Scours!!

[goatwishingstar]

does anybody have any home remedies????? my 2 week old buckling has scours, they are brownish yellow. im giving him warm goat milk, about 8-12 oz. 2x a day.

[BlueHeronFarm]

At 2 weeks, depending on breed, it may just be too much, per feeding. I would first try smaller bottles - (maybe 10 oz) 3x/day.

You can give pepto, too. Search for scours (use the search button at the top of the page) and you will find many threads with similar situations - including remedies.

[moosemaniac]

Use electrolytes! They can dehydrate easily.

Ruth

[Idahoe]

Yup, he should be getting smaller amounts more often. I fed my kids four times a day till one week old (or more often if someone had a tiny tummy), and then to three times a day beginning at two weeks of age.

If you watch a kid on it's mother, he does not suckle for five minutes and get 12oz of milk two or three times a day. She'll stand and let him nurse till he's satisfied, but I'm guessing they only get four or five oz at at time.

This is only my second year with goats, first year with kids. After I lost a bottle buckling to overeating disease, I cut back on the milk for the others, so the current bottle kids get 12 oz of milk 3x daily but also get to come out and "eat" (more like play) in a big pan with alfalfa pellets and a small amount of grain. The two week old kids are beginning to nibble hay and pellets. So you do want your little fellow to start experimenting with solid food soon.

I think their tummies are only meant to handle a few oz of milk at a time, and more than that does not digest properly or get absorbed, which leads to overeating disease (enterotoxemia).

[goatwishingstar]

thankyou for all your help! my goat is doing very well, and he doesnt have scours anymore!