# Bottle baby always hungry



## Cardinal (May 15, 2013)

Most of the articles on bottle babies have been on how to get them to take to a bottle.
Well, I'm certainly not having problems getting this one to eat, in fact, it seems she's constantly hungry!

She's 10 hours old and has been getting 4-5 ounces every 2-3 hours. I've read that 2-3 oz is normal fo this frequency, I cut her off at 4 but she seems constantly hungry and trying to suck on everything from hands to clothing to furniture. 

Is this normal behavior for a bottle fed baby? (she's our first) How much is ok to feed them?


----------



## mmiller (Apr 3, 2012)

Yes its normal. I have raised alot of bottle calves an they do the samething. With her just being hours old she thinks anything an everything has milk in it. As she gets older she will only attack you an not the funiture. I am raising my first bottle baby an I dont remember how much they should eat at that age. I was feeding mine about 2 oz every 2 to 3 hours. I wasnt prepared for a bottle baby (Momma wouldnt let her milk down an then flat out rejected baby) So its kinda all a blur.


----------



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Yep, babies are always hungry! but over-feeding is more dangerous than under-feeding. Right now I am only supplementing a little extra while they are on their dams (quads). I judge by the tummy. You want it gently rounded, not tight, not sunken.


----------



## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

A hungry baby is a healthy baby!


----------



## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

What breed is she? With my kids I give them as much as they will take the first two weeks. Usually they will take 12 ounces 4 times a day, I then gradually work them up to 3 20 oz bottles per day for the next couple months, then start to drop off so they can begin to be weaned. A newborn should be fed as much as they will take. If they were with mom, they would nurse until they are full. Full size kids should get at minimum 20 oz of colostrum in the first 24 hours. Most of my kids take that in the first two feedings. 

If she is hungry, feed her. She will get full and stop.


----------



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

ptgoats45 said:


> If she is hungry, feed her. She will get full and stop.


My kids would eat themselves sick! Maybe it's the breed :laugh:


----------



## geonjenn (Oct 3, 2012)

Our first two goats were bottle babies that we got at one and two weeks old. Shortly after we got them, I went to work on a contract out of town during the week, home on weekends and my husband had our friend/housekeeper helping him with the babies. She fed them the set amount and they wanted more so she fed them again shortly after. They still acted hungry so she thought they needed more and fed them again. And again. And one more time until my husband got home and realized what was happening. She just loved them so much and didn't want them to be hungry. LOL. Well, it took over a week to get their tummies straightened out and though he didn't tell me until they were out of the woods, my husband and friend were pretty worried for a while. They are both healthy happy yearling does now.

I think that the mom lets them eat often but not a lot at a time, so we may think they get as much as they want, but she is actually controlling their intake in her own discreet way.


----------



## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

I think that it's much better for them to be a "little" hungry after the bottle. You want them to start eating grain and hay/grass/browse, as early as possible. And, they won't if they are "stuffed" on milk all the time. If you watch a doe, she will stand to feed them for a short time...then she moves off...later they eat a little more...I don't think I've every seen a kid stop nursing of its own accord...mom feeds and moves on...no way they are drinking more then a few ounes each time she stops!

Now, that said, I agree they should have enough colostrum, of course. And, I feed my bottle babies 5 times a day to start. I'm lucky I can do that...but...a few ounces at a time...increasing amounts slowly...introducing grain mix early...watch their weight so you can be sure they are gaining an acceptable amount. And, you will be fine.


----------



## RedGate (Dec 7, 2012)

I feed my newborns as much as they want too... Their mothers let them nurse all they want the first couple of days so I try to do the same. They do stop. I've never had an issue with one over eating. I personally would not be concerned with feeding her a few more oz at all. Feeding babies is not a precise science and no one regimen fits all kids.


----------



## Cardinal (May 15, 2013)

Thanks everyone for weighing in. Seems like the only rule is that every kid is different! 

She's doing well on 4oz every two hours, total of 8 feedings/day. I guess we'll stick with that for the time being.


----------



## Suzanne Dunn (Jan 12, 2018)

My 2 1/2 week old kids take 8oz. 5 times a day. Whole vit. D milk. No replacement. Being raised in my guest room for now. It has been so cold since the night they were born and mom was not cleaning them. They couldn't walk or suck and we're so small so I have been spoiling them in the house and doing great.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Bottle babies, when feeling good and healthy, will want more when the bottle is empty. Tough love is best, feed no more than what is recommend for the kids size and age.  
It is a response to suck reflex, which is good and normal. But if you over feed, that will kill them. 

Feel the tummy, if it is full, they are fine, but not overly full.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

This is an old thread from 2013. But still contains good information.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)




----------



## Madgoat (Jan 8, 2017)

Cardinal said:


> Thanks everyone for weighing in. Seems like the only rule is that every kid is different!
> 
> She's doing well on 4oz every two hours, total of 8 feedings/day. I guess we'll stick with that for the time being.


This is what schedule I followed for the first month or so. Worked great for me.


----------

