# Baby Goat will not eat!!!!!!!!!



## TheNewGoat (Jul 6, 2016)

I got to new goats yesterday and the female is just like 2 weeks and the male is about a month.(The lady had lots of goats and the moms did not have any milk) The youngest drank a bottle last night about 8 then again at 4 and this morning about 8. He has not eat at all just sucked once or twice and turned his noise up. He is not as active and they both have pale lids!!! Also both have a yellow pale pasty poo, and a cough what should I do for the little once.


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

The baby might not be bottle trained as for the poo it's normal they just haven't had a lot on hay, grass, and grain so till that starts the poo will be that way. Defiantly keep bottle feeding BOTH of them they are way too young to be off their moms and let them have plenty of grass even if they nibble let them have that option and after the bottle let them have water from a bowl or bottle feed them that too.


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## TheNewGoat (Jul 6, 2016)

Okay thank you she said he has been on a bottle for 2 weeks and had to pull him because the mom did not have much milk he was losing weight


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Don't feed water in a bottle. That causes health problems. The milk may be too warm or cool and it may not be what they are used to. Try different nipples. I've had good luck with the "Pritchard" nipples. Little red nipples on a yellow base. You snip off the tip. They are very easy to nurse on. There is a little hole for a vent, that needs to be up as they are nursing.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

What are you feeding? Best would be whole cow's milk to help with transition. For difficult babies, I sometimes have to keep using a syringe to give a little at a time and just keep it up. It takes a long time. Baby needs nourishment. Don't give up on the bottle. You can cover his eyes with a towel, just keep trying.

The cough concerns me. Make sure the bottle is higher than the head - tilt so it mimics the height of the mother's udder. Make sure they aren't getting milk too fast and aspirating. Take a temp and make sure they aren't developing pneumonia at this age. Do it rectally - normal temp is 101.5 to 103.5.

If you can't get this baby going soon, you may have to tube it. And yes, DO NOT give baby water in a bottle. If they are on milk, they don't need it until they learn how to drink from a bucket.

Also, 4 weeks is prime age for coccidia. If he hasn't been treated I would do that too.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I agree, get a temp asap. Young kids can go from cough to deceased in a very short time period.

Warm cows milk, unless you are using the exact same formula they were using or can get your hands on goats milk (I'd try buying goats milk if you can from a goat dairy).


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

Sorry I didn't mean to say that I don't know what I was thinking but I agree don't bottle feed water and if after a month do tube feeding if covering their heads with a towel doesn't work


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

How much milk is he getting and how much does he weigh? over feeding can cause them to go off the bottle, constipation or runny poo....

I agree..whole cows milk is a good choice..


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

How is your baby doing?


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## TheNewGoat (Jul 6, 2016)

He is a month old i do not have a weight the bottle is about 8-10oz they gave me the once they were using to help keep them going good. I am feeding warm cows milk. He eats about half a bottle were she at two weeks eats 1 1/2 bottles 4 times a day so he is taking in about 16-20oz to her 52-60oz he is the only one coughing but he is eating more with each day they sprayed the eyes for flys and treated for cordial the day i got them.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

not all babies can eat the same amount..hows his poops...also I would get his temp...101.5-103.5 is normal range..any runny nose or eyes?

What did they spray his eyes with for flies? what did they use for coccidia?


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Can you find a vet who treats goats in your area? They may charge less if you bring the goats to them--ours did. I just have a bad feeling--from what it sounds like, their mothers might not have been very healthy if they really didn't have enough milk for their kids. (Rejecting kids is a different matter) The kids could have been exposed to all sorts of parasites or germs. Are you keeping the kids warm, like in the house with a heat lamp? I'm glad you're offering hay. Most really like alfalfa & it's very nutritious. 

Good luck!


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## TheNewGoat (Jul 6, 2016)

So i found out they did not get to nurse at all i gave them both a colostrum replacer and some electrolytes and now he is eating his whole bottle.:leap: They stay inside the house close to a heater but they can move away from it if they like he just started pooing for the first time in 3 days he went from a runny foam like yellow poop to little yellowish balls and no one has runs any more the like to nibble a sweet feed and love the fresh grass but would rather be inside with me then out in their little pen alone for an hour lol so sweat. I have no idea what they treated them with for anything. But i am happy with the progress he is now eating a whole bottle just like her. so maybe they did not give him enough colostrum


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Wow, sounds like they're doing fine now! I'm so glad!


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

The benefits of colostrum are only for the first 48-72 hours after birth. Giving them colostrum at this age won't benefit them any.


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

the colostrum is already too late and wouldn't work but it sounds like the electrolytes helped glad to hear they're both doing great!


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## TheNewGoat (Jul 6, 2016)

I gave pinacillan for 3 days now and cough is almost gone but she is now poopind a really reddish color diarria what should I do


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

She is ripe age for coccidia. Have a fecal.done asap...are you feeding water via a bottle?


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