how much solid feed for bottle kids as they grow?

Alice In TX/MO · #1 05/26/14, 06:45 PM

Now that we have a pen of goat kids from age 5 weeks to 3 months, I have NO CLUE how much feed to put out.

They have hay and browse.

How much feed should be offered?

harvestmoonfarm · #2 05/26/14, 07:02 PM

We just throw a coffee can full of goat pellet mixed with alfalfa pellet and BOSS in a rubber pan for the 6 kids each night when they get locked up. They're all growing beautifully.

Alice In TX/MO · #3 05/26/14, 07:05 PM

Coffee cans come in different sizes.

The size formerly known as a pound?

harvestmoonfarm · #4 05/26/14, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Coffee cans come in different sizes.

The size formerly known as a pound?

One of the old metal cans, sorry. Not sure how many ounces, but it's the old-style that was sold before plastic became popular

One of my doelings gained 11 lbs in 3 weeks, and the least amount gained by any of them was 9.5 lbs in 3 weeks, so I know they're eating well. We also give them a bag of hay (I hang it on the outside of their chainlink pen so they have to pull the hay through to eat it - no danger of getting tangled up, and they don't spin the bag repeatedly that way).

MDKatie · #5 05/26/14, 07:39 PM

I usually free feed grain until they're of the age where they get greedy and gobble down more than they should. I'd say maximum 1 lb/head/day.

Doug Hodges · #6 05/26/14, 08:43 PM

I'm feeding as much as they can eat. I never let the feeders get empty.

harvestmoonfarm · #7 05/26/14, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Hodges

I'm feeding as much as they can eat. I never let the feeders get empty.

How do you keep the adults out of it, or are you bottle feeding? I haven't figured out a way to set up a creep feeding system, so my kids only get grain at night when they get locked up.

madness · #8 05/26/14, 09:45 PM

We usually do one cup of grain per kid, two times a day. Free feed hay and browse. Our "grain" is a 50/50 oats and barley mixture with some BOSS, beet pulp and molasses thrown in.

GoldenWood Farm · #9 05/26/14, 11:40 PM

My kids started out from about 3 weeks on with free choice grain/hay/alfalfa. Now they get free choice grain, hay and Chaffhaye along with their morning bottle, they also have full time access to pasture. Mine are now 2 months to almost 4 months old

.

My kids grew great and in fact by 6 weeks of age my bucks where over 40lbs closing in on 50lbs

.

Justine

Doug Hodges · #10 05/27/14, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harvestmoonfarm

How do you keep the adults out of it, or are you bottle feeding? I haven't figured out a way to set up a creep feeding system, so my kids only get grain at night when they get locked up.

I'm keeping them in a different pasture during the day and locking them up at night and yes. I'm lambar (bottle) feeding.

southerngurl · #11 05/27/14, 08:40 AM

I also start mine out at free choice. If you're not already doing free choice, it will be kind of hard, since you have some kids that are older in there. But I feed free choice until they get up to eating 1 lb a day per kid and I then continue to feed them 1/2 lb twice a day from there.

I would just do a very slow increase until they are leaving some.

coso · #12 05/27/14, 08:59 AM

I challenge feed. If they have ate up all that I have put out in the morning I put more out at night. If not I don't. If they eat it all one day I give a little more the next. They have alfalfa and orchard grass hay out free choice also.

**mygoat** · #13 05/27/14, 09:00 AM

I creep feed as well. The trick is getting it out there before they eat solid food so they wean themselves onto it. Much easier that way, than trying to slowly introduce it to prevent bellyaches.

I do 2 parts medicated/balanced lamb pellet, 1 part alfalfa pellet. Free choice hay/minerals/water/baking soda too.

mzgarden · #14 05/27/14, 09:12 AM

very helpful discussion.
just to confirm what I'm reading, because we are new to this as well -- consensus is free choice hay, alfalfa and either
1) free choice grain until they are eating a pound per day each
or 2) feed half a pound every morning and another half a pound every evening 'forever' (or until they are pregnant/lactating).

Did I catch this properly?

Doug Hodges · #15 05/27/14, 01:23 PM

Yep...

dozedotz · #16 05/27/14, 02:46 PM

We have a buyer who tells us that the buckling they purchased from us is not taking any milk (this is on a different thread). The buckling is 8 weeks old. What would you all advise I tell her to give this little one since he is refusing to drink milk? We feed milk forever and no grain until maybe 6 months of age...we have never had a kid refuse milk and so this thread is very helpful at this time...what/how much for the very young kid that REFUSES milk?? Thanks!!

**mygoat** · #17 05/27/14, 02:49 PM

Free choice hjgh quality hay and browse, minerals, baking soda to start.

Start offering grain in a small quantity - a cup or so. Increase slowly. I strongly suggest a lamb pellet for bucklings, because not only is it balanced 2:1 calcium, it also contains ammonium chloride as well.

coso · #18 05/27/14, 02:50 PM

Are they getting it too warm, too cold? Some of mine that were born in the middle of March are backing off quite a bit right now. Seems like when the weather warms up they don't like to take milk as well. IME anyway. One reason I like early kids !!

Doug Hodges · #19 05/27/14, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dozedotz

We have a buyer who tells us that the buckling they purchased from us is not taking any milk (this is on a different thread). The buckling is 8 weeks old. What would you all advise I tell her to give this little one since he is refusing to drink milk? We feed milk forever and no grain until maybe 6 months of age...we have never had a kid refuse milk and so this thread is very helpful at this time...what/how much for the very young kid that REFUSES milk?? Thanks!!

Wanted you to know that the girls are liking the free choice noble goat. They are quitting the lambar before it's empty and Fawn (adga named her Lawn today but that's another story) isn't really that interested in the milk. I have to help her by putting her on the nipple. They are filling up on the pellets and browse and not wanting as much milk. Since I started giving the pellets free choice, the others have really started growing. I just started this when I got back from Fredonia at the urging of Ruth Green. Her babies were bigger than mine. So I decided to give as much pellets and milk as they can hold.

dozedotz · #20 05/27/14, 02:54 PM

Very helpful, as always! Thanks! We are soooooo devoted to giving milk and have never had a kid refuse milk that frankly, I just didn't think: What happens if the kid will not take the milk~!?? Much appreciated...I just hope nothing else is wrong...This is the biggest kid..over 40 pounds, loves and I mean loves his milk!! Very, very surprised that he is the one that is refusing milk!! She says he is passing pellets and peeing, eating grass pasture and playing (her words: "very active") So, I am inclined to think it just is what it is...BUT I worry!!!