# New Baby Goat - won't take bottle



## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

I got my 1st baby goats a few days ago! Yeay! One is 8 wks and doing great. The other is 6 wks. Was planning to bottle feed her for a few weeks, but she won't take bottle, or if she does, only 1 oz at a time. Breeder said she was eating on her own, and I have seen her eat hay & alfalfa pellets, but should I keep trying to make her take milk? Today is day 4. Plus I can't find any treats that she will eat: no on raisin, apple, nuts, corn chips. Please advise on bottle feeding!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Who won't take the bottle, the 6 week old or the 8 week old?


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

The 6-week old won't take bottle. The 8-week old seems fine on her own. Breeder said she tried to bottle feed the 6-week old before sending home with me and she wouldn't take it, but thought she'd be ok anyway.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Is she eating grain and hay? Have you tried putting milk in a bowl for her? Six weeks old is really a bit young not to have milk but they can survive.


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

She is eating alfalfa pellets & hay. I'll get Goat Chow today for them. Have not tried milk in a bowl, but I will! Any advice re: treats? She also said no to banana. Thank you.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

try a little honey on the nipple..first put some on your finger and let her taste it...do it gain an dthis time touch the back of her tongue to stimulate the sucking reflex...do this until sheis sucking like crazy the honey off your finger then slip in the nipple withhoney on it..she will taste the honey first...make sure themilk is nice and warm...it might take a time or two but dont give up....the milk will do her good...Might try the same ting with the 8 week old..try to get another months of milk in them..best wishes and congrats on your new babies


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Okay. She did not love the honey, didn't really want to taste it, but did have sucking reflex when I put finger/honey on back of her tongue, and then took 1/2 oz milk. After that she bucked & wanted to get away from me. I will try the bowl of milk in a little while suggested by Karen S.


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

P.S. It seems that everything I'm doing to try to get her to take the bottle is making her like me less, which is why I'm trying to figure out what kind of treat she will like.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Was she really bottle fed, or did the breeder have her on the dam? Normally, my goats that have been bottle babies, they will know what a bottle is until the day they die! I have an 11 year old doe that will drink from a bottle if I let her


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

The baby was on the dam. The breeder was supposed to get her on the bottle before I brought her home, but told me she wouldn't take it well, but that I could try. She assured me the baby would be okay, said she was eating. But everything I'm reading says they need milk until 8-12 weeks, so in hindsight I wish I'd left her there 2 more weeks. Breeder has assured me 2x that the baby will be fine, but I'm stressing over this.


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## ShelbyAnn50 (Apr 8, 2012)

When I got my six day old bottle baby it was absolutely horrible to feed him. We needed two people for the job. One person would hold them down, and the other would shove the bottle in and hold it there. After about two weeks of that routine he would finally take it without force! Good luck!


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I would maybe put her in a head lock between your legs and shove the bottle in her mouth, slowly squeeze it to get some milk out and she might start drinking.


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Yes, I've been doing that: holding her between my knees, holding the bottle in her mouth, squeezing some in... she'll take a little bit only. That's how I get 1/2 to 1 oz in her. 
These are my FIRST goats. The 8-week old is doing great, friendly, loves raisins. The 6-week old is as I've been writing (although she's not shaking any more after the move here), and I can't find anything she loves (tried: raisins, nuts, corn chip, apple, banana, cereal, honey, corn kernels from cob).
How important is it to make her drink milk, when she is only getting 3.5 oz in 3 feedings? Anything else I should try as far as treats? 
Thanks for all your help.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

How much does she weigh? And what breed?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

What about Milk Replacer pellets? She may eat them, your feed store even might have them even the ones for foals or calves would be fine as well.


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Okay, that was an interesting exercise! She weighs about 18 pounds, is a Mini-Nubian. Her height at the top of her shoulder is 16". 
My local feed store doesn't have milk replacer pellets, but does have Calf Manna (25 lb is smallest size).


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Oh, also wanted to say, she was born 5/10, and will be 7 weeks on 6/28, Friday. I've had her since 6/23.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

She should be getting roughly 34oz of milk per day. Calf manna is better than nothing if she wont drink milk. It has a lot of vitamins and minerals, high protein etc. That will help her grow.
Just introduce it slowly.


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Wow! That's the 1st thing I've offered her (other than hay & alfalfa pellets) that she's wanted to eat! Also the 8-week old. They both love it. I gave them each about 1/8 to 1/4 cup just now. When you say introduce it slowly, can you be more specific? This is such a great help. I'm so relieved to see her eagerly eating something I've offered.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I meant slowly as in don't dump an entire bag in the feeder at a time, lol
Just give her a little bit like you are doing, and slowly increase the amount every day or two. 
Say day one she is getting 1/2 a cup a day, and then day 2 add a tiny bit more ( say 1/8 cup), same for all the days to follow, untill you work her up to about 1/2 a pound a day or so. As she gets older and bigger you can slowly increase it to 3/4 to 1 pound a day...


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Thank you so much! This is a turning point. I appreciate you taking the time.


