# Feeding goat question



## skipper (Jan 11, 2019)

I Got my first goat yesterday she’s a Nubian dwarf I’m pretty excited she’s only 5 days old 
She was with her mom until we picked her up so now I’m trying to get her to take a bottle but no luck 
I’m using some powder from tractor supply called kid milk 
I have her inside today and she’s pretty upset calling for her mom 
My question is how do I get her to take the bottle? She’s pretty stressed out and I’m having no luck


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## Latestarter (Jan 11, 2019)

It's probably a couple of issues. First, the seller did you a disservice by selling you a "bottle baby" that wasn't trained to the bottle. Second, the seller should have provided you some goats milk to ease the transition. Third, the kid won't recognize the smell or taste of formula and to her it's not edible. Fourth, were it me, I'd return the formula and try feeding straight whole cows milk from the store. Not 2% or lower... whole milk. You can add a little Karo syrup or molasses to it for quick energy for the baby. You can also add heavy cream or 1/2 & 1/2 to "richen" it, add more fat.

Try covering her eyes so she can't see as you present the nipple to her. Place the bottle under your forearm so she can butt her head up against your arm as she would her mom's udder. It's gonna take patience and persistence to get her to eat/take the bottle. just keep trying. Make sure the milk is warmed and make sure the kid is warmed before feeding. Feeding a cold kid can make it sick.


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## skipper (Jan 11, 2019)

Thank you so much


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 11, 2019)

Hello Skipper, i know you have your hands full with a bottle baby, @Latestarter  is so correct about previous  owner doing you  a dis service..., first of all , they should of told you goats are social animals and need a companion goat. I personally would not sell a goat that young for many reasons. This is in no way a criticism  of you !  I have "rescued" a three day old goat, almost lost her three times.....but she is now almost a year old and is a joy.  If you can get her another female (you can bottle feed two as easy as one) she will stay warmer and won't  be lonley.....please keep posting on her progress, and would love a picture of your new kids...best of luck to you


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## skipper (Jan 11, 2019)




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## skipper (Jan 11, 2019)

I got her to take the bottle but the nipple doesn’t have a hole in it 
There’s a hole on the lid that leaks everywhere though 
I’m going to upload a pic please tell me if I need a different nipple style for her or if this nipple needs to be altered


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## skipper (Jan 11, 2019)




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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 11, 2019)

Cut the tip off.


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## rachels.haven (Jan 11, 2019)

That's a pritchard nipple. I don't feel qualified to officially answer you, but I believe you are supposed to poke or cut a tiny hole in the end. Google is your friend. I'd look up "how to use a pritchard nipple" quick and get some groceries in that baby.

I found this.
https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/do-you-cut-the-end-of-a-pritchard-nipple.18645/


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## skipper (Jan 11, 2019)

Yup it said to poke or slice a hole in the end


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 11, 2019)

These are my all time favorite nipples. Might want to give them a try if the kid doesn't like the pritchard. If a kid doesn't like a pritchard, they'll take this (in my experience).  https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...-controlled-flow-lamb-nipples-pack-of-3?rfk=1

LS gave some good info. My kids don't like anything added to the bottle though. If the kid is struggling, give some Nutri-Drench and wait ~15 minutes and try the bottle again. I personally like the nutri-drench over molasses or syrup, it has other goodies that will help give the kid more drive. You may have to gently force the bottle into the kid's mouth. 
I bottle raise 20-45+ kids a year. It makes me sad to see other breeders be so negligent.


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## skipper (Jan 11, 2019)

Yay she drank the bottle that was so quick thank you guys


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## skipper (Jan 11, 2019)

I agree that the breeder was negligent 
This goat is lonely and scared


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 11, 2019)

Can you get another female ?


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 11, 2019)

That is great! 

You can start looking for a companion. Many will sell kids on the bottle but as you have learned- get from a good breeder


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## skipper (Jan 11, 2019)

Im Not sure if I can afford another female for a few more weeks but I’ll try
Do they get depressed ? Or does it just make it easier? Is a few weeks ok or does it have to be in the next few days ?


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 11, 2019)

Yes she will get depressed, they are social animals that in nature live in a herd....I hope you can find her a female companion soon....please don't  get intact male...you can't  keep them together as they will breed sooner than you think.... and that's  a mess you don't  want to get into,


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## Latestarter (Jan 11, 2019)

Sorry about the initial nipple issues... most here take for granted that folks know/figure out they need to cut the tip off or poke a hole...   Understanding that you gotta do what you gotta do... If it takes a week or two (or longer) until you can afford to get her a companion, then that's the way it is. It's not gonna kill her at this stage of her life. Right now at several days old, she's going to bond to you folks, but there will not be any communication. As she gets a little older, she's going to want to talk with her own kind. That's where the companion goat comes in. People have kept single animals with great success, however it doesn't seem to be the norm. They are herd animals and as such, you'd expect them to do best in that environment. Just keep in mind that you're going to want an animal similar in age and size. That isn't a necessity either, but again, seems to work best. 

BTW... congrats on your new goat. Quite a cutie. The other "kid" is too.


