How much do you bottle feed a mini?

[HazyDay]

With my HUGE nubians they drink alot! I feed 2 cups 4 times aday. But I would think a little mini would blow up on that!

[armeda]

This is from Dona (mygoat) http://www.freewebs.com/capriceacres/


This is the recipe for bottle feeding if you need it and schedule. I raised
my buckling I got from her on it great:

1 gallon of whole cows milk from the grocery store (I used vitamin D milk), 1 can evaporated milk, 1-cup buttermilk. (Not the low fat kind, if possible). Pour off 4 cups of whole milk. Add buttermilk and the whole can of evaporated milk. Add back as much whole milk as will fit, shake, pour in bottle and serve warm. For the first few days you can add colostrum powder. I add the powder for at least 5 days, every feeding.

My bottle feeding is as follows, and I got this off of www.fiascofarm.com but I modified it to my liking and the smaller miniature size. Try to make the feedings as regular as possible, with the same amount of time between each feeding. Don't make kids go through out the night without a feeding just because you're lazy. This is especially important the younger they are.

Day one- 3 oz. (per feeding) colostrum, every 4 hours. (6 times)

Day two- 4 oz. (per feeding) colostrum/whole milk, 4 times a day

Day three- 5 oz. (per feeding) colostrum/whole milk, 4 times a day

Day four- 5-7 oz. (per feeding) colostrum/whole milk, 4 times a day.

For the next week- 5-7oz. (per feeding) 4 times a day.

For the next 2 months-8-9 oz. (per feeding) 3 times a day.

For the next 1 month- 8-9 oz. (per feeding) 2 times a day.

8-9 oz. (per feeding) once a day for two weeks.

Good luck!

Armeda

[LomahAcres]

I raised my first mini this year, mini Nubian doe kid, she was raised on 50 - 60 oz a day until 5 1/2 months old. We are now weaning her slowly so she will be off milk at 6 months. Granted she started off on about 24 oz a day and was slowly raise up to the 60 oz a day. I *think* she is now about 50lbs. She is a very picky goat, and I do believe in the future our minis will be raised on 48 oz a day and will fill out just as well.

My kinder kids on the other had, tend to get too fat (never had this problem with other breeds?) if fed more then the 48 oz a day, so that's all they get from start to finish even though I know they'd eat more.

In comparison my Standard Nubians get 80 oz day until weaning (75lbs/6 months). But do understand this one of those things everyone does differently.

Oh, and we start off feeding every 2 - 4 hours (except at night) and work up to three feedings a day within 4 weeks of age. I keep them all at 3 feedings a day until weaned. Just what works for me.

[HazyDay]

oh, I know how to bottle feed, but I seen the pictures of mini kids and thought they could never drink all I give!

[southerngurl]

Don't make kids go through out the night without a feeding just because you're lazy. This is especially important the younger they are.

I didn't think the does fed at nighttime.

[mygoat]

I've often gone down to check on newborns to find the mother standing and her kids suckling. I think once they are old enough to sleep the night through they don't, but when they're young I believe the mothers will get up several times to feed babies.

[Wendy]

If by minis you mean Pygmies, I feed them 8-10 oz., 2 times a day. I give them 3-4 bottles a day the first 2 weeks, but by 2 weeks they are on twice a day feedings just like my dairy kids. They just don't get as much at a time as the dairy kids.

[LomahAcres]

I could depend on what time of day the kids are born too.

Our kids may get fed through the first night if they are born late in the day or evening/night. Just to make sure they get adequate colostrum. After that they are given a 6 hour night for a few days and then worked to an 8 hour night.

[Jillis]

By minis do you mean Nigies crossed with a full-sized dairy goat? My Nigie babies drank about 8 oz a feeding when they were up to the max amount. My full-sized babies drank about 16 to 20 oz a feeding when up to the max. My AlpineNigieX drank about 16 oz a feeding at maximum.

[HazyDay]

Originally Posted by Jillis

By minis do you mean Nigies crossed with a full-sized dairy goat? My Nigie babies drank about 8 oz a feeding when they were up to the max amount. My full-sized babies drank about 16 to 20 oz a feeding when up to the max. My AlpineNigieX drank about 16 oz a feeding at maximum.

No I mean how much does a MINI breed drink? Compared to my FULLSIZED breeds.

[Jillis]

Hazy, a lot of people think that the term "mini" refers to the smallest breeds---the Nigerian Dwarves and the Pygmys. But it actually refers to goats that are crosses between either of those breeds and a full-sized dairy goat.
Example: Mini-Alpine, Mini-Nubian, Mini-Mancha.

Understand?

<grin>

I hope that makes things clear!