# Bottle nursing questions for a 1st timer



## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

I have 2, 2 week old Nubians. 

Star is fatter and is eating well. I just fed them for the 1st time since getting them today.

I was having trouble w/ the goat nipples on a Pepsi bottle. It didn't seem like milk was coming out as if it kept getting clogged.

So I switched to using a human baby bottle w/ a regular nipple. That worked much better.

Star drank 7 ounces and was willing to drink more, but I was concerned w/ Thunder so I stopped to feed her. 

Thunder seems skinny to me. She was not sucking nearly as hard as Star. I only was able to get around 3 ounces into her and it took some time and effort to do. I even kept squeezing the bottle a bit trying to get more milk into her mouth and was careful to not cause choking.

I am going back out there and try it some more and plan on feeding Thunder often till she seems to be eating better. 

The previous owner gave me some of their mother's milk. I am mixing a tad of replacer in it to get them slowly used to drinking that.

Is their a trick to making the goat nipples work better? 

Is there something I can do to make Thunder nurse better?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I like the Pritchard nipple. It is the red nipple with a yellow screw cap.


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## shirley (Apr 11, 2014)

Im wanting to bottle feed or kids when they are born! Is there a way that i can bottke feed then during the day and they can nurse off mommy at night?


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

They are both eating well now. Yay!


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

ksalvagno said:


> I like the Pritchard nipple. It is the red nipple with a yellow screw cap.


What does it screw on to; a baby bottle, coke bottle?


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

shirley said:


> Im wanting to bottle feed or kids when they are born! Is there a way that i can bottke feed then during the day and they can nurse off mommy at night?


I am no expert but I would think you could put the mother's milk in a bottle and do it but, I will let more experience goat people chime in on that one.


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## Daisy-Mae (Feb 24, 2014)

I wouldn't use replacer. Use whole cows milk. 


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

SlapHappy said:


> What does it screw on to; a baby bottle, coke bottle?


Pepsi product 20 ounce bottle. Take off the ring that is left from the cap.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I've only used the Pritchard nipples before too. Works well on coke and or water bottles. You do have to cut the tips off though;-)


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

Daisy-Mae said:


> I wouldn't use replacer. Use whole cows milk.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


If I knew what I do now I would, but I already bought the replacer.


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

janeen128 said:


> I've only used the Pritchard nipples before too. Works well on coke and or water bottles. You do have to cut the tips off though;-)


Cut the tips off of the nipples or the bottle?


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

SlapHappy said:


> Cut the tips off of the nipples or the bottle?


The nipples..


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

janeen128 said:


> The nipples..


I Know that sounded stupid LOL

I would be scared the goat would choke if I did that.

I might try cutting a little x in the tip like I use to when feeding my babies cereal.

not sure.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

A lamb or goat replacer is way better then whole cows milk from a store. There is a much higher protein and fat content in the replacer along with other vitamins and minerals added.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

SlapHappy said:


> I Know that sounded stupid LOL
> 
> I would be scared the goat would choke if I did that.
> 
> ...


The pritcherd teat nipples the red nipples yellow caps, you have to cut the tips off because milk cannot flow...


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

Ok I have another question. How many ounces should a 2 wk old Nubian be eating and how many times a day?

The breeder I got her from says twice a day 2 times a day but I have read on here more than twice a day w/ less at a feeding. I cannot remember how many times and the ounces.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

I have always feed them till they are done. 2 or 3 times a day. Look like little foot balls with legs


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

TDG-Farms said:


> I have always feed them till they are done. 2 or 3 times a day. Look like little foot balls with legs


I have read that if they over eat replacer they get scours. Is this just when they are 1st getting started on it?

Both of them do need fattening up. They both look thin to me especially Thunder.

Would adding a little Molasses to their milk help?

The woman who gave them to me is inexperienced w/ raising them.The woman who sold her her 1st goats instructed her to feed them twice a day, 20 ounces.That just does not sound right to me. I would think the older they get the more they would drink (till they are eating more hay), and they need to be feed several times a day.

I am not sure but it seems like I woke them up both times I fed them and Thunder just doesn't like to eat till she is wide awake so early in the morning just before daylight; I am going to flip the light on and talk to them then when it gets daylight go feed and water the birds then go back to feed the goats. Hopefully that is the trick w/Thunder.

I actually fed Thunder 3 times. The 1st time she only ate a couple of ounces, then about 30 minutes later she ate 8 ounces. Then last night she only ate 3 ounces. So I know she can eat well when she wants too.

I plan on getting them on a schedule but for now I just want to get them both up to at least 16 ounces a feeding hopefully 3 times a day. Does that sound like the right amount of milk?

If I can't quickly get them to eat that much at once I will try to feed them more often.


