# 2 baby goats refusing to bottle feed



## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

They are refusing the nipple. I put one of my does who is in milk on the milking stand and they both eagerly started nursing on her but the doe did not want anything to do with them suckling on her. We had to hold her in place for them to get some milk, but it was a fight. Any suggestions? They are drinking water and eating small amounts of hay and grain. How in the world can i get them to take the nipple?


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## janecb (Sep 23, 2014)

Try covering their eyes while giving them the bottle; that's helped me with stubborn kids a lot. It simulates their being under a doe, so they'll try to nurse.


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Thanks i will try that. They did drink water from a bowl i can also try to put milk in the water bowl for them to drink


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Maybe try a different type of nipple. How old are the kids?


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

2 weeks and 4 weeks. What other kind of nipples and what bottles do they fit


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## Ride4ever (Aug 7, 2013)

I have found that when you take them off the mom that late from being on a mom they are very difficult to switch to the bottle. Most of what I can tell you is wait. I have had mine go a day and a half without taking the bottle and got no milk before they finally give in b/c they are so hungry and then they are usually fine on the bottle. So don't panic if they don't drink from the bottle for a day. Just keep offering it and squeezing milk from the nipples into their mouths so they know where to milk is. But don't let them get to the point where they are so weak they are on the ground and can't get up. Usually they will take the bottle before that point.
There are multiple different types of nipples. Every person and every goat has their preferences. But usually goats can get used to any nipple so long as its not too small. What type are you using right now? I love the nipples that go on the pop bottles b/c they work for almost any size baby and the black ones are pretty indestructible. I use regular human baby bottle nipples and like those as wheel especially for newborns.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Don't let them drink the milk out of a bowl. When they tip their heads back to suckle, it closes off the rumen (which isn't designed to digest milk) and sends the milk directly to the abomasum. Someone suggested a drop of lemon juice on their tongues....the sour makes them suck?


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Ok, no drinking from a bowl, they are drinking water from the bowl though. Will try the lemon juice. They arent weak was running around in the yard today. We did get quite a bit of milk down the doeling just by squeezing the bottle and she kept chewing on the nipple. I am using the red nipple. I bought a black one but it doesnt fit over the soda bottle. Maybe i should buy a baby bottle and nipple and try that. Any ideas on how to get the black nipple to fit or is there a different bottle to use instead of a soda bottle?


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## Ride4ever (Aug 7, 2013)

Alright. Well that is steps in the right direction. If you have it in her mouth and are squeezing down milk then she will catch on. 
I have never tried lemon juice but I say go for it. 
Alright I know the nipple and I have that. It should work fine though i will say I usually don't use that for my newborns or ones I'm switching over because I think its so unlike their mothers teat that it might make the job more difficult. 
You could get one. I always like to have 1 on hand anyway. 
I mean it could fit lots of things. I have spent 10 minutes on trying to get the nipple over some pop bottles. I just think some have bigger tops. So maybe try a different one or anything it could fit over that you could put milk into. My mind is blank right now as too exactly what it could be.


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Update on my 2 baby goats. They are still refusing to suck. I am still having to squeeze the bottle to get them to swallow the milk, but at least they are getting nourishment. These 2 are so determined not to suck. I just wish they would
Start.


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## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

have you given them any selenium/vitamin e? I have found that that helps a lot with new babies. I give them a little dollop of the paste on the tongue just after kidding.


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

Have you tried honey on the nipple and on your finger. Put it on your finger and put in their mouths. Try to get them to suck the honey off your finger, then slip the nipple with honey into their mouths.


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## Ride4ever (Aug 7, 2013)

I would try the honey or something else sweet to get them to eat.


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Update on my 2 baby goats. I talked to my friend who i got them from and she traded the mama goat to me for one of my other goats. After a week we were not sure if the mama goat would accept her baby back but thanks to God ANd alot of prayers the doe accepted her baby and she has been nursing well. The buckling has been eating well on his own but i am putting him on one of the does in milk and he nurses well. My doe in milk isnt happy about it, she kicks and tries to lay down but it takes 2 Of us to hold her. At lease the buckling is getting his goat milk!


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

One other thing she also brought another doe who was in milk and i had her doelings they are 8 weeks old and they started nursing on her after being away from her for a week and she let them nurse again.


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## Ride4ever (Aug 7, 2013)

They are getting milk! This is the important thing. I'm glad the mama took them back. My girls often wont after being separated for more than 48 hours. 
They don't like another kid drinking off of them. If he was eating better than the girl on the nipple and you get tired it having to hold the doe down for the kid to eat you could try going back, but come to think of it, it sounded more stressful and time consuming to do the nipple than to simply hold a goat down.  great idea to put them back on their mom. I don't think i have had ones that refused the bottle for that long a period of time.


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

It worked out well to our surprise!


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## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

Try placing your doe on the milk stand, and hold up a towel to block her view of her rear end so she doesn't see the kid nursing. Occupy her with some yummy treat to get her mind off of her udder, and then bring the kid in from behind, so she doesn't see it coming.
I have a wooden arm that swings out above the milk stand, about a foot above their backs, that I can easily hang a towel off of to block them from seeing.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Abra said:


> I have a wooden arm that swings out above the milk stand, about a foot above their backs, that I can easily hang a towel off of to block them from seeing.


Great idea


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Abra she cant see the kid nursing. On my milk stand but she sure knows he i s there. I have tried all kind s of treats including raisins but no thing works. Last night i held her head while my daughter held her legs in the back and she didnt fight us. So we will try it again!


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## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

I wish you guys the best of luck!  That is one smart goat!


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Just an update both babies are doing great!


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## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

That is so great to hear. Awesome job!


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Thanks so much!


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## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

Yay!!!!!


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

I know this is late to this game, but to make holding a back end easier, maybe what I had to do with one FF would work. I put on the hobbles, and looped a dog leash from back foot to back foot, going under my milk stand's legs. She couldn't double-footed hop with the hobbles on that way. If the hobbles are snug enough, you may be able to just attach a leash to the middle or both metal rings on the hobbles, and loop it around the leg of the milk stand. This doe is now standing still for me. She was just hoppy early on.


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

What is a hobble?


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