Am I feeding enough?

A'sta at Hofstead · #1 05/31/07, 08:42 AM

My two Nubian Doelings are 2.5 weeks old, I am giving them 2 feedings daily of milk replacer they are drinking a whole baby bottle and seem like they are still hungry after the morning and afternoon feeding.
I have goat feed (caprine challenger) in their pen, they sniff at it and have been picking up leaves and grass and eating it when outside too.
Should I give them water? I had heard not to, and I have been told not to overfeed. I could leave work mid-day and give them another feeding if needed, but don't want to over-do it.
Their poop is not runny and they seem pretty healthy and happy all in all, but they do seem a bit skinny.
Any advice?

moosemaniac · #2 05/31/07, 08:50 AM

A'sta at only 2.5 weeks, I still give mine 4 bottles a day. 6am/10am/2pm/7pm
That's just me, but it works for me. I cut them back to three a day at around 6 weeks, two a day at 10 weeks and I wean them at about 12 weeks (sometimes even older if they look like they need more growing). You should introduce hay and a starter feed too, anytime. I use Calf Manna pellets and eventually I mix those with my regular feed.

Ruth

A'sta at Hofstead · #3 05/31/07, 08:54 AM

Four?! They told me two feedings a day and try to wean at 4-5 weeks! I guess everyone is different- but I think another feeding is due. There is hay in there already.

ChickenMom · #4 05/31/07, 08:55 AM

I am bottle feeding an orphaned Boer/Alpine cross doeling. I fed as much as she would drink every 4 hours for 2 days, then went to 4 bottles a day until she was 3 weeks. Now we do 3 bottles a day 12-14 ounces until she is 2 months, then go to 2 bottles for 3 more weeks, and the last week 1 bottle a day. Sometimes I bottle feed a little longer than 3 months if it's a doe. If they are 2 1/2 weeks they should be taking about 40 ounces a day. I am feeding fresh milk from my goat, not replacer.
The doe we are feeding was a 4 pounder and her half brother was a 7 pounder and she has caught up with him.

BlueHeronFarm · #5 05/31/07, 09:11 AM

OMG - do NOT wean them at 4-5 weeks - they'll never be big enough to breed!

We do 3 feedings a day - but if you want to do two, that is OK, too.

We try to do 30 oz a day at that age and we work up to 48. Everyone does it differently.

Start putting out hay and water now. They will nibble hay now, but it may be a while before they eat.

moosemaniac · #6 05/31/07, 09:14 AM

Golly A'sta....you help me organize & I'll help you raise those babies okay?

Seriously, back off the Caprine Challenger and replace it with Calf Manna or some other starter feed. I like Calf Manna because it smells good and gets their attention. Four feedings a day is a good start for you I think. You want those girls to grow big and strong! My schedule works darned well for me.

Ruth

A'sta at Hofstead · #7 05/31/07, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moosemaniac

Golly A'sta....you help me organize & I'll help you raise those babies okay?

Seriously, back off the Caprine Challenger and replace it with Calf Manna or some other starter feed. I like Calf Manna because it smells good and gets their attention. Four feedings a day is a good start for you I think. You want those girls to grow big and strong! My schedule works darned well for me.

Ruth

Thanks so much!

Wendy · #8 05/31/07, 09:22 AM

Quote:

whole baby bottle

Do you mean a human baby bottle? If so, that is only 8 oz. & they should be getting at least 16 oz. twice a day. I give mine 20 oz. twice a day until they are 8 weeks and then once a day for at least 4 more weeks.

mwhit · #9 05/31/07, 10:18 AM

I feed my doeling 16 ounces 3 times per day and she eats hay, a little grain and forages quite a bit. I'm about ready to start weaning her down a little-- she's about 10 weeks. I'll go to feeding 2 times a day for a few weeks, then for another week or 2 I'll give her a bottle in the morning.

LomahAcres · #10 05/31/07, 11:09 AM

You are right, everyone dose it differently.

At that age my girls would be at 40-48 oz in four feedings a day. Then increased to 60 oz a day by 4 weeks of age, and dropped to three feedings. I keep at this until they are 3 1/2 - 4 months old. Drop down to 40 oz a day in two feedings and kept at this until weening at 5 - 5 1/2 months old. This, of course is only for doe kids I plan on breeding before a year of age (7-9 months).

At minimum I would keep them on 48 oz a day (in 2-4 feedings) until 3 months of age.

A'sta at Hofstead · #11 05/31/07, 11:24 AM

Well dh is off to get the calf manna and do another feeding- I have been underfeeding and feel like a nit-wit, live and learn.

moosemaniac · #12 05/31/07, 11:32 AM

Hey, A'sta...if they're still alive, happy and playing joyfully, it's simply a lesson learned; no harm, no foul!

Ruth

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #13 05/31/07, 02:47 PM

She is feeding milk replacer. DO NOT increase it over the 8 ounces or so two times a day...follow the directions on the bag exactly. Even Purina kid goat milkreplacer has you just about starving the kids so they will start eating the chow early...you can not feed milk replacer like we feed milk or the kids will scour since they aren't drinking milk, they are drink whey or soy. Follow the directions on your package exactly!

You can introduce a small bucket of water into their pen now, just make sure it is small, so if they jump into it, it tips over. Just clean it often, I just switch mine out each time I feed bottles.

If you want to switch to grocery store milk than do it slowly, slowly increasing the milk over the next week. Do not make sudden changes or you will be back on here with scouring problems. Vicki

A'sta at Hofstead · #14 05/31/07, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians

She is feeding milk replacer. DO NOT increase it over the 8 ounces or so two times a day...follow the directions on the bag exactly. Even Purina kid goat milkreplacer has you just about starving the kids so they will start eating the chow early...you can not feed milk replacer like we feed milk or the kids will scour since they aren't drinking milk, they are drink whey or soy. Follow the directions on your package exactly!

You can introduce a small bucket of water into their pen now, just make sure it is small, so if they jump into it, it tips over. Just clean it often, I just switch mine out each time I feed bottles.

If you want to switch to grocery store milk than do it slowly, slowly increasing the milk over the next week. Do not make sudden changes or you will be back on here with scouring problems. Vicki

Thank you- I am going to go with milk and do it slowly I think- the replacer is costly too.

lynpea · #15 06/01/07, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians

She is feeding milk replacer. DO NOT increase it over the 8 ounces or so two times a day...follow the directions on the bag exactly. Even Purina kid goat milkreplacer has you just about starving the kids so they will start eating the chow early...you can not feed milk replacer like we feed milk or the kids will scour since they aren't drinking milk, they are drink whey or soy. Follow the directions on your package exactly!

You can introduce a small bucket of water into their pen now, just make sure it is small, so if they jump into it, it tips over. Just clean it often, I just switch mine out each time I feed bottles.

If you want to switch to grocery store milk than do it slowly, slowly increasing the milk over the next week. Do not make sudden changes or you will be back on here with scouring problems. Vicki

Oh no.. I am glad that I didn't read the directions.... my guys got all they could drink for a week, then I went to 4 feedings a day of 8 oz. and gradually increased that as they grew. When I began weaning them at 3 mos. they were down to 2-24 oz. bottles a day, then we went to one. I used the Purina milk replacer...I'll be SO thankful that next years kid crop will have real milk to drink. I think I spent about 200$ in replacer! I don't want to EVER do that again!