How to bottle feed week old kid??

MillsFarmFamily · #1 12/10/07, 12:37 PM

We have a week old kid that we need to bottle feed (It's mother died, we put it w/another mother, she's not feeding it any longer). I have the bottle and the warm whole Vit D milk, but he won't drink it. Tried a little tiny bit of molasses added to the milk, but it still won't drink. Are there any tricks to getting it to drink? I also cut an "x" in the nipple so that more milk would come out, should that be larger?, smaller? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

deafgoatlady · #2 12/10/07, 12:41 PM

Hello. It will take a while. I remember that one of my baby goat was nursing off its mom then a week later I seperate them away from mom. OH MY GOSH. it took a while to teach them to drink the bottle. I just hold him on my lap and make sure they are sitting down and i open their mouth and put the nipples in its mouth and kinda work with it and hold it. It took me a while like for few days and finally they got it.. Dont feed ur baby goat too much of milk. Just small amount slowly becuz it is a big difference with goats milk and cows milk for a baby goat.. If u fed the baby like 8 oz and I am sure that they are not hungry... I hope u can figure out. It takes a while for me..

Loda Farm · #3 12/10/07, 12:41 PM

It takes them some time to get used to it. The best nipple I found so far was a pritchard nipple from TSC. I did not have to cut it any bigger and they took to it pretty quick. For the first few timesI had to force the nipple into the mouth and keep it there until they get the idea. It takes a couple of days, but eventually the see the bottle and will almost knock you over to get to it. LOL

Laura

HazyDay · #4 12/10/07, 12:45 PM

Try it every few hours. After they get hungry they will drink

Go buy a human baby bottle they are more like te real thing or put the nipple in hot water so it feels more like moma

fishhead · #5 12/10/07, 01:15 PM

I've read that some people cover the head with a towel (warm maybe) and rub the base of the tail to simulate actual nursing.

Steffiej · #6 12/10/07, 04:13 PM

I have a bottle baby right now. We had to put the nipple in her mouth and hold it there for the first few days, and encourage her to suck. We started out with the tiny nipple from the vet used for puppies and kittens, because ours is a dwarf nigerian. After about a week we swapped over to the pritchard nipple, and that's what we've used ever since. I agree with the previous poster that said they'll eat in a few days...Abigail didn't want to at first, but by day two she figured it out. Also, mine didn't eat much at a time at first. Within the first couple of weeks she started eating more, and we were able to space the feedings out a little. She now takes a bottle three times a day, and drinks between 12-15 ounces at a time....but I've read the larger breeds take more like 20 ounces before long.

Steffiej · #7 12/10/07, 04:15 PM

Oh, something I didn't see anyone else mention. My bottle baby wasn't happy at all at first about the bottle, and would scream until she got a few ounces in her.

Also, you may already know this, but make sure the baby is upright in your lap, since the rumen isn't going yet.

cowgirlracer · #8 12/10/07, 06:41 PM

Everyone has given great advice, and they are right. I only want to add, that sometimes stroking their throat will stimulate them to swallow. So hold the oat in your lap, wrap one arm around the goat ro keep it secure, hold the bottle with the other hand and try to feed, with your third hand stoke the throat and with your fourth hand you may want to rub it's bottom with a towel to get things at that end moving. - LOL! Just kidding, you will find enough hands - and once that baby gets the hang of things it will jump in your lap!

Good luck,
Anne