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## Bryon (Jan 16, 2019)

I just got a baby that was a day old.  I used the same bottle and nipple and took scissors and cut a tiny piece from the end.  I agree with Latestarter regarding using the whole milk.  I poured out about a third of it replaced that portion with a cup of evaporated milk in a can (PET) and a cup of buttermilk then pour as much of the milk you took out back in the gallon jug until it reaches the top.  My baby is now 2 weeks old and is doing great.  To prevent constipation from the richness pf this mixture I add 2 cc of mineral oil (baby oil) to the milk about every other day.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 16, 2019)

Bryon said:


> I just got a baby that was a day old.  I used the same bottle and nipple and took scissors and cut a tiny piece from the end.  I agree with Latestarter regarding using the whole milk.  I poured out about a third of it replaced that portion with a cup of evaporated milk in a can (PET) and a cup of buttermilk then pour as much of the milk you took out back in the gallon jug until it reaches the top.  My baby is now 2 weeks old and is doing great.  To prevent constipation from the richness pf this mixture I add 2 cc of mineral oil (baby oil) to the milk about every other day.



Please don't  take this the wrong way...but may I ask why or how you ended up with a day old goat ?


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## Tammyd57 (Jan 16, 2019)

I think your 'breeder' did you more than one dis-service---that goat doesn't look like a Nubian, it looks like a Nigerian Dwarf. If they gave you the wrong info on the breed, and did not give you enough info to keep her alive--please don't buy your second goat from them.


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## SonRise Acres (Jan 16, 2019)

Tammyd57 said:


> I think your 'breeder' did you more than one dis-service---that goat doesn't look like a Nubian, it looks like a Nigerian Dwarf. If they gave you the wrong info on the breed, and did not give you enough info to keep her alive--please don't buy your second goat from them.



I was thinking the same thing. It doesn’t look like any Nubian baby we’ve ever had. I was thinking Nigerian Dwarf or possibly Pygmy.


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## Latestarter (Jan 16, 2019)

She typed nubian dwarf but may have meant nigerian dwarf...  That was my assumption in any case.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 17, 2019)

I agree.  She is very cute, but definitely not a Nubian.  Nubians have that distinctive Roman nose and large pendulous ears.  Whether full size or mini, the features should be the same.  I have never heard of a Nubian Dwarf breed, but there are so any new breeds and sizes coming out since I stopped doing dairy goats, that it is entirely possible that there is a Nubian Dwarf breed.  This kid is not a Nubian though.  Clarification someone?


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## babsbag (Jan 18, 2019)

I sell bottle baby goats at about 3 days. I make sure they get the colostrum and have a good start on a bottle and then off they go. When you are looking at 100+ kids being born it is imperative to move them out ASAP. However, I do educate the owner about what, how, and when to feed plus I never sell them just one unless they have others at home. They are also started on cow's milk before leaving here.


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## Bryon (Jan 18, 2019)

A neighbor down the road has goats and he has been having trouble with his babies dying.  He tried bottle feeding some but they didn't make it.  In this particular case the nanny had triplets and he was afraid she couldn't take care of them or would reject them.  So I offered to take one to help.  It has turnded out great so far.  He is a ball of energy right now.  I am at the point now where I would like to know when and what type of feed to introduce him to.  I have read a few different things so I open to ideas.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 18, 2019)

Bryon said:


> A neighbor down the road has goats and he has been having trouble with his babies dying.  He tried bottle feeding some but they didn't make it.  In this particular case the nanny had triplets and he was afraid she couldn't take care of them or would reject them.  So I offered to take one to help.  It has turnded out great so far.  He is a ball of energy right now.  I am at the point now where I would like to know when and what type of feed to introduce him to.  I have read a few different things so I open to ideas.


That was kind of you to do that and take care of him


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## Everett (Jan 18, 2019)

have you tried putting the nipple close to her mouth and dripping a little milk on her nose? make sure you don't squirt it all over her face lol, but just drip it so she can get a taste of it.


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## babsbag (Jan 18, 2019)

@Bryon  Give your baby a little alfalfa hay or grass hay, but not wheat hay. Since it is a buckling you don't want to feed something that is too high in phosphorus, they can get urinary calculi. He will start nibbling on the hay eventually but it may take him a little longer as he has no one to imitate. He needs to stay on the bottle until a minimum of 8 weeks...more is better. I don't feed my kids any pellets or grain until they are weaned, and even then it is mostly hay unless I am pushing them to gain weight.


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## SonRise Acres (Jan 18, 2019)

babsbag said:


> I sell bottle baby goats at about 3 days. I make sure they get the colostrum and have a good start on a bottle and then off they go. When you are looking at 100+ kids being born it is imperative to move them out ASAP. However, I do educate the owner about what, how, and when to feed plus I never sell them just one unless they have others at home. They are also started on cow's milk before leaving here.



That’s something so many sellers in our area don’t care about ... selling a single to a person with no other goats. I always ask and it’s pretty easy to tell if people have others or not. I hate when sellers don’t even ask me.


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## Bryon (Jan 18, 2019)

babsbag said:


> @Bryon  Give your baby a little alfalfa hay or grass hay, but not wheat hay. Since it is a buckling you don't want to feed something that is too high in phosphorus, they can get urinary calculi. He will start nibbling on the hay eventually but it may take him a little longer as he has no one to imitate. He needs to stay on the bottle until a minimum of 8 weeks...more is better. I don't feed my kids any pellets or grain until they are weaned, and even then it is mostly hay unless I am pushing them to gain weight.



Great.  Thank you!


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## Latestarter (Jan 18, 2019)

Where I am I feed all the kids a pelleted feed while they are growing in addition to hay and whatever they browse/graze. Many feed a medicated feed while young and growing to help stave off potential coccidia. I dodn't feed medicated feed and have had no coccidia issues with any of my goats. You can also look for feed and goat mineral that has AC (ammonium chloride) added to help prevent urinary calculi. For wethers you want to maintain a 2-4:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus


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