First bottle baby question

[Candace]

I've purchased a bottle baby and had a couple of questions. I don't have goat milk available so I'll be using replacer. It looks like using the powered variety is a good option for a newbie like me. I've ready about not over-feeding, not mixing too rich, etc., but what I notice when I see photos of bottle babies is that people are keeping them in their house. It is cold here in Indiana - sometimes down right frigid in winter. I had thought to use either a heat lamp or an oil-filled radiator on a block (we used this when our goats kid in cold months in the "maternity" stall) but now I'm worried that this little girl might not be warm enough. Obviously, if this was Spring or Summer I would not be as concerned. If you bottle raise, can you share your routine, please?

[Alice In TX/MO]

DO NOT USE REPLACER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Use whole cow milk from the grocery store.

Go back and get another bottle kid. They do NOT do well alone.

[trnubian]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

DO NOT USE REPLACER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Use whole cow milk from the grocery store.

Go back and get another bottle kid. They do NOT do well alone.

Totally agree.
Kids can snuggle together and if they are snuggled under a heat lamp they will be fine.

[mary,tx]

But if you do use milk replacer, it should be milk, not soy based. If the replacer label says it is "uni-milk" or good for all types of livestock babies, it is NOT good for goats. And a goat can actually die on it.

I have kept kids, for short periods of time, in the house in a rubbermaid tub with towels. After they bottle, they have to go out for a few minutes until they pee. But they still will mess up the tubs pretty fast, and in a few days, they'll be jumping out. So for me, anyway, it is not a good long term solution.

In the barn is always best if possible.

Be very, very careful with heat lamps.

And, yes, a snuggle friend is best.

[Candace]

Thanks for the feedback. Its unlikely that I am going to be able to afford another $250 so a buddy is not in the mix here not to mention this breeder has one available right now. I would agree that the ultimate, optimal, perfect arrangement would be about half a dozen, but I'm getting one. I have goat milk replacer which I read elsewhere is better than using cow's milk.

[punchiepal]

You will read all kinds of ways to raise goats from many different sources and it is up to you to decide what is right for your herd.

That said-
store bought whole cows milk is better than any replacer for baby goats. Many of us bottle raise our babies every year for disease prevention, selling milk, etc, so we have "been there tried that" as far a raising kids. Yes, I raised my first kids on replacer. Yes, they grew. However, they were not at breeding weight that fall and I don't feel that their health over the years was as good as babies that have been raised on cows milk, when we didn't have enough goats milk. Could have been all sorts of factors but in the end the cost is nearly the same for both methods so why not stay as close to natural as possible?

[Alice In TX/MO]

I wouldn't use replacer. Ever. Have read too many "my goat kid is dying" posts.

[Tallabred]

She will need a buddy. My bottle babies grew great on milk. I have heard nothing but problems with replacer.

[Raymond James]

Do you have a dog or other animal that might snuggle with the baby? I have put the dog with her bed out in the barn. She seems to enjoy looking after them.

Also used a heat lamp hung from the ceiling but I think as long as they are out of the wind and have anther goat or animal to lay with they will be fine.

[Frosted Mini's]

Maybe the breeder has a wether kid she could sell you cheap to go with the doe if you just can't get another doe? Then you could just eat or sell it, when the doeling is old enough to be with the herd. My babies do just fine with no heat lamps, but they always have had at least one other kid to snuggle. I haven't used replacer personally, but my kids have done great on cow milk as needed, and I have even switched back and forth between cow and goat milk depending on milk sales and supply, etc, with no problems at all. Make sure to get whole milk, not 2%, skim, etc.

[K Epp]

I got a unexpected bottle baby this time last year. He lived in my laundry room with my 10 lb dog and even used the pee pads 95% of the time. I fed him replacer for goats. If you go with keeping him out in the barn google goats in a barrel. Someone had a blue barrel with a light installed in it and the little goats just piled in and looked snuggly. A cat might work. Good luck.

[DamnearaFarm]

Not to be mean, but why ask questions of experience folks if you're going to shoot down their suggestions?

[K Epp]

I just reread all the comments and saw that goats raised on replacer are smaller. I have to say the bottle babies we gave replacer to are still smaller than the doe raised. I would check other sources to find it a buddy. Spending $50 on a wether is better than waisting $250.

[Doug Hodges]

Originally Posted by Candace

Thanks for the feedback. Its unlikely that I am going to be able to afford another $250 so a buddy is not in the mix here not to mention this breeder has one available right now. I would agree that the ultimate, optimal, perfect arrangement would be about half a dozen, but I'm getting one. I have goat milk replacer which I read elsewhere is better than using cow's milk.

Get the cows milk. Listen to experience from real people that use it and have tried both ways.

[mary,tx]

Originally Posted by ----earaFarm

Not to be mean, but why ask questions of experience folks if you're going to shoot down their suggestions?

This comment reminds me when I was young and Mom asked why I always asked for her opinion and then did the opposite. I told her it was because I valued her opinion and wanted to consider it. But the decision was mine to make.

Everyone knows their own circumstances better than someone else. That doesn't mean they can't ask for and consider other's suggestions.

You say, not to be mean, but then you are.

[DamnearaFarm]

Originally Posted by mary,tx

This comment reminds me when I was young and Mom asked why I always asked for her opinion and then did the opposite. I told her it was because I valued her opinion and wanted to consider it. But the decision was mine to make.

Everyone knows their own circumstances better than someone else. That doesn't mean they can't ask for and consider other's suggestions.

You say, not to be mean, but then you are.

No, to be mean would be to put the op down, ridicule their questions, etc.
I simply commented that the op already had her bottle baby plan in place and asked for advice. Then discounted (didn't consider) all the advice she was given....by very experienced goat people. In that case, why bother asking?

[Otter]

No, Mary, she's right.
If you already know how you're going to do things, and only plan to ask people so you can tell tehm they're wrong, it's rude.

She asked experienced folks if milk replacer was a good idea and if her kid would be ok.
Milk replacer is a bad idea, and no, kids need either company or extra effort to stay warm in winter.

Now, was it me and I'd just spent $250 on a good doe I sure wouldn't kill it with milk replacer just because I had some. And when a whole bunch of folks told me that I needed a buddy and mentioned $50 wethers, I might ask where I could find one.

As it happens, some forum members might have one for sale. I have a 3 week old soon-to-be-wether for sale for $50 from a nice clean herd, disbudded and will have his shots next week. I'm sure I'm not the only one. But even my little $50 wether is not a throw-away kid, I want to be sure he'll be going to a good home where he'll be well taken care of (even if his ultimate goal is the freezer, he should get there in good health) and that means someone who, knowing that they've never done this before and I have, will take good advice, instead of needing to make all the mistakes themselves on my poor animal.

[mary,tx]

I'm not saying anyone here has given bad advice. I am saying that there is nothing rude about asking opinions on something and choosing not to take any particular advice that is given. No one asks a question with the pledge to do whatever they are told. We all make up our own minds, and at times make our own mistakes. We are not being rude by doing so.

[fcnubian]

Milk replacer is a bad idea...I almost killed a couple kids with that crud when I first got into bottle raising goats. I wasn't educated on how bad that stuff was. I switched to whole cows milk when goat milk wasn't available and the kids thrived on it. After my experience with the milk replacer, I will NEVER use it again and every person that buys a kid from me I highly recommend regular cows milk from the store if they don't have goat milk available.

[RWDitto]

You can buy a baby buckling for 25.00 around here for a mate, but a goat is a herd animal and will do poorly alone. Milk replacer is not a good idea, cow milk will not bloat or scour them like replacer can.