# What/how to feed a rejected baby goat?



## Gabby (Jan 24, 2017)

Hello all! I don't know how many of you saw my emergency post about rounding up a bunch of goats that have escaped but aren't mine. Well, my old man friend's friend (we'll call him Mr. J) has been looking after the farm and letting me help out. We never managed to get the goats back in the fence, as they won't come to food, shaking grain, or anything. We can't even approach them from different sides and attempt to herd them! Turns out one of the goats was pregnant, had her kid by the fence, and then left. Mr. J has been monitoring them and said the mother hasn't come back at all. I'm afraid the mother has "rejected" the baby and won't come back near the fence to feed her. This is my first time ever taking care of goats so I'm at a total loss! Could I drive to a grocery store and purchase goat milk to feed to her if the mom doesn't come back? Should I wrap her in a blanket? Mr. J's opinion is just "it happens" so he's no help there! Any help is appreciated, I'd hate to lose the first baby goat I've ever had the opportunity to work with.


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## Sunny Searle (Jan 24, 2017)

Milking her mom would be the best way to get the milk but it sounds like that's not an option. The baby really needs colostrum so if you have any friends with goats you should ask if they have any. They do sell goat milk replacer at cal ranch and Walmart and d& b, my mom says that the can just have cows milk, you might want to check that out. Get the kid warm and dry and put iodine on her umbilical cord. What breed is she? Any pics? Good luck!


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## Gabby (Jan 24, 2017)

Hi Sunny Searle! Unfortunately, milking the mom isn't possible, though it would have been my first choice! I spent about 30 minutes trying to get her but that just wasn't happening. Thank you for the advice! I've never seen the goat milk replacer at my Walmart so I'll have to check.  I don't know what D&B and Cal Ranch are, but we do have a Tractor Supply here and a few grocery stores that sell whole goats milk! I don't know what breed she is, but I'll definitely be taking pictures tomorrow! She's so sweet!


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## NH homesteader (Jan 24, 2017)

I believe whole cow's milk is also fine to use if no other options. @Goat Whisperer is a bottle feeding guru!


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 24, 2017)

Best chance of survival is to pull the kid and bottle feed (if the dam absolutely won't take care of it) If it's completely rejected you might want to bring it home with you to bottle feed and monitor and keep it warm. 

The kid NEEDS colostrum ASAP. Do you have any goat people you could call? We always have colostrum stored & frozen. The real stuff is best- it's like liquid gold and means the life or death of the kids. You could get the powder- but it's less than ideal but better than nothing.

The really need colostrum within the first 6 hours. If the kid doesn't get any at all, chance of survival is slim. 

You can transition them over to cows milk overtime. I like them on goats milk for at least a week, and if you have to- SLOWLY transition the kid to cows milk.

Get a bottle and nipple. The Pritchard (red/yellow) it the BEST when it comes to newborns.


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## Gabby (Jan 24, 2017)

NH Homesteader and Goat Whisperer thank you! I don't have any goat people at all, every person I know is a pig or chicken person! I will absolutely go to TSC tomorrow and check everything I can! Thank you for giving me guidelines on what to go on!


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## Pamela (Jan 24, 2017)

If you can't get the kid to take the pritchard nipple, I've had good luck with a regular baby bottle.


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## Pamela (Jan 24, 2017)

Gabby said:


> Hi Sunny Searle! Unfortunately, milking the mom isn't possible, though it would have been my first choice! I spent about 30 minutes trying to get her but that just wasn't happening. Thank you for the advice! I've never seen the goat milk replacer at my Walmart so I'll have to check.  I don't know what D&B and Cal Ranch are, but we do have a Tractor Supply here and a few grocery stores that sell whole goats milk! I don't know what breed she is, but I'll definitely be taking pictures tomorrow! She's so sweet!


Tractor Supply store is essentially the same type of store as CAL ranch and D&B.  They are just farm supply stores.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 24, 2017)

Gabby said:


> NH Homesteader and Goat Whisperer thank you! I don't have any goat people at all, every person I know is a pig or chicken person! I will absolutely go to TSC tomorrow and check everything I can! Thank you for giving me guidelines on what to go on!


