# How can I tell if they're drinking enough water?



## Tapsmom (Sep 10, 2011)

Hi All, My Nigerian kids will be 8 weeks old Monday.  we are giving them bottles of whole vitamin D cows milk 2 X a day.  They get about 18 ounces each feeding.  They were outside all day today happily munching on the shrubs and weeds in their area.  They also have free choice grain(TSC medicated), hay and minerala.  I also put out a water bucket so they have access to fresh water.  It doesn't look like they are drinking any water.  The level doesn't seem to go down.  Is there anything that you can suggest that will encourage them to drink it?  Am I worrying unnecessarily? It looks like one of them is pooping where the little pellets look stuck together.


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## fortheloveofgoats (Sep 10, 2011)

The poop sticking together can mean worms, or they ate too much of something. The way to tell about them not getting enough water is if when they pee it's dark brown. When we first brought our doe home, she was peeing out brownish redish, but once she was here, it is now a clear yellow.


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## savingdogs (Sep 10, 2011)

My goats only drink super CLEAN water, even when it is hot. Not saying your water is dirty, but make sure you dump it even if they don't drink it when you check the water level.


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## fortheloveofgoats (Sep 10, 2011)

savingdogs said:
			
		

> My goats only drink super CLEAN water, even when it is hot. Not saying your water is dirty, but make sure you dump it even if they don't drink it when you check the water level.


Peaches come from a can they were put there by a man.  Awesome!!!


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## Tapsmom (Sep 10, 2011)

Thanks, no they are peeing normal color.  I bought the herbal wormer and when I got it it says "for goats over 2 months" so I haven't been able to give it to them yet  Also, their food is medicated to prevent coccidia.  On the other hand they have been loving their outdoor pen and enjoying all of the snrubs and pricker bushes growing over their stone wall...


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## that's*satyrical (Sep 10, 2011)

I read somewhere you can add a small amount of bleach to the water to help keep it clean. I can't recall exact ratio though I would have to look it up....


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## kstaven (Sep 10, 2011)

Better to use food grade H2O2


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## Tapsmom (Sep 11, 2011)

Hmm, I'm not sure what food grade H202 is?  I'm kind of dense


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## Goatherd (Sep 11, 2011)

Hydrogen Peroxide


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## Tapsmom (Sep 11, 2011)

Thanks


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## St0rmyM00n (Sep 11, 2011)

I fill up empty soda bottles with water and put them in the freezer, my goats wont drink if the water gets hot for what ever reason. But I started putting the frozen bottles inside their water buckets and now they love drinking water from their buckets.


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## 20kidsonhill (Sep 12, 2011)

Freshen the water a couple times a day, but they are getting 2 bottles a day, plus green grass, Some of our goats when on green grass hardly ever drink water.  It depends on how much moisture is in the grass and browse, how long it has been since it has rained. They may just be getting enough.


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