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## Haviris (Oct 7, 2007)

Don't know if this will help, and my feeding schedule does vary depending on how many kids, time of year, and how they are being kept. Firstly I always feed several times a day, 5 usually in the beginning, and then down to 4 at a week or two old, which they are pretty much kept on til at least 8 weeks, at which time I may go down to 3, or may continue with 4, it depends on how many kids I'm feeding, and how they are doing at that point. Also I use whole milk and feed as much as they want to eat at each feeding, and it will vary, even with kids of the same size and breed, some take more, some take less, some eat fast, some eat slow. Although I will say, at 2 weeks, and being a full sized dairy kid I would expect your kid to be eating more then 3oz, especially if she's only being fed two times a day.

Anyway, for my current kid, a one week old boer/nubian cross, being that I only have the one and he's in the house, I don't have a schedule, I feed him when he says he's hungry, he generally takes between 7 and 10 oz (averages 8oz) each feeding, he probably eats 4 or 5 times a day, but I can't swear to that. Two days a week while I'm at work my mom watches him for me and gives him a bottle 4 hours in, Fridays we are both at work so he has to go 7 hours between bottles (my other two work days are at night and he doesn't need night time bottles, I just feed him before I leave and when I get back the next morning).

When I have more kids, they are generally kept in a pen or in the barn and it's not so easy to just 'let them tell me when they are hungry', especially since chances are they will decide to be hungry at different times, so in cases like that I have to have a set schedule.


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## Haviris (Oct 7, 2007)

shirley said:


> Im wanting to bottle feed or kids when they are born! Is there a way that i can bottke feed then during the day and they can nurse off mommy at night?


Kids don't need to eat at night, also sounds stressful on the doe, having her kids constantly taken away. She will probably get use to it, but after how long? If you do do it be sure to feed them the same milk (mom's milk) and don't switch them back and forth.


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## shirley (Apr 11, 2014)

So the can go nights without being bottle fed or nursed? I was wanting to leave he kids with mom just bottle feed to make them friendlier. Im a first time goat mommy so i dont know anything about all this.


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

Star ate 13 oz, Thunder ate 3oz. I am going back and feeding her more in a few minutes. Would adding Molasses help, or could it give her scours?


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

shirley said:


> So the can go nights without being bottle fed or nursed? I was wanting to leave he kids with mom just bottle feed to make them friendlier. Im a first time goat mommy so i dont know anything about all this.


I am new too but from what I understand; you can feed them in the early evening but do not have to get up in the middle of the night to feed them. Once the lights are out and it is dark;they will sleep all night.

I do not know how the Mommy goat would feel about all this.A more experienced breeder would know.

I think all Does are different.Some are more protective than others. You might be risking her rejecting iit all together. I do not know.


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

I noticed a clumpy poo in the barn. Is this ok? They are both very active.​


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

janeen128 said:


> I've only used the Pritchard nipples before too. Works well on coke and or water bottles. You do have to cut the tips off though;-)


I just looked up nipple types. NOW I see what you were talking about.

I have lamb nipples. I knew that didn't sound right. They have the xs in their tips. I might need to make those xs a little bigger. For now though the baby bottle is working.http://goat-link.com/content/view/94/76/#.U007EFfLLUA


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## kc8lsk (Jan 10, 2014)

I use a baby bottle all the way through you will need 2 for each one but they do just fine on them and you can get baby bottles for less than the lamb nipples almost I pay about a dollar a bottle for the baby bottles modify the nipple a little and it works. I have bottle fed with the baby bottles for 3 years now and I bottle feed only I don't leave any of my babies on the mothers.


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

kc8lsk said:


> I use a baby bottle all the way through you will need 2 for each one but they do just fine on them and you can get baby bottles for less than the lamb nipples almost I pay about a dollar a bottle for the baby bottles modify the nipple a little and it works. I have bottle fed with the baby bottles for 3 years now and I bottle feed only I don't leave any of my babies on the mothers.


Do you give them the mother's milk or replacer? Have you given baby goats replacer. The horror stories on using this is really worrying me.

I started adding some replacer to the Mom's milk yesterday so that I can slowly get them use to it.

In the barn today was clumpy but not runny poops. I want to stay on top of all this and not let it get to the point of no return.


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## Haviris (Oct 7, 2007)

shirley said:


> So the can go nights without being bottle fed or nursed? I was wanting to leave he kids with mom just bottle feed to make them friendlier. Im a first time goat mommy so i dont know anything about all this.


Yes they can go nights without being bottle fed or nursed, you can leave them on mom and suppliment then with a bottle a day (I wouldn't feed more then that if it's not needed, you don't want to over feed), I've only done that when it was needed (have only done it once, w/ an elderly boer doe, actually lost her when they were 7 weeks and they became full bottle babies), so don't know how well that goes, seems like they may start to refuse the bottle if they are getting enough from mom. Honestly if you want them to be friendly, just spend lots of time with them. My dam raised kids were just as friendly as bottle kids, only difference I saw was the bottle kids excepted change a little better (but that was full time bottle kids, not part time).