Can you get anything tonight? 
If you don't get colostrum within hours after they are born… you will most likely lose the kid


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 24, 2017)

@Gabby check your BYH inbox


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## Gabby (Jan 24, 2017)

Thankfully, Mr. J said he's "taking care of all the post-birth work" but said if she needs to be fed, that's up to me to decide. I'll be going first thing in the morning and I'll look for colostrum them just in case Mr. J hasn't taken care of that!

Just want to say I sincerely appreciate everyone's advice here. I made this account just to talk to experienced homesteaders, I never expected to actually be seeking advice so quickly. I have NO farm experience other than raising chickens and riding horses, so thank you all for guiding me and bearing with me. I went from "maybe I'll learn a few good tips" to "oh my gosh I'm taking care of someone's farm with zero experience" in less than a week. Thank you everyone!


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## haviris (Jan 24, 2017)

Where is the baby now? If she has not eaten at all, chances are she will not survive until tomorrow morning, and if she does it's going to be a fight to save her. If you have whole milk in your fridge (or can go to a store and get some), you need to make sure the baby is warm, then warm up some milk and give it to her, a bottle is preferable, but use a syringe if you have to. Otherwise her only chance is if the mom fed her before abandoning her, but that seems unlikely.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 25, 2017)

Are you absolutely sure mom isn't coming to the baby when no one is around?  Mom's leave their babies all the time at my place and stay away for hours at a time. (but usually not until the babies are a couple days old)  Most of the time, lol, the babies stay right where mom left them.


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## OneFineAcre (Jan 25, 2017)

frustratedearthmother said:


> Are you absolutely sure mom isn't coming to the baby when no one is around?  Mom's leave their babies all the time at my place and stay away for hours at a time. (but usually not until the babies are a couple days old)  Most of the time, lol, the babies stay right where mom left them.



I hope that is the case


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 25, 2017)

How is the kid?


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## Gabby (Jan 25, 2017)

Hello everyone! The kid, Cookie, seems to be doing okay but a little hungry and seems weak, but I'm far from a goat expert so I could be wrong. I also found a second, younger kid today! They're so sweet. I just sent a message to the amazing Goat Whisperer for some advice on the situation. I found that the mother jumps the fence, lets the kid feed for a little less than a minute, then runs back away. One time she took her head and attempted to physically shove the lil baby out through the fence....I found her hiding under a dead tree out in the woods today. Depending on what Goat Whisperer advises me to do (I sent her the full, long, overly detailed story) I may end up bringing them home! I want to do what's *actually *best for the kids, not just what I *think *is best for them, so I don't want to act hastily considering I don't know much about goats.


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## Gabby (Jan 25, 2017)

The little brown one, Cookie, definitely likes me more than the other! She wobbled over to see me when I went back to the stable for the last time, and if I sit down she lays next to me! Whenever I hold her she lays her little head against my chest and makes quiet little noises....Talk about melting my heart


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## babsbag (Jan 26, 2017)

Let us know what you decide to do. I think I would try to catch the mom and take her and the kids home with you. Do the kids belong to the same doe?  They are cute cute cute cute !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 26, 2017)

babsbag said:


> Let us know what you decide to do. I think I would try to catch the mom and take her and the kids home with you. Do the kids belong to the same doe?  They are cute cute cute cute !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This would be the ideal situation


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## babsbag (Jan 26, 2017)

If there are kids being born now there is a good chance that you will see more. I would certainly scour the area every day.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 26, 2017)

Gabby said:


> I found that the mother jumps the fence, lets the kid feed for a little less than a minute, then runs back away. One time she took her head and attempted to physically shove the lil baby out through the fence...



Sounds like mama hasn't rejected this baby at all and that she is trying to take care of it.  What would happen if you put the baby where she could go with mom?  Or is it a dangerous area?


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