# Feeding picky eaters



## cskidmore (Jun 2, 2017)

We recently rescued two (we think) young Nigerian Dwarf doelings. They weigh 20 lbs. the trouble is we can't get them to eat much of anything but goat pellets. They have alfalfa available at all times and are in a large area with plenty of weeds but they will stand and bawl for pellets. How can I get them to eat like a real goat without starving them?


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Do you also offer them hay? Babies have to learn to eat other stuff, but in the meantime, they need hay to keep their rumen going, along with the pellets. Some goats just won't eat alfalfa pellets, but will eat alfalfa hay.


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## cskidmore (Jun 2, 2017)

That's what we have, alfalfa hay. They won't touch it. My neighbor kept them with his baby La Macha buckling for a week while we built our fence and shelter. They were eating browse with them. Now that we have them they won't browse or eat alfalfa hay.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

How much feed are you giving them?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Borrow one of the neighbors goats that likes to graze.


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## cskidmore (Jun 2, 2017)

We give them about a cup each of pellets. Sometimes a little more since they are not tame and we are trying to lure them to us and tame them. They have alfalfa hay available at all times.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Are you giving baking soda to them?

Are their rumens making sounds?


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## lilaalil (Sep 5, 2014)

Do you have the same kind of plants your neighbor has? Seems weird they would browse there and not at your place. They also may be afraid to venture out at your place to browse, if it is a new place and they are all alone. 

They definitely need some roughage to keep their rumens going or they will probably get very sick on the pellets alone. Maybe talk to the neighbor, ask what they liked over there, and pick some for them, just for the time being, while they learn to eat what you have at your place. Might be something wrong with the alfalfa. Unless they are very young, I've never known a goat to turn down nice alfalfa hay.


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## cskidmore (Jun 2, 2017)

I think I finally hit on a solution to jump start their eating. I read it in another thread here. I loaded their feeder with alfalfa hay and poured molasses over it. I took an hour or so, but once one of them finally decided they liked it the other on joined in. To answer the above questions, their rumens were not making sounds, and I know they need mostly roughage, not treat, but I was afraid it to give them pellets since they weren't eating anything else. I know they were eating youpon at the neighbor's so I had two small youpons in their enclosure and they would eat a few leaves a day, but not enough to fill their tummies. I think they got enough alfalfa last night and hopefully they have developed a taste for it now. Thanks for your help.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Make sure their rumens are back to making sounds. I would give b complex and probiotics for a few days just in case.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Make sure you don't use a lot of molasses over heir feed, and all the time. Slowly decrease it then wean them off of it as time goes by. it is until they get the taste for the alfalfa.
Cut back on the pellets.


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## Miles2go (Apr 21, 2016)

cskidmore said:


> We give them about a cup each of pellets. Sometimes a little more since they are not tame and we are trying to lure them to us and tame them. They have alfalfa hay available at all times.


I would add that a cup of alfalfa pellets each for a 20 lb ND sounds like way too much. We have two ND wethers that are yearlings now, so probably double the weight, but they only get hay all day, free choice minerals, and at night they share a little over a cup of feed which is 3/4 cup Purina Goat Chow mixed with 1/2 cup alfalfa pellets. They also browse and LOVE maple leaves if you have any of those around


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