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## Haviris (Oct 7, 2007)

How has their poop looked up to this point? I'd definitely want to keep an eye on it.


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

Haviris said:


> How has their poop looked up to this point? I'd definitely want to keep an eye on it.


It still looks the same.It isn't runny, just a little clumpy like little bbs stuck together. I know what adult goat poop is suppose to look like but not baby poop. They are both very active and seem to feel good.

Thunder just guzzled down 8 ounces. She seems to be sucking better. I will feed her another 8 ounce bottle in a bit. I think she would have drank it when she drank the 1st one but being as she has not been eating well; I did not want her to get too much too fast.

She does not seem to be dehydrated or anything.


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## shirley (Apr 11, 2014)

Our dixie is the clumpy poo today too! Normally shes got good hard pellets for us and now we are getting big clumps of pellets. Is this a problem or is it just because shes a pregnant mama?


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

I repeat I am no expert but from what I have read clumpy poo can be due to worms. 

I am wondering if this my be the case with my kids. 

I just am afraid to worm them right now, because of the change in their diet, I don't want to add something that might give them scours. I do not know about worming goats but worming can give dogs diarrhea. 

If someone could chime in on this I would appreciate it. Can wormer give kids scours, or should I worm them. I need to ask the breeder if she has wormed them.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

I would get a fecal done that includes cocci. Coccidiosis is common in kids this age, so I would check that out.


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

So far today between 8:00 AM and 7:30 PM; Star has eaten 47 ounces. Thunder only 20 ounces. I am going back in a bit and try to get more milk into her. From what I understand; Thunder is eating half of what she should be eating. It seems once a day, she gets in the mood to drink a bottle forcefully and quickly. The rest of the time she will slowly drink an ounce at a time w/ short breaks of me petting her and telling her she is a good girl. Then by the 3rd ounce she totally refuses.

I hope this changes very soon. No one answered me about Molasses. Should I add some molasses to her bottle?


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

I like the name Dixie BTW. I might just steal that idea being as I moved up to Wisconsin from Ga. I don't like the name "Star". The little boys who had her named her. I like Thunder though.


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## shirley (Apr 11, 2014)

I am worried about worming dixie because of her being pregnant. We have a cat named star lol. I do like thunder il let u steal dixie and il steal thunder deal?


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

shirley said:


> I am worried about worming dixie because of her being pregnant. We have a cat named star lol. I do like thunder il let u steal dixie and il steal thunder deal?


It's a deal


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Shirley I wormed my Dixie about 2 weeks ago and she is due May 1st. It's better to worm them before kidding I was told because the worms can take a lot out of her and make her anemic. 


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

I don't think I would add molasses to her bottle, I would keep it straight milk. You could put a tablespoon on her tongue once or twice a day for extra energy.
Do you have nutri drench? A couple shots of that will also be a good pick-me-up for her, and selenium if you're in a deficient area and she hasn't previously had it.
I think she would eat more and grow better with goats milk, or whole cows milk. Real milk is just way easier on their tummy, so they'll end up eating more and will be happier.if you do switch to real milk, start slow so they don't get scours.
Oh, and you should buy a probiotic paste or powder and give her some of that daily. This will help sort out and digestive issues that are affecting her appetite.


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## kc8lsk (Jan 10, 2014)

SlapHappy said:


> Do you give them the mother's milk or replacer? Have you given baby goats replacer. The horror stories on using this is really worrying me.
> 
> I started adding some replacer to the Mom's milk yesterday so that I can slowly get them use to it.
> 
> In the barn today was clumpy but not runny poops. I want to stay on top of all this and not let it get to the point of no return.


I have given replacer my first year and they grew just fine a little slow but fine. This year I'm giving 3 ounces of goat's milk to 5 ounces of cows milk and they are growing even better my 10 week old babies weigh about 30# each and the 9 week one is almost there too but I've had them on a good schedule where they were getting fed 5 times a day for a while. That really takes time you might need somewhere else.


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

canyontrailgoats said:


> I don't think I would add molasses to her bottle, I would keep it straight milk. You could put a tablespoon on her tongue once or twice a day for extra energy.
> Do you have nutri drench? A couple shots of that will also be a good pick-me-up for her, and selenium if you're in a deficient area and she hasn't previously had it.
> I think she would eat more and grow better with goats milk, or whole cows milk. Real milk is just way easier on their tummy, so they'll end up eating more and will be happier.if you do switch to real milk, start slow so they don't get scours.
> Oh, and you should buy a probiotic paste or powder and give her some of that daily. This will help sort out and digestive issues that are affecting her appetite.


Thank you.


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