# How to get a baby goat to eat grain



## junkman (Jun 17, 2020)

Hello all, I have 8 Nigerian dwarf goats,  two are 8 weeks old , I feed all of them  16 % medicated grain in the morning, the two babys arrived here a couple days ago, and were not bottle babys, one of them will eat all his grain, as for the other , I try putting it in a bowl and feed him like I do all the others, unsuccessful, I try holding him and hand feed him, unsuccessful,
Can anyone tell me what I should try next,
I took a fecal sample  to the vet. And it came back with a small amount of coccidia,  and was told the medicated grain would be good enough for them.
But Murphy will not eat it,
Any ideas please
Thank you
Jack


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## chickens really (Jun 17, 2020)

Is he eating the hay provided? My baby Doe wouldn't eat the kid starter at first either. She was almost 8 weeks but she learned by doing what my other older kid would do. Still neither one like to eat grass even though I take them out daily to graze. I just put it in the bowl and left it for them. Now they call for me each morning and evening for their serving of kid starter.


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## junkman (Jun 17, 2020)

chickens really said:


> Is he eating the hay provided? My baby Doe wouldn't eat the kid starter at first either. She was almost 8 weeks but she learned by doing what my other older kid would do. Still neither one like to eat grass even though I take them out daily to graze. I just put it in the bowl and left it for them. Now they call for me each morning and evening for their serving of kid starter.


My kids are 8 weeks also, I give all of my goats , Nutrena 16% medicated, one kid will eat it the other wont, they both graze gr and as and I seen them nibble on hay. I really need him to eat the grain , because of the coccidia.


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## chickens really (Jun 17, 2020)

junkman said:


> My kids are 8 weeks also, I give all of my goats , Nutrena 16% medicated, one kid will eat it the other wont, they both graze gr and as and I seen them nibble on hay. I really need him to eat the grain , because of the coccidia.


Get corrid for the water and use that for the kids. Medicated feed is a preventative and not a cure. Corrid will cure the coccidiosis.


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## chickens really (Jun 17, 2020)

@B&B Happy goats 
They can help you.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 17, 2020)

chickens really said:


> @B&B Happy goats
> They can help you.


Lol, thank you but I  only know a little, there are much more knowledgeable  people here to help...it's  just a matter of who is here to answer at the moment


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## junkman (Jun 17, 2020)

After having a fecal test done, our vet told me that the medicated feed would be all I need to give them, very little coccidia showed up in the sample, it's just a matter of getting him to eat the grain. 
Thank you all


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## D and L Meadows (Jun 17, 2020)

Do you know how many coccidia eggs per view? What’s his eye lid color like? 
As long as he’s eating hay, he should be fine, and start eating feed soon, but need to get that coccidia under control.


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## junkman (Jun 17, 2020)

D and L Meadows said:


> Do you know how many coccidia eggs per view? What’s his eye lid color like?
> As long as he’s eating hay, he should be fine, and start eating feed soon, but need to get that coccidia under control.


Not sure how many, the vet said not many.
The two little ones are eating hay,


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## Ridgetop (Jun 24, 2020)

Why do you want them on grain?  They need to develop their rumens.  The rumen develops by eating roughage (hay).  Just feed good quality hay for a while.  I had standard dairy goats and Boers, and we never fed grain until the does were in late pregnancy or milking.  The bucks rarely got any supplements.  We do get high quality alfalfa here though, which is very high in protein.  If your hay is not good quality that may be why you have to feed a supplement.  In the meantime, just feed hay and introduce the grain later when they are older.


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## junkman (Jun 24, 2020)

Ridgetop said:


> Why do you want them on grain?  They need to develop their rumens.  The rumen develops by eating roughage (hay).  Just feed good quality hay for a while.  I had standard dairy goats and Boers, and we never fed grain until the does were in late pregnancy or milking.  The bucks rarely got any supplements.  We do get high quality alfalfa here though, which is very high in protein.  If your hay is not good quality that may be why you have to feed a supplement.  In the meantime, just feed hay and introduce the grain later when they are older.


All my goats are wethers, so I feed them nutrena 16% medicated feed, small amount, 1/4 cup in the mornings to help reduce them from getting stoned, plus it helps with coccidia. I do feed them 2nd cut hay and they have a pasture to graze


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## Ridgetop (Jun 24, 2020)

I see.   Sometimes it takes babies a while to learn to eat new food.  He may just take longer.  I bought some special lamb builder pellets for an undersized lamb who had to wean at 6 weeks.  She refused to touch it!  I tried mixing it with rolled barleycorn that she had been eating with her mama but she picked out the corn and barley, leaving the expensive feed that was supposed to help her grow!  She only started eating it after I put her in with a group of new lambs and their mamas.  They started eating it with their mothers and eventually she followed suit.  I would have culled her for size, but her mother was ill and then was euthanized so I am giving her a chance to catch up before deciding to do that.  Her bloodlines are excellent, so I hope she will be salvageable.  I will wait to breed her until she is over 100 lb. in hopes she will grow to normal size.

Does your wether eat chopped apples or other treats?  Maybe mix some of that in with the pelleted feed?  Or you could try adding a bit of Karo syrup.  Young goats are like human children and like sweet things.  Molasses is also good to tempt finicky appetites, but it is high in iron and can cause constipation.


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## junkman (Jun 24, 2020)

I have tried a small amount of sweet feed with his regular food,  he will nibble a little and that's about the extent of that, now the other little one eats all his feed and looks for more, both of them were raised by their moma, and not bottle babys, so they are still skittish  of humans. My other 6 were bottle fed, and we didn't have any problems with them


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## Ridgetop (Jun 25, 2020)

Probably why they are different.  Don't worry about it.  If the vet wants them to have something for the cocci, have him give you an oral liquid medicine that you can give with an eye dropper or syringe.  That way you don't have to worry about them eating the medicated feed.  Eventually they will follow the others' lead and start  to eat the grain .


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## junkman (Jun 25, 2020)

It's a slow process,  but at least he is starting to nibbling at it


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