# How much to milk for 6 week old pygmy



## julierx1 (Jan 6, 2013)

I have a pygmy baby who has been getting bottle fed from birth. He is going on 7 weeks old. As of right now, I he gets 9 oz milk 3 times a day. Free choice hay and water also. He is huge and far from starvation.  I would like to drop him to 2 times a day ( bottle) but dont know if he is old enough or how much milk to give him. I am up to my ears with a 1week old and 2 does ready to kid so it would be a huge relief if he was twice daily.   Does anyone have any suggestions??


----------



## WhiteMountainsRanch (Jan 6, 2013)

*Here is some good info:

http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1312*


----------



## pridegoethb4thefall (Jan 6, 2013)

If he is eating hay and grain, drinking water on his own and is 7 weeks old... he is 100% ready t drop to 2xs a day bottles. If you are concerned about it not being enough, just give/offer him 12 to 13 ounces at a time. I don't think he HAS to have that much, but it may help the transition to fewer bottles per day.


----------



## julierx1 (Jan 7, 2013)

Ok Im gonig to switch to 2 bottle per day. Now my question is..I usually just fill my baby bottles up to the ounces noted on side and go w/ that. I just now poured my milk into a Kitchen measuring cup and the 2 do not match.  8oz. on measuring cup will overflow a 9oz baby bottle. What is going on?  And what do u use to measure the liquid with?  Should I feed morning and midday or morning and night?


----------



## CrazyCatNChickenLady (Jan 7, 2013)

I'm feeding a 5 week old nigerian twice a day about 12 oz at a time.  He's eating a lot of solids right now during the day with the bigger goats. Go with the measure on the bottle.. those are usually fluid ounces.

When I was feeding formula last spring the directions say this: 





> *Note - due to the difference in density, the enclosed cup holds approximately 4 ounces of dry powder, or 9 fluid ounces of liquid (water or milk replacer solution).


I feed whole milk now but definately make sure you're using the fluid ounces measurment. The kitchen measuring cup is for flour and sugar I'd think. I feed late morning and early evening.


----------



## julierx1 (Jan 7, 2013)

Ok I just went out to check on my babies and the does that are due. I noticed that my 6 week old bottle baby has poop sorta like a dog. It is long turd looking and black (amybe dark dark brown) He is acting normal and growing like a weed.  I wonder if this is due to being a bottle baby or if I should worm him.  At what age would u worm?


----------



## rinksgi (Jan 30, 2013)

Mine did that when I had him on 1/2 replacer and 1/2 whole milk. I dropped the replacer down to 1/4 and 3/4 milk and he had normal poops.


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Jan 31, 2013)

julierx1 said:
			
		

> Ok I just went out to check on my babies and the does that are due. I noticed that my 6 week old bottle baby has poop sorta like a dog. It is long turd looking and black (amybe dark dark brown) He is acting normal and growing like a weed.  I wonder if this is due to being a bottle baby or if I should worm him.  At what age would u worm?


I know we have had this conversation before and this may be redundant so forgive me on that---there is no age at which you worm a goat and worming on any kind of rotation or schedule is not a good practice.  If eye lids look pale, or you have other reason to suspect a parasite problem, do not run for a random wormer.  Different parasites require different medications, and treating with the wrong one breeds resistant parasites that we all have to then deal with and wastes money on a medication that did nothing for the goat's health.  Get a fecal test done to see if you need to treat for a parasite, find out what kind of parasite, and then give the appropriate medication.


----------



## OneFineAcre (Jan 31, 2013)

Pearce Pastures said:
			
		

> julierx1 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


x2

Also, sometimes when they start to eat more hay and their rumens become more active their droppings can become soft and formed like you said.  Sometimes they even can have the squirts for a day or two. Any diet change can affect their droppings

Just keep an eye out on the situation


----------

