How old are these kids???

Hawkfamily · #1 10/23/06, 11:31 AM

We bought 3 orphaned kids at auction on Saturday and have no information on them whatsoever. We don't know how old they are, how they've been eating thus far, what they've been eating thus far, nothing.....
One of them still has a bit of dried up umbilical cord left on, they have horns that are almost an inch long, they have good fur, they are foraging around outside and munching on stuff, but don't appear to be chewing their cuds.
( I will try to attach a picture of them here - if it doesn't work, can someone please tell me how?- i have the pic on photobucket, so should be able to insert it somehow.)

We started feeding them goats milk (too expensive though, so moving to a goat milk replacer?) 3x daily 8-12 oz - from a bottle. Two of them have no problem sucking it quickly back. The third will not suck. He chews on the nipple and almost appears to not know how to suck. We have been managing to squirt or pour smaller amounts patiently into him.

I know, depending on their age, we should be doing certain things, in terms of probiotic, or worming, or grains, etc. How old do you think they are?
What should we be doing here? We are totally in over our heads.
Thanks
JODI

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Hawkfamily · #2 10/23/06, 11:32 AM

PygmyLover · #3 10/23/06, 11:44 AM

1 month old is my guess.

Try for a bit longer with the one and if he doesn't take it don't force it for to long. I have been there done that, sometimes they take it and sometimes they decide they are fine without it dispite our greatest protests!

mammawof3 · #4 10/23/06, 11:58 AM

My guess would be about 3-4 weeks old-they can keep "cords" on for several weeks -swiss kids do get their horns pretty quickley-they look Saanen to me-or Saanen/Alpine maybe. They would not really be eating much-if they were much younger than 2 weeks-(grase stuff)--if 2 are taking a bottle no problem-they were probably bottle fed-other was probably on mom-will be harder to get it to nurse. First off--milk replacer is not a good thing at all--for any baby goat--put them on whole cows milk from the store-3 bottles a day and amounts sound okay. You want them up too about 16oz. a feeding, then you can go to twice daily. Increase slowly. I would have free choice hay available-clean water-at all times-you may want to offer a small bit of grain also. I would get those tags out of their ears-b-4 they rip them out-give them CD&T shots ,then again in 3 weeks.If they are bucks-you should band them, around the time you do the 2nd shots. If you want their horns off-you are runningout of time on that, by the looks of them.Hope this helps some-have fun!

PygmyLover · #5 10/23/06, 12:09 PM

Personally I find milk replacer fine and at this point DO NOT try to remove those horns!!!!

TC · #6 10/23/06, 12:47 PM

I use whole cow's milk from the store too. Also, I have used a recipe someone gave me a long time ago, that works well too.

Take a whole gallon of whole milk from the store. Pour off enough of it to add the following:

One cup of buttermilk
one can of evaporated milk.

Shake and Serve....

**mygoat** · #7 10/23/06, 02:59 PM

I am using the buttermilk/evaporated/cow Milk recipe. Works great. Almost done feeding my near 3 month old bottle baby.

Definetely get those tags out. They're gonna rip out on thier own, and they're totally unneccesary past the auction.

Otherwise they're aweful cute! You're gonna have some fun with those guys! LOL

debitaber · #8 10/23/06, 03:41 PM

I would say, about 3 weeks old. I would put them on a bottle.

TC · #9 10/23/06, 03:52 PM

The recipe works very well. If you have human kids, however, make sure to mark the jug with the buttermilk mixture. Otherwise you will have the experience, like I have had on numerous occasions, of your human kids being very angry with you when they pour the wrong milk on their breakfast cereal.

Hawkfamily · #10 10/23/06, 04:03 PM

okay, the tags are out. I took the pics on Saturday afternoon when we got home from the auction. We did take them out - no worries there.

