# Getting my weaning kids to drink water



## laineysgoats (Apr 30, 2012)

I have been bottle raising some dairy goats. They are all getting to be 8 weeks old and want to start weaning them off milk. Problem is I can't get them to drink water...the eat feed and hay GREAT but won't drink water. Any tricks on helping them started on drinking water?


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## CalicoGoatGal (Apr 30, 2012)

When I wean my kids (I normally don't bottlefeed - except in some cases), I separate them first at night - when they are eating hay nicely. I am always so concerned about them not being able to drink water...I never seem to see them do it! So I normally haul over each kid separately to the water bucket, and put their mouths into it. Sometimes I do that each time I'm out there. I've never had a kid get dehydrated, and eventually, I'll catch them drinking water on their own...then I wondered if they were doing it when I wasn't looking! Perhaps they thought that if I didn't see them drink water, I'd put them back on their mama...  

Hope this helps!


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Well.. I have observed our one lead goat. She had triplets this year and decided to wean them early. She is very good at weaning her own when the other Does are not. She is the one who teaches them to drink. They try to nurse when she is standing still so she kept backing up and then going forward toward the water trough with them. In about 3 trys at this.. she had them drinking water. 

To wean bottle babies must be hard without a mentor goat. If you have an older goat to put them in with they can learn to drink by watching them other wise it will take some time to teach them. 

-It helps to put the water neck level to where when they do come up to it their head hangs right over the water. They shouldnt have to bend down to drink. Two of our doelings did not want to drink the water but would just kind of play in it with their mouth. Eventually they started sipping it. I will attach a picture of the water trough height we set up to help them drink. The doeling pictured just sort of plays in the water with her mouth.


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