# Getting them on the bottle



## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

How do you get babies on the bottle after leaving them with their mother for 24 hours?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Patients!! : ) some have had success with starting them on your finger...once they are willing to suck on your finger..slip the bottle in...I like to sit them on my lap..back legs tucked..front legs out..nipple gently coxed in from the side of their mouth.let is drizzle a bit..they will taste it and when hungry enough..eagerly gobble it up..some are easier thano thers..so be patient..its not natural for them


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

we took 2 hours and they still weren't getting the hang of it. we put them on there mother and the kids are now happy but for some of our other goat we'd like to know


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Patients is the best advice. I just pulled a triplet that wasn't getting enough from Mom and it took me 5 days to get her to take the bottle. Every 4 hours I would heat up a bottle of goat milk, physically open her mouth and put the nipple in. She'd chew on it a bit then start fighting it. She may have swallowed a maximum of 1oz each time. It was very frustrating and I worried that she was going to starve. I tried adding syrup, finger in her mouth, different nipples, and everything else I could think of. But, on day 5, she was hungry enough that she decided to eat, and boy is she eating now!

Stick with it, the kids will eat when hunger overcomes stubbornness!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

yep thats it..patients is the main ingredient : )


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

Thanks I am going to try again. we tried a lot of positions but we didn't know if it was good to force them. I'll try again today.


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## goatiegirl (Jan 7, 2013)

Im having the same issue here. I finally got a couple ounces in my 4 day old last night, but it was such a big fight. Im hoping today will be better. 
Wishing patience for the both of us today!!!


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

When you pull from mom don't try to feed them for about 3 or 4 hours that way they are good and hungry then try..if they won't eat wait a lil bit and try again..you don't want to frustrate them or you..and the first few feedings won't always go as smoothly but they will get the hang of it..


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Just keep in mind... it can take days! Bit they'll be fine and eventually get it.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

thanks! we have 6 we would like on the bottle but right now 4 of them aren't


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## WalnutGroveFarm (Sep 27, 2008)

I agree with above posters, Ive been trying something different this year, I have been leaving them with mom for about 3-4 days and then pulling them. I have only really had problems with one doeling, that just didnt want nothing to do with the bottle. But after a day and she got really hungry she drinks her whole 4 ozs. straight down. She even comes running now just like everyone else for her bottle. Keep working with them, and like the above poster said let them go a few hours so they are good and hungry.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

we got one of ours on the bottle he drank 6 oz yesterday night and 6 oz this morning the other ones aren't getting it. we tried leaving 2 of them with their mom but she abandonned them


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## WalnutGroveFarm (Sep 27, 2008)

Well keep working with them they will get it most likely. Good Luck


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## Valjero (Feb 18, 2012)

Take their tail and twirl it between your finger and thumb lightly while the nipple is in their mouth and go in and out with the nipple. This will promote sucking. The Mom is usually licking their tail when they are nursing her.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

we've tried that. It worked for or boy but not for our girl. How long is the longest its taken you?


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

sit on the floor wiht your legs spread but not too wide and back her up against you. Put the nipple in her mouth and curl your hand around her nose with nipple in her mouth and gently squeeze then release the squeeze then release do this a few times give her a break if she doesn't start sucking and then do it again..when i say break i mean just a min.it also helps sometimes to cover her eyes..if that doesn't work after a few tries try letting her back up to the couch or something and put the bottle in her mouth and don't move if she sucks any at all. just keep trying over nad over to offer her the bottle. I had to chase my doeling all over the living room trying dif positions and then she just took it out of the clear blue lol..When you see her getting worked up take a break, calm her down and try again. Make sure her bottle is really warm too, that helps..it should be slightly warmer than a humans baby bottle..


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

katie said:


> we've tried that. It worked for or boy but not for our girl. How long is the longest its taken you?


I pulled 4 kids, all triplets from different does. One took to the bottle right away, one took 24-36 hours, another took 4 days and the last one is going on 5 days. She's a stubborn one! She chews the nipple and gets about 1 oz every 4 hours before throwing a fit. Tomorrow I plan to give her a dose of vit b to boost her appetite and hopefully get her hungry enough to give in to the bottle.

Hang in there! They do eventually get it.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

our stubborn one is now going on 2 days. She gets really worked up if we try forcing the bottle on her. We want her to live so if she doesn't take the bottle we put her on her mom until she gets enough. It's not fun getting out the mom every 2-3 hours but if she lives it's worth it. If we only get one ounce down them will they starve?


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

I think by putting them on mom occasionally, you are actually discouraging them from taking the bottle. Momma is what they want. In my opinion, they refuse the bottle because it doesn't smell and taste like mom or feel the same, not because they don't know how to suck on it. The stubborn ones are the ones with strong bonds with their mommas. 

1 oz every 4 hours will keep them going but their growth will be very slow. Once they forget about mom and start eating they'll get back on track.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

O.K. I'll try it. Our Toggenburgs have been harder to bottle feed than Nubians and alpines. Is there any reason for that?


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Hmm...I don't know. I just have boers.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

have you ever had anything other than boers? Do you raise them for meat?


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Just boers....oh, but I do have a nice little saanen doe who provides milk for my bottle babies. . The boers I raise are for show....all of my wethers go to 4h and ffa kids for jackpots and fairs. I can't butcher any myself. They're just too cute.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

I figured. I think it would be hard to butcher after bottle feeding them. I was wondering where you got the milk. we had a boer she was not a good milker at all.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

We got another one on the bottle! Horray we only have 2 more to go!


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Good job!


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

the other two are starting to take to it and arn't fighting so much. I'm rather excited.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

Another one took it!  I only have one more to go!!!


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

Do any of you guys want a toggenburg alpine cross wether who is 4 days old and is bottle fed?


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

What has worked best for you. taking them away right away. taking them away after 2-3 days or taking them away at night after two weeks? I'd be interested to know.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

The less they are on mom, the easier it is.


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## Bambi (Jun 10, 2012)

We had two that were hard to start on the bottle so I took an old piece of leather and wrapped it around the bottle with just the nipple sticking out. They started eating right away, seemed to like the tecture and feel of the leather.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

That's great! We got our fourth one eating but we are expecting more and there mom won't take care of her babies so we have to take them away at once. I'll try using the leather.


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