of that, she started eating just fine... now she tells me when she wants to be fed, and if you don't, she'll beat the snot out of ya until you do...lol... but, I would try just opening their mouths and squirting a little in until they figure out that, hey, that stuff's pretty good! they just may not be used to the nipple like Delta wasn't....

Kalena