# 9 week old boys don't like grain



## imported_ashley (Jun 9, 2011)

I have two 9 week old boys that are not interested in grain. They still get two bottles per day, free choice alfalfa and grass/weeds, I offer them CalfManna and Purina Goat Chow and they are not interested. They eat some alfalfa..not alot, and love fresh grass and pine needles, but I put grain out and it just gets left alone. Any advise? One of them needs the extra calories as he is way behind in growth. Thanks!


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

I had the same problem with Calf manna.

I added some to the milk bottle to get him used to the flavor.


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## WGARDNER (Aug 20, 2011)

Kind of early for grain. Try calf creep. Its pelleted and easier to eat(16% protein I think). Make sure it had no Urea.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

I agree. That's quite early for them to like grain. Just wait a couple more weeks, offer it to them regularly and they will in the end come around to eat it.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

9 weeks is not to early for grain. In fact, you can give them grain and hay free choice at the 2 week mark. They will not eat much of either, instead mouthing it more then anything. But by a month they will understand both and be eating both. By 2 months we remove the grain cept for treats and fun times but keep giving them free choice alfalfa. The industry norm is to wean at 3 months but longer never hurts. Had a friend who had a 3 year old doe with a year and a half old "kid". She used the doe for house milk and the "kid" helped to keep the doe in milk and took the extra my friend couldnt use. Worked out great for her, though Id never suggest that. 
Here we do wean at 3 months. With most of our does producing large quantities of milk a day, the strain is alot and we like the extra time to get em back into shape for the breeding / winter / kidding seasons.


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

I got Cuzco at 2 months old and it took him at least another month or two before he would touch grain. Then once he did I regretted letting him get a taste for it, the greedy little monster! He raided the bin several times even after I thought I'd "goat-proofed" it. He made liquid cow plops for about 12 hours after each incident. What a mess! Don't worry about your little guys... they'll come round soon enough.


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