# Bottle baby boer feeding schedule?



## ebysummer (Jan 23, 2014)

I have 4 bottle babies right now that are boers. I have been raising goats for about 3 years now and believe it or not have only had 2 sets of bottle babies. First question: Do milk goats need the same daily intake of milk that boers do? I ask this because when I ask people how often and how much they feed their goats they tell me a schedule but then say they are feeding MILKING goats. So that doesn't really help me figure out a good milking schedule since I don't have milking goats. Second is: What are your schedules? How much do you feed at each feeding? At what weeks are you feeding the amount? When do you switch to 2 feedings? When do you wean? I had a set of bottle babies that did wonderful on my last schedule and amounts but these ones are just not doing what they should be doing. I have 2 doelings that are almost 6 weeks of age and a doeling and a buckling that are almost 5 weeks of age and I am still feeding them 3 times a day because I can't seem to get them on a consistent schedule. Any input??


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

There is a "formula"on Fiasco. You feed them 10% of their body weight.
But Ive never gone by that. I feed them 4 times a day in the first month or so & go by if bellies are full but not bulging.
I also weigh once a week.
If they haven't gained at least 5# they get a few oz more.
The scale is your friend.

ps. Welcome!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

The best way to know how much to feed is to get their weight and multiply that by 16 to get it in ounces, then multiply that by 10-12% to see how much per day they need then divide that into 4 bottles daily...re weigh them weekly and adjust amount, but I never feed more than 16 ounces at one feeding...if they need more than that they should be eating and grazing and need less milk...You want flat but firm tummies, not sunkenin or bloated out...so keep watch for that..you want them pooping almost as many times as they are fed...

The way we do bottle feeding here is 4 bottles a day until they are about 1month I drop one bottle, then at 2 months they get 2 bottles..at 3 months I go one bottle until ready to ween...this depends on growth and readiness of each kid...
I do not add the dropped bottles milk to the other bottles, I just drop it, this encourages more hay graze and grain intake..

I have dairy goats but this is good for boer as well..
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/overfeedingnewbo.html


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

I'm currently raising 4 bottle babies, as well. They are all Kiko crosses. One was born the 6th of January, 2 were born the 7th of January, and the 4th I pulled off her mother on the 15th. I have already dropped the 4th bottle for all 4 of them. The first 3 are getting 14 oz's of milk replacer between 8 & 9, another 14 oz's around 3 pm, and 16 oz's around 10 pm. The 4th, younger doeling is on the same schedule, but she gets 11 oz's in the morning and afternoon and 13 oz's at 10. Once I get her worked up to 14 oz's, all of them will probably stay at that amount until I drop the middle bottle - I won't do that until they are eating the pellets well. All of them have fresh hay in front of them around the clock, and also goat grower pellets. They are eating the hay pretty good - not so much on the pellets yet.


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## Bunny (Feb 28, 2017)

We are feeding our boer 3 day old kids cattle milk replacement, but not sure how to mix it for our babies?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

This is a very old thread and it would be better to start your own. Cattle milk replacer is not great for goats, especially if it contains soy.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

cattle formula also has way too much copper from how I understand it...can cause cause toxicity


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