# Problems at bottle feeding time



## rtdoyer (May 6, 2010)

I have 2 Ober girls (6 weeks old) that each have a different problem.

Emma looks at the nipple, smells it, but doesn't want it. You offer her a different bottle and she still doesn't want it. For 2 weeks she's been doing great - as soon as the bottle is in front of her she drinks nonstop. NOW - in the last 2 feedings, I've forced open her mouth to put the bottle in. Once the bottle is in, she'll drink straight. My problem/question -- why the hesitation, walking around seeming disinterested?

Fancy immediately latches on to the nipple. She is gung ho excited. However, about every 10 seconds the nipple comes out of her mouth, milk goes everywhere AND as soon as she's taken the nipple out, she latches right back on. When the feeding time is over, her head is wet, she has milk up her nose, on her nose, etc... Why the pause every 10 seconds or so?

Also - both girls cough and sneeze after feeding for several minutes. They don't cough and sneeze any other time. My thoughts are that they are just getting milk in the wrong places.

I'm using Pritchard nipples because that is what the girls were started on by their owner. Now that I've researched Pritchard though, it seems as though they are just for babies/weak kids.

Tonia


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

I have only bottle fed 2 babies. One of them was an enthusiastic eater but coughed, choked, and had trouble swallowing with feeding. He was never able to drink from a bottle smooth and coordinated like his brother. He got pneumonia at 3 months old. I felt very certain this was due to aspiration of milk into his lungs. We had a great goat vet and he is now one of my best packers. I wish I had tried to feed this baby goat with milk poured into a pan. The pneumonia may have been avoided.
IdahoNancy


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

Everything you mentioned is totally normal. Keep an eye on the slow starter. It could be that they are not be feeling well or maybe it is eating more hay and grain and just isn't as hungry. We use the black lambar style nipples. They will insert into a hole in a bucket and attach a tube or slip over a plastic bottle top. http://www.caprinesupply.com/shop/?page ... d34c750991


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## kentd71 (Dec 13, 2008)

I have used Pritchard nipples on kids as old as 13 weeks w/o and problems. It is my 5 day old kids that will not take a bottle no matter what nipple I try.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

Give em time. You have to catch them when they are hungry since you are competing with mom. Did you wuild a pen for them to be in separate so you can control their eating?


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## Cazz (Jun 9, 2010)

Some of our kids have a fussy stage when they won't drink from a teat any one else has touched, so maybe that is it with Emma? Also, some just don't realize they get milk out of a bottle, sometimes after they have been bottle fed since birth and are weeks old. :roll: 
Many of ours splutter and cough a bit after drinking, if they do a lot, then we use a smaller hole in a teat and only let them drink in ten-second goes, let them look around, and then feed them again. Fancy sounds just like some of our young kids. :lol: Since we train ours tricks though, they have to think as well as drink after the first few days and get even more milk everywhere when they jump up or down on their knees or lose their footing when rearing and drinking and drop down, often getting a bath of milk.  
Cheers,
Cazz


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