# How Much Formula



## DebMc (Dec 11, 2009)

I am trying to bottle feed two miniature goat kids that are 7 weeks of age. :wallbang: Up until now, they were being fed by mom. I wasn't supposed to get them until next month but a transport was coming through, the stars aligned and now they're here. :girl: :girl: I'm using Nurse-All and human baby bottles to feed them. They also have free access to hay, a pellet mix, select cut browse and loose minerals and baking soda. I would guess they weight about 15-18 lbs apiece and healthwise are nothing short of robust. Can anyone tell me how much formula they should be taking in daily at 7 weeks of age? 

Thanks in advance,

Deb Mc


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

My pygmy goat vet book says to give 2 feedings of 8-10 oz each day, at 12 hour intervals....be warned though that at 7 weeks and not being on anything but mom you likely won't get them on a bottle and as long as you see them drinking from a bucket, which they should be as well as eating on their own, you might be wasting formula. Congrats on your new girls!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

agreed -- I would just top dress their feed with the power formula OR make up a bucket of it and let them have that for their "water" till they learn to drink it from the bucket. 

a bottle at this point would be more fight then help


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Here is a great article. The sugar tip can help the bottle part too. Personally I would work on the bottle and leave feed out 24/7 or as often as you can, in time they will start eating more and more. The only problem with the bucket is a you have no idea what is being ate and then if your's are like mine, right now they are still learning to drink from a bucket for water too so it makes it hard not knowing and you could also run into over feeding. Just my two cents. Another thought is in a bucket you run into the formula seperating or going bad before it is drank. If poo or anthing get in it, a whole batch out the door.

http://tennesseemeatgoats.com/MeatGoatM ... index.html


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

JD you only make up what you need

a 7 week old is just about weaned -- in 1 week they can easily be weaned so its not a huge deal if they get a little extra or little less.

actually by 7 weeks mine are only getting 2 bottles a day (when I bottle feed).

as to the separation -- forumula doesnt really separate that much like milk does. I know of people who bucket feed their goats instead of bottle feeding. Once the goat knows thats where to get the milk they suck it up right away. 

Its more stressful on the kids to try and get them on the bottle after 7 weeks on mom. Talking from experience.


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## DebMc (Dec 11, 2009)

Thanks for all the insight and tips. These are my first bottle baby goats. Their breeder says they can be weaned on the 27th - 11 days to go.

I have been adding pure dextrose to the formula (1 tspn:8 ounces) and one of the girls is taking 8-10 ounces per feeding, twice a day. The other is only taking a couple/few ounces per feeding for a total of no more than 6 ounces/day, and that's what's got me concerned. She latches on, suckles a few minutes then either loses interest or gets distracted so it's been taking over an hour to get just 2-4 ounces down her. As someone pointed out, force bottle feeding just doesn't work. :shrug: They are both readily drinking water out of shallow buckets.

Topping their dry feed w/powdered formula sounds like an excellent option for augumenting their intake. I'm on it! Thank you!

Deb Mc


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

:doh: Why didn't I think of that! LOL I top dress my does that have quads grain with Sav-a-kid and they eat it up like their lives depend on it... So both girls are used to that anyways!!! :doh: :doh: 

Jess


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## dixiegirl3179 (Jan 20, 2010)

When I got Millie and Mabel they were 4 weeks old. They were sold to me that young because their mother died and none of the other does would take them. The guy said they'd need to be bottle fed and didn't have time to do it, so he sold them to me. Anyway..I fought like crazy with them to try and get them to take the bottle (they'd been on mom to that point) and it just wasn't happening. They were drinking water, browsing and eating grain. I called my vet (he does have actual goat knowlege ) and he said as long as they were eating and drinking not to worry about it. They're 7 months old now and have never had any problems. Just my experience..I guess I wouldn't worry too much about the one not eating much of the formula or spend a lot of time struggling to get more down her. Supplementing the feed with the powder sounds like a good idea.


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Yea, I am new to bottle babies as I avoid it at all cost but this winter makes it hard. Personally my little guy would be dead if I would have tried the other but then again he is a bit younger but only gets a bottle every 12 hours now. At the same time he is not eating enough to keep him alive that is for sure. As for the milk, I must just have some nasty milk. LOL I left the bottle out that was made the day Celine died and it smelled awful in no time at all. I tossed it. Well, good luck either way. I guess 
experience was not much help.


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## DebMc (Dec 11, 2009)

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. I'm glad to report that my girls are taking 12-18 ounces a day now and eating dry feed like it's going out of style. All it took was hubby's magic touch - a single feeding - and snipping a larger x-hole in one of the nipples. 

Deb Mc


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Wonderful!!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

that is a magic touch -- wow thats the first I have heard of that happening.


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## DebMc (Dec 11, 2009)

Hubby took a video of them bottle-feeding this morning. Not sure how it turned out; it's still rendering. I was a grumpy mess - overslept, have an ear infection & a bad, bad cut clean through my thumb nail - and it was cold and rainy. Yet regardless of all that negativity and my scary-looking hand, both girls latched on to their respective nipple and sucked down their bottles (9 ounces) in a matter of minutes. :thumbup: Afterwards, one :angel2: plucked a couple of my turkey hens & ate the feathers. Silly turkeys just stood there and let her do it. :slapfloor: 

It never ceases to amaze me how my critters can always turn around an otherwise stinkin' rotton day & put a smile back on my face! :stars: 

Deb Mc


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

Hope you feel better.... I can't wait to see the video!
Ok so the mischief maker plucking Turkeys.... might that have been Mitsy? She liked to do that to chickens here! :ROTFL:


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## DebMc (Dec 11, 2009)

myfainters said:


> ...
> Ok so the mischief maker plucking Turkeys.... might that have been Mitsy?


It was :angel2: <g> and, actually, she was trying to nurse on the turks - kid you not! :slapfloor: I am trying to upload the video to Youtube and will post a link if I'm successful. Then you can see your lil ' turkey sucker in action. :ROFL:

Deb Mc


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

:ROFL: Funny! Amazing how a little goaty mischief can brighten a lousy day!

Glad to hear that they are doing well....I was actually able to get my Angel onto a bottle at 6 weeks old, and I still gave her a bubby of milk til she was 6 months old. I think it really helped in her growth and made her big enough to deliver an accidental doeling at 9 months old.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

LMBO... she's nursing off the turkey... oh the turkey must be so pleased about that. Silly Angel! HAHAHA


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## DebMc (Dec 11, 2009)

myfainters said:


> LMBO... she's nursing off the turkey... oh the turkey must be so pleased about that. Silly Angel! HAHAHA


Not turkey, turkeys plural. One flavor was not enough. :ROFL: First she tried the Blue Slate, then the BB White. Tonight she latched back on to the White. I'm 3+ hours into trying to upload the video for the second time now on another family member's PC. If it aborts again, I'll have to send it to you via snail mail. Does your PC have a CD drive?

Liz - I'm glad to hear your Angel, another teat to bottle convert, is doing so well. :thumbup:

Deb Mc


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Angel will turn 3 the 30th of May and is due to deliver mid March.....she is a very special girl to me and the bubby when she was a baby helped her bond to me as well as my herd.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

Oh wow she's a silly one! Hahaha. Now you can see why I miss them so.... there just isn't enough mischief around here without those 2 tripping me everywhere I go. LOL Snail mail is fine to.  I'd love to see video of that.


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