# orphaned goat kid



## ranchplus (Apr 28, 2013)

Mama goat died today, baby is two and a half weeks old. We have goat milk to feed her, but she is not wanting to take a bottle. Also tried putting her on another goat, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with that. Any ideas how to get her to take the bottle? How long can she go without eating before we have to really be worried? Thanks for your help.


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## alsea1 (Apr 28, 2013)

Ah man. So sorry to hear you lost the mama goat.
I have not dealt with this so far. I'm sure some more exp. will chime in soon


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## babsbag (Apr 29, 2013)

I am sorry you lost your mama goat, I always feel even worse when they leave a baby behind. 

I lost a doe last year when her buckling when 2 weeks old. It took three days before I got him to take a bottle. I would try morning and night as I was gone at work during the day. I used the gray nipples on a soda bottle when they are this age. Here is the nipple I used.

http://www.jefferspet.com/lambar-feeding-outfit/camid/liv/cp/16743/

Have you bottle fed kids before? If not I will go into more details, but I don't want to tell you how to do it if you have experience. 

I serioulsy thought he was going to die, but after three days he decided that he really was hungry and took the bottle.

Let me know if you need more help, and be patient and firm


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## ranchplus (Apr 29, 2013)

We had a bottle baby last year, but she was a day old when we started and had no problem taking the bottle, aside from needing a little assistance keeping the nipple in her mouth for a while. 

This baby has a very stubborn personality, but I'm more stubborn I'll keep trying for sure. We have her separated from the other goats for now so we can monitor her better, do you think we should keep her with the herd? We just didn't want to falsely assume that her desire not to eat was because she did decided to steal from another mama and then regret it later if we're wrong... with her separate we know if she is/isn't eating.

Thanks for your feedback... we also have to go to work today, so will be worrying about her while we're gone, hopefully God will answer prayers and she'll just decide to eat now when I go feed her!


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## 20kidsonhill (Apr 29, 2013)

they can get really really stubborn at that age. 
Some suggestions. 
Don't drown her by squeezing too much milk into her mouth. That will scare her and she wont want the bottle. 

Warm milk to 105 degrees.

sit in a chair or on a stool and put baby under your legs so your legs are like a shelf(like mom's tummy),  slipt he nipple into her mouth and then hold your free hand on her head over her eyes.  

She will need to get good and hungry to want to eat.

If she starts sucking at all, and then stop call that good enough and try again in 2 or 3 hours. 

Consider tube feeding at some point to keep her going until she will take a bottle. 

for older kids I have had better luck with a bigger lamb nipple compared to a pritchard nipple.( I have large breed goats)


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## CritterZone (Apr 29, 2013)

Just be persistent and gentle.  Some people think animals don't have feelings, but at 2 1/2 weeks old, she was bonded with her momma and knows something is different.  She will be a bit resistant at first, but hunger will win and she will take a bottle.  So sorry for your loss - good luck.


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## ranchplus (Apr 30, 2013)

Thanks for all the great tips. Baby just now started to finally show some interest in eating, I got a couple ounces down her! Yippee! Covering her eyes did seem to really calm her, thanks, I wouldn't have thought of that one. The "wild" seems to be subsiding and the "curious" starting to show up, so hopefully we are turning the corner.


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