# Bottle feeding, what do you use?



## Our7Wonders (Mar 15, 2011)

I'm not really interested in doing the bucket w/nipples, I would rather continue to bottle feed each one, but I'd like to perhaps improvise with better bottles and/or nipples.

I have been using bud light bottles (my hubby was willing to sacrifice and throw back a couple for the sake of the goats) and the black pull on lamb nipples.  They were collapsing, so I cut a small slit in the top, but that only made it worse - milk flows better but it also dribbles out alot.  The local Big R sells the gray caprine supply nipples and I think I've seen them recommended on here before - but don't they need a straw?  And will they fit over a bottle?

And then what do you use for the bottle?  Current bottles will hold about 13oz, but I know some of you feed more than that.  For those of you that feed up to 20oz per feeding, how do you do it?  Bigger bottle or two separate bottles?

Thanks!


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## aggieterpkatie (Mar 15, 2011)

I feed for the first few days with a pritchard nipple, which is nice and soft. After the first few days I find they get too aggressive with the pritchards, and those are too expensive to go through that many until the kid is weaned.  I switch to the black pull on lamb ones.  They're stiff at first, but soften up if you soak them in hot water.  The x in the tip is usually too small, so I cut it open *just a little more* and it flows better, not to slow or fast.  

For the bottle itself I buy $.88 cheapo soda and dump it out for the bottles.  They're either 20 or 24 oz, I can't remember.  I usually mark the ounces on the bottle too, with a Sharpie.  Just use a measuring cup to do that...1/4 cup is 2 oz, 1/2 is 4, etc.  I mark all the way up to 20 oz so I know how much I'm feeding and how much they're eating.  I'm too cheap to buy the already marked heavy duty bottles....because soda bottles are cheap and I can toss them when they're not washing out clean.  I go through maybe 4 per kid.


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## ksalvagno (Mar 15, 2011)

I use pritchard nipples and Mountain Dew plastic bottles. I have Nigerians. I go ahead and use the pritchard all the way through but it does stretch out and I will have to throw it away when I'm done bottle feeding. But I use them for as long as I can.


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 15, 2011)

I buy the Pricthard nipples(yellow cap, red nipple) and screw onto a plastic water or soda bottle. That you can feed 20 oz at a feeding. 

They are around 6 bucks for a set of two, at feed stores, or TSC.


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## Roll farms (Mar 15, 2011)

I *love* caprine nipples...You can get them from several places (I use Jeffers), they easily pop onto soda bottles and they're virtually indestructable.

# CL - 02  If you order 10, they're only 1.55 ea...and when I say they last, I mean it.  
I use the same ones yearly and give new ones away when I sell kids.

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/lambar-feeding-outfit/camid/LIV/cp/16743/


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## Our7Wonders (Mar 15, 2011)

Great - thanks for the info all!  For those of you that are using the soda bottles - are you using plastic?  I haven't tried yet, I just assumed that the plastic wouldn't allow me to stretch the nipple over the top, that why I've been using the glass.  If the plastic works fine then I'll go that route.

I think I will pick up some gray ones.  Big R's mark up is CRAZY steep ($4.99 per single nipple) but if they last then they'll be worth it.  I bought a couple Pritchard's there - at $3.99 each and have one little guy still on them but I think I'm going to switch him out to the bigger ones soon.

Thanks again!


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## phoenixmama (Mar 15, 2011)

Caprine supply nipples with the cheap Gerber baby bottles...that way I can put a syringe in place to allow air back into the bottle.  That makes them less messy when they are done and they finish up more quickly since they don't have to keep popping off the nipple.


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## Our7Wonders (Mar 15, 2011)

phoenixmama said:
			
		

> Caprine supply nipples with the cheap Gerber baby bottles...that way I can put a syringe in place to allow air back into the bottle.  That makes them less messy when they are done and they finish up more quickly since they don't have to keep popping off the nipple.


Forgive me, I can't picture this set up at all.  Can you explain?  Are you saying the gray nipples fit on the Gerber bottles?  I was using the glass Gerber to start - with the baby nipple that comes with it, so i have those on hand.  I can only get 9oz into those though, so I swithced to the black lamb nipples.  I'm intrigued by your method.  I can't picture the syringe thing at all though.


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## DouglasPeeps (Mar 15, 2011)

I will be using the pritchard nipples on the plastic soda bottles.


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## phoenixmama (Mar 15, 2011)

Our7Wonders said:
			
		

> phoenixmama said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The Caprine nipples slide into the Gerber bottles, and the screw on cap holds it in place...so yes, you are replacing the baby nipple with the Caprine nipple.  

