Switching a 2 week old to bottle feeding?

Ford Zoo · #1 07/15/12, 09:50 PM

I need to start supplementing a 2 week old boer doeling that weighs 8.4# today, but I am unsure how much to safely start her out on. I plan to use store whole milk while leaving her with mama and her brothers.

History: Mutli freshener boer doe delivered quads 2 weeks ago with one being still born. Live were 1 doeling and 2 bucklings. I noticed yesterday that mama was kicking doeling off her, but she is a shy feeder anyway and doesn't much care for an audience. Little doeling just isn't gaining like her brothers and I haven't seen her in the creep feeder with them (I've put her there with them, but no interest. She does nibble hay and browse) I did see the boys nursing well today, but "Stormy" couldn't get a teat and when the boys were done, so was mama (she has always favored the largest buckling since birth).

I put mom in the stand tonight, she has a nice big udder, but wouldn't let her milk down so I could only milk out 1 1/2 ounces to bottle feed Stormy. BTW, all three had gained just over 1 pound at 7 days old, today at 14 days old both boys have gained 71% and 69% of their birthweight, while Stormy has only gained 29%. Her mouth has been moist until tonight-it was only 'sticky'. Mama is gentle with her, I just don't think she is letting her nurse now.

Thanks for any advice on amounts, its been a few years since I had to bottle feed, and that was ND's from birth.

LoneStrChic23 · #2 07/15/12, 09:57 PM

Might be hard to get her on a bottle, but it is possible, just takes a lot of work, milk at perfect temp & the patience of a saint.

Try 16oz & see how she does..... My 2 week olds can eat much more than that per feeding. Add a pinch of baking soda to the bottle & let her eat her fill without getting so full she's got a tight belly...

Another thought, separate the bucks in a puppy crate where mom can see & smell them, but not nurse & let the doeling have momma to herself for a few hours. If you are not sure she nurses well during that time, put momma on the stand & put the doeling up to nurse.... That way she can fill up without mom walking off on her or pushing her away. Once full, let the boys back in.

Ford Zoo · #3 07/15/12, 10:02 PM

Thank goodness she likes the bottle. She guzzled the bit down that I milked out for her tonight. Funny thing is, the ND's I have bottle fed would never take anything but a pritchard nipple, I used the grandbaby's bottle tonight and she took it, little tail and all wagging.

I like the crate idea.

LoneStrChic23 · #4 07/15/12, 11:24 PM

Yay!!! Some are picky & just fight the bottle, ANY bottle, after they have nursed their dam.... Thank goodness your lil one took it without fuss.... Bet she was hungry having 2 piggy brothers to compete with....

I had this batch of March kids on a lambar by 2 weeks old, and I was just putting a quart in for each kid & letting them eat whatever they wanted...

Tricks was on a bottle, and I think I was giving her 24oz, 3 times a day.... Sometime between 2-3 weeks I started letting her eat her fill on the lambar (Put 1 1/2 quarts in for each kid... Let Tricks eat alone first, then let the March piggies finish it off), so I don't know what she eats now, but I know it's at least a quart per feeding (she was born on Mothers Day).

mabeane · #5 07/16/12, 05:10 AM

Good for you! Sounds like the little doeling was hungry all along. My ND that freshened with quads in March would only feed her boy. I ended up bottle feeding the other three!

Ford Zoo · #6 07/16/12, 05:15 AM

Thanks for the help! This is my first batch with a large breed and I had no idea how much she could take.

Funny how they can favor certain kids...