# Weaning at 6 weeks....?!



## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

So I did bring my new buckling home about Monday (I think), at 6 weeks old. I tried to bottle him for a couple of days, but he's so untrusting of us he wouldn't even chew it, let alone nurse. 

Now he is stealing a bit here and there from both does, but my question is this-since he is basically being weaned at 6 weeks, are there going to be any adverse side effects, should I continue to try and bottle him, or just let him wean himself? He pigs on alfalfa pellets and is drinking plenty of water and is grazing along with everyone else, I just don't want to have to worry about him later on.


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## coltrule (Mar 24, 2011)

Was he bottle fed when you got him? If not then you can keep trying with him..but if he is eating really well and drinking water he should be okay. I have notived in a calves throught that when we weaned them at 2 months old..they did not grow as well..and are still on the smaller size.. But i've always weaned are goats at 3 months old so i 'm not sure if it would be the same. Sorry i'm not much help..


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## pelicanacresMN (Dec 29, 2009)

He may do just fine but I would think that it could definately stunt his growth. They really need those nutrients from the milk to help them grow to their full potential. If possible, keep trying to offer him the bottle for at least one more week, he may get the hang of it.


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## TinyHoovesRanch (Jan 16, 2010)

My does wean at 4 to 8 weeks, I always say mother knows best, so if she wants to wean them she must have a good reason. If hes big and is eating on his own he should be fine


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

If he is on grain and good quality hay, he will be fine, we always wean at 8 weeks, and have weaned a couple at 6 weeks, if mom wasn't doing very well, but we do set out a creep feeder starting at 3 weeks and normally by 6 weeks they are eating around a pound(3cups) a day of 16% medicated goat feed. plus good hay, and plenty of fresh water. 

I hope the people you purchased him from had him on grain, and it would have been a good idea to purchase some of their feed so there was less changes in his diet.


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

They're already feeding most of what I am (alfalfa and a. pellets, same brand even), so the other stuff was introduced fairly slowly. He was never bottled, so it is an entirely new concept for him.

However, he has started to scour this morning, and was a bit lethargic, though he seems more energetic now. I gave him a pretty good dose of Probios, and if he shows absolutely no improvement tomorrow, a vet trip has been scheduled.

If he ends up a bit stunted, that's OK with me. His sire is pushing 300 lb right now, and is nearly 40" at the shoulder.


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

Taking away the grain for a day and substituting dry oatmeal/grass hay always cleared scours up quickly for us here, before you spend your money on a vet.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Main thing is to stop the scouring and keep him hydrated, you can dose him with 6cc of pepto as well as offer the dry oatmeal to firm up his poop, changes in diet are the usual suspect BUT the stress of moving to a new home can also bring out a cocci overload, get a temp on him and if the runny poop continues you can have a vet do a fecal but I do think if he were here he would be getting dosed with DiMethox


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

Whatever it was is gone now (my money's on the protein block). No more runny poo (still a bit soft, but not hair-clingy wet), hyper as ever and he even had the gonads to get up before Jenny did this morning and grab breakfast.

Temp and color were fine, so if things continue to improve today, then I'm calling it all good with him.

Butters broke his burn scab off and got blood all over him and his brother, though, as if just to give me something else to worry about first thing in the morning...now I have to go give EVERYONE a bath.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Glad to hear he's doing better!!! Those scabs can be a pain...especially on light colored heads, it looks much worse that it actually is.


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