# How do I teach her to drink water?



## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

According to my research, and everything I read in here, my 2 month old Doeling SHOULD be starting to drink water, but she seems oblivious to it's existence.
HOW on earth do I teach her to drink water?
I really want to start the process of weaning her off of the bottle, but I need to make sure that she is DRINKING.
Help?
(Sorry, these are my first babies, so I am clueless here!)


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

See if she will take water off your finger. If she will put your finger in the water bucket, then raise it to her mouth. Keep doing that and she will figure out where the water is coming from.


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## Axykatt (Feb 1, 2013)

I had that problem with my first bottle babies, too. That's when I found out a lot of goat behaviour is learned. Do you have other animals she can watch drinking water? Eventually she will catch on, but she'll do it quicker if she has some one to imitate.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Yes, do you have her dam?
Do you have others the same age who are drinking water?


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## S+S Homestead (Jul 23, 2012)

First of all keep a bowl of fresh water out for her at all times. She might just discover it on her own. Maybe try some kind of drip system to catch her interest. I have noticed that our babies like to drink from the dripping hose after I fill the water pans. 

(Our babies have been raised by their mamas so I am not an expert in bottle fed babies.)


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## Lamberts_Mini-goats (Nov 2, 2012)

I leave a small container with water in it ( I also give them water in there bottle so they know the taste ) Mine right now don't want anything to with water ( in the container )  but they like it in there bottle


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## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

No. I do not have anymore babies that can teach her. I wish I did. I bought only the doeling. Her dam is about 15 miles away. 
I have a young buckling as a companion for her. He is only 3 weeks old (although the little bugger is taller than she is! LoL)
My adult does are outside, and I am going to be taking the babies outside to spend some time with the adult does, and eventually, probably after about a week, I am going to start leaving them in the pen with my 2 big pregnant girls through the day...


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## S+S Homestead (Jul 23, 2012)

When you bring her out to meet the other does, do it during feeding time so the babies can observe how the adult goats eat and drink.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Take her to the trough and lightly dip her mouth in it a few times. "Don't" drown her,or submerge her nose or head, It shows her where the water is and when she licks her lips, will get a taste of it. When the weather is warmer, it will be more inviting. Do this periodically. 
You can drop your finger in the water and put it in her mouth, when at he trough as well.

Watching others help as well.


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## SavvyAcres (Mar 19, 2013)

I read not to give them water in their bottle because then they will have no desire to try it from the bowl. I would try stopping the water in the bottle and make sure they know where the container of water is.


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## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

Ok. I've tried EVERYTHING I can think of..!!!!
I have them down to only 2 bottles a day now, and when their bottle feeding comes, they go NUTS and drink like you wouldn't believe!!!
Hope was Born January 8th, and it's nearly APRIL.!!!!!
This is nuts! She is not touching water at all! What am I doing wrong????

I've tried letting them lick my fingers above the water bucket, then putting fingers in the bucket, so she would see where it was coming from. I did that over and over every day...
I tried gently putting Hopes (and Bucky's) nose in it. I tried adding a bit of apple-cider vinegar, and when that did nothing, I added a bit of molasses to the water...
She is just NOT doing it..!!!
She's about a month older than the other baby, and he isn't interested either...

They are nibbling hay and grain, but I'm terrified they're going to die of dehydration or something! I keep wanting to sneak water into their bottles for them, but was specifically told NOT to do that, and that once they got thirsty enough, they would seek fluids elsewhere.... But it's not working! I'm scared for them, and am not sure as to what to do!

Advice?


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