# Won't eat grain



## Jane (Apr 17, 2011)

Yesterday I purchased a beautiful six month old doe kid. The breeder told me the kid has never been interested in grain. She just eats hay and was still nursing whenever mama would let her. She has not eaten for me either, yet. Should I worry? Is there anything I can do to encourage her to eat grain?


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## Breezy-Trail (Sep 16, 2011)

You might want to get her on some grain...If you are wanting to breed her this year.
You would only have around 2 months to get weight up to where it needs to be for that though.

You might want to try different grains. I have a doe that will NOT eat any pellet feed and another one that really likes it.
There are different kinds of sweet feed...maybe one might be more to her liking. You could try experimenting with a few different feeds and see if she like one better than the other.

You could also try putting something that she likes on it to encourage her to try it. Maybe if she likes apples you could put small ****** of it on the feed. Or some treats of some sort that she likes..

I had the hardest time getting my wether to eat grain when he was young (harder time for water). He ate a very small amount, but I gave it to him (away from the mother) several times a day to try to get him to eat it. I think that being that she is away from her mother now you will have a higher chance of getting her to eat.

I also found that being that his mouth was quite small he took smaller pieces of hay. So I took the little flaky hay pieces (which he likes) on the bottom of the hay feeder and put it on top of the feed.


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## Stephanie (Sep 29, 2011)

I just purchased a kid and she wouldn't eat grain either. I had to go buy her some sweet feed (although I wanted Noble goat) and she's nibbling on it.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

unless she is unthrifty or bred she doesnt need grain. I wouldnt force the issue. Just offer it to her with other things she may like if you feel she needs some kind of supplement. None of my goats except for my 3 month old are getting grain right now.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I start my kids on sweet feed as well... :thumb: 

For the ones that are stubborn...I put some in their mouth.....they spit most of it out.. but try to put enough in there.. so they have to taste it and may chew a little bit... I give a couple of very small handfuls and then try again some other time ...either during the day or the next time around...just keep at it here and there.... so they get a taste for it..... After a while ...they start to eat it on their own.....some eat it from your hand after a while....that's the way I do it anyway... :wink:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

do your other does eat grain? if so she will learn to eat by watching them. Goats are curious animals they always want what everyone else has


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## Jane (Apr 17, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I have no idea what the breeder offered to her (with no success). All my does and bucks eat the same special mix from on of our local feed mills. It is a sweet feed with whole corn, oats, and sunflower seeds. When I feed the group of kids she is in with, instead of staying with them, she eats the hay. She hasn't so much as sniffed it yet. I offered her some in my hand and that did not go over well. She does need to put on more weight, but she is not dangerously thin. I would really like to get more weight on her before it gets really cold here. She was shivering yesterday occasionally and it was not even that cold. Maybe I'll get a bag of my goat's old favorite Blue Seal feed and try that.


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## BillyMac (Nov 3, 2011)

If she has never had grain then she is just not used to it. I did a lot of experimenting when I was in a similar situation. I did not offer my kids grain soon enough and then they wouldn't take it. I offered very very small amounts to start with, maybe one ounce. Sit there with the goat while it is offered to offer encouragement. Then leave whatever is left so that she can try it out later in her own sweet time. Once she can can clean up one ounce the you are on your way. 

It can be very hard to switch to a different feed later so I think it is best to insist that she eat the grain you want to keep her on rather than experimenting with different grains. You just have to be patient and keep putting it out there and she will eventually catch on. I use a kitchen scale and weigh the grain that I give, that way I can increase or decrease grain given very very slowly, in 1/2 oz increments. :shades:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I have no idea what the breeder offered to her (with no success). All my does and bucks eat the same special mix from on of our local feed mills. It is a sweet feed with whole corn, oats, and sunflower seeds. When I feed the group of kids she is in with, instead of staying with them, she eats the hay. She hasn't so much as sniffed it yet. I offered her some in my hand and that did not go over well. She does need to put on more weight, but she is not dangerously thin. I would really like to get more weight on her before it gets really cold here. She was shivering yesterday occasionally and it was not even that cold. Maybe I'll get a bag of my goat's old favorite Blue Seal feed and try that.


 Sounds like ...she may of been shoved off the grain repeatedly ...so ...she decided to just forget even trying.... if she is smaller than the others maybe make a creep feeder.. just for her to get into... if possible... if not ..make an area that you can put her in at feeding time so she can still see the others but they can't butt her....that way ...she can nibble at hay and grain.... If you are mixing grains ..I suggest trying 1 thing at a time... maybe try either whole corn, oats,or sunflower seeds...and see what she likes the most...if you find she goes crazy over 1 then ...try another kind as well...to pin point what she may or may not like...if she gets to eating it pretty good then... try putting just a little bit of the other grain with it ...just a little bit....then increase slowly....


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## Jane (Apr 17, 2011)

I started separating her at grain time because the other kids were too pushy with her. She still would not even sniff the grain. Today I picked up a bag of Caprine Challenger from Blue Seal. Offered her a small amount by herself tonight, and she didn't take her head out of the pan until all the grain was gone. I hope she continues eating it!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

There ya go...glad to hear that... :thumb: :greengrin:


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## Melinda Ann Powell (Mar 29, 2018)

I got to baby goats that wont eat there feed what do i need to do


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## Melinda Ann Powell (Mar 29, 2018)

Thay are bottle feed


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

This is a old thread.

How old are the kids?

With some, I open their mouth and puts some in there, on and off during the day so they get the taste for it.

Do you have a creep feeder?


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## Melinda Ann Powell (Mar 29, 2018)

The are 2mos old all most 3 a d no on the feeder


toth boer goats said:


> This is a old thread.
> 
> How old are the kids?
> 
> ...


Thay zre 2mos old allmost 3 snd no on feedr


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

They may not like the grain you chose possibly? 
I start the kids with some cob dry or cob wet, and add just a little bit of a good protein grain at first, put a little of all that out there at first, until they finish what is there. As time goes by and they are getting into it. I will remove some cob and add a touch more of the good protein feed to it. The kids love the cob so that gets them started.

No creep feeder? Make something they can get into but moms cannot.
They can go get some when they want it.


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## Melinda Ann Powell (Mar 29, 2018)

Thay are in the home


Melinda Ann Powell said:


> The are 2mos old all most 3 a d no on the feeder
> 
> Thay zre 2mos old allmost 3 snd no on feedr


Try puting in there mouth no go


toth boer goats said:


> They may not like the grain you chose possibly?
> I start the kids with some cob dry or cob wet, and add just a little bit of a good protein grain at first, put a little of all that out there at first, until they finish what is there. As time goes by and they are getting into it. I will remove some cob and add a touch more of the good protein feed to it. The kids love the cob so that gets them started.
> 
> No creep feeder? Make something they can get into but moms cannot.
> They can go get some when they want it.


I will try that


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good luck, let us know.


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## Melinda Ann Powell (Mar 29, 2018)

toth boer goats said:


> Good luck, let us know.


Thay was eating there feed last night seen tham eating ty


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