how many times a day should I bottle feed my baby goats?

[meme]

Hi, I will be getting my first 2 baby goats/kids in about 3 or 4 days, and i wasn`t really sure how many times a day i should bottle feed them? I heard that you should feed them about 8 times a day. We will be getting them when they are a about a week old, I heard that you can start giving them less and less as they get older and older. I have no idea of what to name them though, does anyone know of any good names, i am not sure what color they will be yet, but i will know soon. when I get them I will post pics!

If anyone has any expirience on bottle feeding baby goats/kids, please tell me all you know.

Thanks

 

[Roll farms]

The breeder will probably give you a schedule / some advice on how to care for them, but here's a link to the info I give our goat buyers.....

http://www.backyardherds.com/web/viewblog.php?id=586

 

[ksj0225]

I have followed Kim's (Roll's Farm) advice to a T. And have been very pleased!!! Every week when he gets a week older. I go back to her page to see if I need to keep his bottles the same or change them...

 

[EggsForIHOP]

I basically follow Roll Farms advice on her page there (though I didn't realize it until recently )

Most breeders will tell you basically the same thing with some minor variations when you get your goats - and actually EVERY breeder I've ever worked with also gave me their nipples for their bottles too! I got a goat and nipple and a gallon of "his milk" and some paperwork last month when I picked up our new "baby daddy to be" from his breeder - and his feeding schedule, amounts, etc...he came with a little BOOK of information! VERY NICE!

Try contacting the breeder now and seeing what info they can give you to be prepared - that might help - and remember times aren't set in stone (though the goats may think they are!) And if they are giving goat milk (or anything else - I've seen some CRAZY recipes out there), try to get a little from them to make the transition to whatever you are feeding easier...I like to mix it up slowly from what they WERE eating to what they WILL be eating...

My 2 new doelings took about a week to adjust to the fact that I am not feeding them a tiny bottle EVERY time they cry - instead they get big bottles in regular intervals....and the new buckling STILL thinks he should eat at 6am...I don't even FUNCTION at 6am! So don't let them train you to a schedule - you pick a schedule and train them to it! The hard part is ignoring the crying...he hollers from 6 til 9 EVERY morning...and then he does it again at night...but he's slowly getting better and adjusting to being on MY routine!

You'll be okay, I know it Go ahead and contact the breeder and just ask what kind of schedule, milk, and amounts they are on now to be prepared...they'll probably be enthused to know you care that much and don't forget to ask what brand/kind of nipple they use...there's nothing like a baby goat that looks at you CRAZY eyed when you offer a nipple they don't know! OH!

If you're like us and don't drink very much soda...START DRINKING 20 oz SODAS! You're gonna need the bottles Last year I had PITCHERS FULL of D.P. in the fridge because I got the babies and didn't have any bottles to go with the pritchards nipples that came with them! It was pitiful! Ended up tossing most of that soda too....then I discovered water bottles worked and that was a better option for us Soda does HORRID things to my belly! LOL! Ahh...good times...good times....

 

[Roll farms]

Yup, all my kids come w/ instructions, a nipple, and some milk....good luck w/ your babies.