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## precious (May 18, 2013)

Laurilsh. I have mini nubians and they can be so stubborn. We had a 4 day old doeling that we had to try and feed cuz dam ended up dying. Very sad she was my favorite. Anyways we tried whole cows milk, milk replacement then after a couple of weeks of her not eating much we started milking a doe who eas feeding her buckling. That was finally the trick for her taking the bottle. Now we can put anything in a bottle and she will take it. As far as treats my goats love the animal crackers and red licorice. They also like the black oiled sunflower seeds you would give to birds. The oil from the seeds also help with making their coat nice and shiny. Good luck


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Thanks for the tip on animal crackers, red licorice, will try! I've been trying to feed her goat milk. Will continue to try. I've used the black rubber lamb nipple & human baby nipple, with same results. I'm going out to try again now!


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

She would not take the bottle. Her consumption of calf manna was less exuberant this AM: she ate 1/8 c. & stopped, while the 8-wk old tried to eat all of it and had to keep her at bay so 6-wk old could eat.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

laurelsh said:


> Thanks for the tip on animal crackers, red licorice, will try! I've been trying to feed her goat milk. Will continue to try. I've used the black rubber lamb nipple & human baby nipple, with same results. I'm going out to try again now!


My bottle babies hate both those nipples, try one of these, they are called pritchard nipples, you can get them at a feed store, or Jeffers, or Hoegers etc. You have to cut a hole with a pair or scissors, just take the teeniest bit you can, just the very tip , just enough for milk to flow out. If you snip too much off the milk will pour out and that is a lot harder to deal with, and you can get it in their lungs easily, which you do not want.


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## Pparker (Mar 12, 2013)

*New Baby Goat*

The goat might not take the bottle, that is old to try her. I would get her some Calf Manna and add it to her daily ration. Sprinkle some the first couple of times then start with a half a cup a day. I would feed her at least a cup a day after she gets use to it.


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## goatfarmer4891 (May 9, 2013)

They should definitely still have milk at 6 weeks. It doesn't sound like the previous owners tried to switch her to a bottle because if so she would take it with no problem. As long as she is eating the grain and hay she should survive, but she will most likely be weaker than the other because she is not getting all the nutrients from the milk to help her immune system improve. Is she drinking water? If so, I would try to put a little bit of gatorade in the water for electrolytes (just make sure you don't give her to much or it might cause diarrhea) which will help her with her strength.


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

I obtained a Pritchard nipple & tried so hard to cut tiny bit, but when turned upside down, milk comes out in a tiny stream - is the hole too big? If so, have to get another one. I did get 1 oz in her with the black rubber lamb nipple just now. On the Calf Manna, the 8-wk old (Luna) LOVES & gobbles it up. 6-wk old (Bella) not so enamored with it today but did eat some early this AM. I'll try setting it out for both, maybe can put it out and see if both eat, or just 8-wk Luna - then will have to try something different.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

It's ok if a small amount of milk comes out of the pritchard nipple. You just don't want a huge stream. I have had a lot of luck getting older kids to take a bottle by putting them between my legs, hold their head slightly back, put the nipple in their mouth and squeezing their mouth just a little like they are sucking to get the milk to come out of the nipple. Usually they catch on pretty quick. Just do a squeeze and release, squeeze and release with her mouth. If she won't take a bottle you may just have to give it up and try getting her to eat the calf manna and grain to keep her growing well. I did have a Boer kid whose dam died when she was 6 weeks old. She was very wild and would not take a bottle, so I just left her with the herd, she was already used to eating grain from a creep feeder and she grew out just fine.


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Pritchard nipple is helping. She just took 2.25 oz and was not fighting to get away from it, was just relaxed sitting on my legs. This is a huge difference. Thanks! Now, to get the quantity up...


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Thats great! No the hole is fine, I have just seen people cut the entire tip of it off before, so I wanted you to be careful to only take a little off. Just enough to open it.


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## pygmy_lover (Jun 27, 2013)

My baby would drink out of an 'animal' bottle nipple, I had to buy an actual bottle and now he eats like crazy...


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## pygmy_lover (Jun 27, 2013)

Wouldn't drink out of an 'animal' bottle nipple** sorry


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## Amyh30 (Oct 23, 2012)

Try a little bit of molasses. I had difficulties trying to feed my little guy and was about ready to give up. I mixed a little bit in the milk and put a tiny amount on the nipple and every day it got easier and easier.


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

I think I mis-measured yesterday when I said she took 2+ oz.  It was 1+ oz. She continues to take 1 oz to 1.5 oz per feeding. But she's eating hay & alfalfa pellets & calf manna. So, I believe she's doing fine. I did try the molasses, with the last feeding. She didn't refuse it, but it didn't seem to make a difference.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

How warm is it when you are feeding her? The milk that is....


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

102-104...


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

is it really hot weather where you live? If so you may want to feed it a bit cooler, she might drink more


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Not really, 70's-80's, though this weekend it's going to be in the 90s. It is about 10-20 degrees hotter where she was born. Still taking about 1 oz at a time... though the Pritchard nipple is a definite improvement!


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Well just keep feeding her several times a day, better than no milk at all.


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Thanks, will do. I surely appreciate your input.


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Just an update, last night and today she is barely taking any milk, bucking and pulling away. I'm about to stop trying. Plus the bottle feeding has not made her more friendly! Anyway, just one question, for how long should I have her on the Calf Manna? Would love to post a pic of her, but need to figure out how!


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I would keep her on the calf manna until she is at least 7 months old.

To upload pics, click the manage attachments, and select a picture from a file on your computer, click upload and when it loads click reply.


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## laurelsh (Jun 26, 2013)

Thanks! Here they are. Bella is the top one I've been trying to bottle feed.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Awe, she's super cute!


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