# Bottle Feeding Problems



## Pygmy Station (Nov 16, 2017)

We are having issues getting our 4 week old pygmy on the bottle. He was on his mom before we got him. We have the prichard nipples, and have tried honey on our finger and nipple. We also tried switching to goat milk. Nothing seems to work. Anymore suggestions?

Also, what complications might it cause? He eats grain, hay, and grazes. He's pooping normal. All seems well really.


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## Pygmy Station (Nov 16, 2017)

Pygmy Station said:


> We are having issues getting our 4 week old pygmy on the bottle. He was on his mom before we got him. We have the prichard nipples, and have tried honey on our finger and nipple. We also tried switching to goat milk. Nothing seems to work. Anymore suggestions?
> 
> Also, what complications might it cause? He eats grain, hay, and grazes. He's pooping normal. All seems well really.


Correction. He's 5 weeks. We got him at 4. Hasn't had any milk except what little we have forced down him.


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## GaGoats2017 (Sep 5, 2017)

I keep mine in a stall without any other feed. So they are really hungry when it is time to eat. Then once they are good on the bottle, I start to leave hay and feed out for them.

If he's been on food other than milk, it might be harder now to switch him over. I would just keep trying to force it until he figures it out. It usually takes me about 3 days for them to get attatched to me and start looking for a bottle. 

I have a 3 year old adult doe now that I got at about 5 weeks, and tried to put her on the bottle. At the time she was wild, and didn't want any part of it. I tried for weeks, but she refused and only wanted feed. She was one of my future show Boers, and since she was already eating plenty of extremely high quality grain and hay, I just stopped worrying with the bottle. She turned out great with no issues, and is the best producing doe I own. She was on very high quality feed though, and had been started on feed before I got her so she was used to it already. 

Good luck with the baby! I like to keep them on milk as long as possible. But I guess there is always an exception? Maybe someone else will have some better tips.


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## Pygmy Station (Nov 16, 2017)

GaGoats2017 said:


> I keep mine in a stall without any other feed. So they are really hungry when it is time to eat. Then once they are good on the bottle, I start to leave hay and feed out for them.
> 
> If he's been on food other than milk, it might be harder now to switch him over. I would just keep trying to force it until he figures it out. It usually takes me about 3 days for them to get attatched to me and start looking for a bottle.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the suggestion. We will try the hunger method. He's just been chillin with the rest of our herd, doing whatever they do. If it doesn't work, hopefully he'll work out like your Boer did.


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## GaGoats2017 (Sep 5, 2017)

I like mine to bond with me too, that's another reason I keep them separate from the rest. They get attatched and comfortable around you, then start to look forward to a bottle. It just takes a few days.

Then once they get really good with the bottle, then they are fine to be let out with the rest. They just have to figure out where the milk comes from.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

It's very hard to get a dam raised kid onto a bottle at 4 weeks old. I don't know why the breeder let you purchase him with that intent. 

Make sure the bottle is at 100 F when you try to feed him. Throw a dishtowel over his head/eyes so it is dark like going to nurse under his dam. Tickle his tail to get him rooting (dams do this.)

I find it easiest to kneel and place the kid's bum between my knees, then he can't back away and you have 2 hands to work holding the bottle and mouth.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with SalteyLove.


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## bamaherd (Jun 14, 2017)

We are going through something similar due to preference not requirement. Our kids are great with us, not skittish at all! Climb all over us, but we want mama's milk for us. Our kids are in their 3rd week. They will bite the nipple like they want to nurse but then taste the milk replacer and stop. We have decided to let them stay on mama until they wean. Honestly, I think our kids are just stubborn and refuse out of a temper tantrum. lol...I mean it, they will stomp and paw and the ground then plop down and sigh very loudly. lol. Good luck!!


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Yes if you want to bottle feed kids so you can milk the dams, you need to introduce the bottle a bit earlier


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Separate the kids at night and milk in the morning. Then let the kids nurse during the day.


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## bamaherd (Jun 14, 2017)

T


Suzanne_Tyler said:


> Separate the kids at night and milk in the morning. Then let the kids nurse during the day.


That's a fantastic idea Suzanne!!


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## Goat_Scout (Mar 23, 2017)

Or vice versa (separate during the day, milk in the evening, let kids with mama at night), what ever works best for you.  Good luck!


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## bamaherd (Jun 14, 2017)

Goat_Scout said:


> Or vice versa (separate during the day, milk in the evening, let kids with mama at night), what ever works best for you.  Good luck!


Thank you so much! We milked mama for the first time this morning. She gave us 1/2 a quart! I may try to warm some milk and put it in a bowl. They will drink water from a bowl...I think the fake feeling nipple freaks them out.


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## Goat_Scout (Mar 23, 2017)

bamaherd said:


> Thank you so much! We milked mama for the first time this morning. She gave us 1/2 a quart! I may try to warm some milk and put it in a bowl. They will drink water from a bowl...I think the fake feeling nipple freaks them out.


It will definitely take time. I got a 23 day old buckling this past spring that had been dam-raised up until we brought him home. He didn't really eat anything at all until 24 hours later, when he finally took the bottle. Boy, he was hungry!


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## CrazyDogLady (Aug 9, 2014)

I take the babies, put them over my knee, cover their eyes and use that hand to pry their mouth open and pop the nipple in. All my kids learn sooner or later during the 24 hours of milk test. Even my dam raised kids give up eventually and take their bottle.


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## bamaherd (Jun 14, 2017)

CrazyDogLady said:


> I take the babies, put them over my knee, cover their eyes and use that hand to pry their mouth open and pop the nipple in. All my kids learn sooner or later during the 24 hours of milk test. Even my dam raised kids give up eventually and take their bottle.


We will try that; thanks!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All great advice.


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