As for the syringe...flip over a Caprine nipple...see how there's a gap between the two "rings"?  I stick a short syringe needle into that gap...from the top (looking down at the nipple...with the nipple pointed up at you) so that the needle goes through and is sticking through this gap with the needle pointing down into the bottle.  It's easy to screw the cap on top of the bottle with the other end (the non-sharp) end of the syringe sticking out the hole with the nipple.  I then feed with the end of the syringe at the side of the kid's mouth so it doesn't get in the way.  This isn't possible to do if using the Caprine nipples with pop bottles...since they fit differently with those than with baby bottles.  I like it because as I said before...it allows air back into the bottle while the kid is drinking...making it a more natural thing.  (Same kind of idea as the venting mechanisms on some types of baby bottles...like the Dr. Brown's and Born Free) 

Clear as mud?


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## Roll farms (Mar 15, 2011)

I tried sticking the needle in the nipple, but they drank the milk down too fast that way.

I took some pics to help you 'see' what she's describing....at least this is how I used them...







This is as good of an 'inside' pic as I could get, but you can sort of see the needle point inside the nipple...it allows air into the bottle.






The caprine nipples pop right onto a 20 oz (or 16 oz or 24 oz) soda bottle, it'd take me 20 bottles to feed kids if I used 8oz baby bottles.


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## phoenixmama (Mar 15, 2011)

That's pretty close to what I was describing...I find they have an easier time and don't have to "pop off" the bottle to let air back into it.  

To each their own...


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## Roll farms (Mar 15, 2011)

I have a friend that swears by the needle thing.  
I just didn't have any luck w/ it myself.....but yeah, if it helps you out, then great.


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## Roll farms (Mar 15, 2011)

By the way 7W, if you elect to go w/ soda bottles...I have much better luck w/ Pepsi product bottles than I do Coke bottles...they fall over too easily in the fridge, and they seem to dent easier.  

That stinks, b/c I'ma coke drinker....I have to beg empty Mt Dew bottles from my friends...

Me, staring covetously at my friends' nearly empty Mt Dew bottles as they're drinking them...."Hey...can I have that?"

They look at me like I'm nuts....

"Come on....I need it for my kids, man"


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## Our7Wonders (Mar 15, 2011)

You guys are awesome!  Between the description and the pictures I get it now - sometimes it takes me a while, LOL.  
I picked up a single caprine supply nipple when I was out today and I think I'm going to like it!  I need 3 but they charge so much at Big R (like a 300% mark up!) that I cheaped out and only bought one to see if I like it.  It's SO much easier to get onto the bottles than the black lamb nibble - I hate stretching those things over the bottle, and I tried this afternoon and struggled to get one onto a plastic bottle.  The gray C.S. nipple was easy to pop right on.  I'll be getting a couple more of these for sure.  If they hold up to the use and abuse the baby goats put on them then they'll be worth it even at the store mark up.


Thanks again!


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## Roll farms (Mar 15, 2011)

Well, I'd send you some at cost but by the time you paid shipping....you'd probably be better off w/ Big R.  :/


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## Our7Wonders (Mar 15, 2011)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> Well, I'd send you some at cost but by the time you paid shipping....you'd probably be better off w/ Big R.  :/


Thanks for the offer - I think you're right.  And really, I'm not too cheap to spend $4.99 per nipple - just too cheap to spend it and then have it not work.  I'll be trying the other nipple on one of the babies at tonight's feeding, if I like it, and I think I will, I'll grab a couple more tomorrow.

Thanks again!


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## Roll farms (Mar 15, 2011)

If we'da known, I coulda sent some w/ the copper....ah well.

The only thing I don't like about them is you have to wait for the kid to start sucking before you tip the bottle, otherwise the milk will just pour out...but once you get used to that, they're wonderful.


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## ohiogoatgirl (Mar 16, 2011)

the way we've always done was first 4 days in kidding pen with mom, day 5 mom goes to live with the rest of the milking girls in another barn and pasture. so from day 5 until whenever we think they are getting big enough and smart enough to bucket train. then we feed in the buckets and put out hay and feed to nibble on. eventually we water down the milk until its just water and they are eating grain and hay and go out to the pasture.
we've always used 20 oz soda bottles and black lamb nipples from tractor supply store.
good luck!


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## PattySh (Mar 16, 2011)

We use clear beer bottles with caprine nipples then graduate to clear wine bottles/same nipple as they grow, I think they are easy to hold because of the "neck" on them. Had a friend who cleans condos collect them for me. I have used the gerber bottles in the past and didn't know the needle trick, they took alot longer to drink from them. I tend to like the glass bottles.


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## julieq (Mar 16, 2011)

We use Pritchard nipples on glass Jones soda bottles.  We used to use plastic Aquafina bottles but they changed the tops so they won't work anymore.  The glass bottles clean up really nice also.


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## swest (Mar 16, 2011)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> I *love* caprine nipples...You can get them from several places (I use Jeffers), they easily pop onto soda bottles and they're virtually indestructable.
> 
> # CL - 02  If you order 10, they're only 1.55 ea...and when I say they last, I mean it.
> I use the same ones yearly and give new ones away when I sell kids.
> ...


+1 They work perfect!


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