We can't get a probiotic here - I am in Canada and our stores/vet tells me that the FDA hasn't passed it up here for us. Is it necessary for them, do you think? I read that I could give them yoghurt with active ingredient. What is CD&T?
One of them has a super gross snotty nose - the others are fine. Is there something I could be/should be doing for the snotty nose one? Also, the one little one is still not taking the bottle. Should we try to force something into him? or is there another feeding method that someone recommends that might work easier for him. (I am currently trying to get my almost 3 month old baby daughter to take a bottle and having the exact same frustrating experience!!). Fortunately, I am still here to help her out when the bottle fails. This little kid's mama is not. So, I worry about him.

Thanks
jodi

TC · #11 10/23/06, 04:25 PM

Okay, as far as helping him eat, here's an idea. Take the bottle, and put it in his mouth, (you may have to force it) hold your hand around his mouth and nipple at the same time, to get a firm grip on the nipple with his mouth. Leave his nostrils free, so he can breathe. The as you hold his mouth with one hand, use you other hand to squeeze milk at the same time. Sometimes when you start squeezing and the milk starts flowing, they drink, because they have too. Then when they realise, hey that taste good, they start sucking. This does make a mess, and it might take a few times, but usually they get it. It's worked for me, anyway.

This advice, of course, is for the goat kid, not the human one.....lol

debitaber · #12 10/23/06, 04:29 PM

tickle their back side, right where the tail joins their body. that is what the does do to get them to drink. usually they will start sucking.
th eone with th esnotty noes, should get some pen g. and yes, probotics are important. can't get enough of what theyneed from yogurt. probably your vet has it. and it is cheap. real cheap.

Hawkfamily · #13 10/23/06, 06:08 PM

What is pen g?

TC · #14 10/23/06, 06:19 PM

penicillin G is an antibotic. Here in the states, you can buy it without a vet's prescription, at any feed store.

Hawkfamily · #15 10/23/06, 06:35 PM

our feed stores only sell horse and some cow products - nothing for goat or sheeps, etc. But, our vet sells all of that stuff without scripts - we can just go in and buy their meds. So, I can get the penicillin for sure. But the vet does not carry a probiotic. Apparently we used to be able to access this, but can't now due to regulatory crap....
There's a feed store just over the border in Washington. Do you think I can just get a probiotic there?

TC · #16 10/23/06, 06:38 PM

Pen G is used on horses and cattle too, so you should be able to get it at the feed store. Actually, if it's legal in Canada, you can order probotics online, and have it mailed to you. Yogurt is a good alternative until you can get some.

**mygoat** · #17 10/23/06, 07:13 PM

I'd say work them up to eating grain as well, on the side. Probably some alfalfa pellets too, would be good. allow them free browse and also give hay. Keep trying to get that small one to accept the bottle... It can take some doing!

Ark · #18 10/23/06, 07:33 PM

Someone gave me a half starved kid whose mama and 3 siblings had all died and by the time they found him he was really bad off.
He wouldnt take a bottle, so out of desperation (and a couple days of TRYING to get him to take the bottle) I offered him a bowl of warm goat milk and he sucked it all down!! Try it!

PygmyLover · #19 10/23/06, 10:07 PM

Yogurt with LIVE cultures in it - written on the lable- is JUST AS GOOD as probios. They tend to hate it when you force feed them this and they don't take it willingly. SO I only give it when I notice that they are feeling down, no need to fix what isn't broken.

As much as I want to push you to get milk in that kid, don't feel bad if he NEVER takes a bottle! He is young but maybe not as young as we think. You will have to decide what is best for you situation and the goat.

I had a goat Mia that EVERYONE was telling me to force to drink the milk. I tried EVERYTHING (I have 12 years of bottle feeding experience) and she wouldn't. They hammered me when I decided to stop trying. Would you know she is alive an healthy at 5 months today. And I had the EXACT thing happen again with another goat a few weeks ago. HE only chewed on the nipple, didn't fight me but WOULD NOT SUCK!

So I agree with Ark try the bowl of milk.

Obviously my advise goes against the flow but I have never lost a kid and have never used probios or drastic measures, never had the need to thankfully.

PygmyLover · #20 10/23/06, 10:16 PM

oh and I wanted to add that Yogurt is a natural substance while probios are NOT. So I don't understand the previous statement that yogurt isn't as good as probios.