# New baby goats



## Pheeber (Feb 27, 2017)

Hey everyone! I just bought 2 baby goats-4 weeks old. The mom rejected them so the guy started them on corn and hay. They look malnourised. What should I feed them??? Should I deworm them?? What about vaccines??
Thanks in advance!!


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## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

At 4 weeks old they really need milk still. Do you have any access to goats milk? whole cows milk? milk replacer? It will dificult to start them on a bottle now, but it would really be best for them.


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## Pheeber (Feb 27, 2017)

Could they drink milk from a pan? I can get milk replacer from tractor supply


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

No never use milk replacer it's not good for them either use goats milk or whole cows milk. Also never feed from a pen it gets in the wrong chamber and can kill them. Always bottle feed until at least two months.


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

Milk replacer is fine for them as long as you get one that says for goats. Ive had great luck with mine. Do you know if they got colostrum?


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

They are a ton healthier if you use whole cows milk plus it's cheaper. And it's to late for colostrum


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Make sure the replacer doesn't have soy in it. Whole cows milk is usually best though. 

No more corn. It's not very good for goats. 

Definitely try to get them to take milk. They're way too young to be weaned.

They should be treated for cocci. You can use baycox, corid, or sulmet/albon/dimethox.


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

Do you know if they got colostrum? They sell bottles at tractor supplies or im pretty sure they sell them at walmart too. Do you know if the guy gave them any milk?


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

You can feed them in a pan if they will drink from that.


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## Pheeber (Feb 27, 2017)

Not sure if they got colostrum, the guy only fed them milk for 2 weeks, then started the on solid food and water. One goat has normal pelleted stool, but one goat has a log shaped stool...


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

Did you try to give them milk yet?


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## Pheeber (Feb 27, 2017)

Not yet, we got them last night, gave them pellets and water, I'm going to get some whole milk and try to feed them today, should I warm the milk for them? Should I attempt bottle or just put it in a pan for them? I'm hoping they will drink some milk, the guy took them off milk at 1-2weeks old


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

If they are used to drinking water from a pan I'd let them drink milk from a pan.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Poor babies, no wonder they look malnourished 

They're more likely to take milk if it's heated up. Just over 100 degrees. 

I would try pan and bottle, whatever you can to get them to drink it.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Pan feeding milk isn't a good idea, not natural and may cause issues. 

Always warm the milk for them.


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

I agree like I said pan feeding can put milk in the wrong chamber!


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## Pheeber (Feb 27, 2017)

Babies are drinking awesome! But they have diarrhea now! Could that be just from putting them on milk???


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Yes, that's probably what it is. How much milk are you giving them? Only give electrolytes for now, until the scouring clears up.


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## Pheeber (Feb 27, 2017)

20fl.oz. once daily


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That should be divided up into 2 10 ounce bottles. That is a lot of milk at once. Did you slowly build up to that?


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## Bunny (Feb 28, 2017)

We are raising two orphaned bier goats. We have a plastic barrel they stay in at night. Last night it got down to 30 degrees, do they need anything for warmth or should they be ok?


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

Do they have any bedding?


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## Bunny (Feb 28, 2017)

Yes we wondered about maybe grass hay? Or do recommend anything else?


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## Pheeber (Feb 27, 2017)

I gave them 10 ounces for a couple days then started them on 20 ounces. When doing the 2 10ounce, how long to I have to wait in between?


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## Melinda29 (Apr 19, 2016)

Pheeber said:


> I gave them 10 ounces for a couple days then started them on 20 ounces. When doing the 2 10ounce, how long to I have to wait in between?


You need to change their feed slowly. So don't jump from 20 oz to 40 oz, ease up slowly. If you were doing two 10 oz bottles a day and they were handling that well, then start doing two 12 oz bottles for a few days, then two 14 oz, etc.

With baby goats, it's best to do several small meals than fewer large ones. That mimics them nursing throughout the day. At a month old, ideally they would be getting 3-4 meals a day. But twice a day will work if that's all you have time for. The feeds need to be spread out as evenly as possible--so if you're doing two feeds, then every 12 hours. If doing three feeds, then every 6 hours during the day, etc.

I personally feed my month-old goats three times a day, every 6 hours, and I give them 12 oz each time. Over time, I work up to three 20 oz bottles per day and do that for six months. But I don't feed any grain, just hay and milk, and my babies grow out beautifully that way.

The milk doesn't need to be warmed up unless they are sick or in extreme cold. I feed cold milk for two reasons--it is less work for me, and they eat in a bit more slowly, which is better anyway.


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

Bunny said:


> Yes we wondered about maybe grass hay? Or do recommend anything else?


Tractor supply sell shavings it absorbs urine and anything else and on cold nights you can add straw. which is like hay. 
Kind of like this http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...co-flake-premium-pine-shavings-covers-8-cu-ft


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Your local feed store probably has shavings that are cheaper than tractor supply, and probably better ones at that..


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

How old are they?


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