Nigerian Dwarf Doelings

[cjhubbs]

Hey Everyone,
I've been really busy the past few months but things have finally slowed down and I can keep up with the forum again. Well anyways I have some questions for you all. My uncle and aunt are moving up to the area from Florida and called my mother yesterday and apparently asked her if I can take care of their three Nigerian doelings until they get settled in and are able to build a pen for them. We have had goats for three years now, but we have only have Saanens. For the most part I think the general care of Nigerian Dwarfs will be similar to Saanens (they're both goat breeds after all); however, I am completely lost as to the ratio I should feed the Nigerians compared to the Saanens. I have only been through one set of baby goats before and those were the twin bucklings my saanen had last Spring and we did not have them past two months of age (we sold them). I guess I am wondering what I should be feeding the Nigerians (currently the Saanens are getting their normal milking ration and hay) and how much of that should I be feeding the Nigerians compared to the Saanens? I also was wondering if the ratio of feed I should give the Nigerian doelings will need to change as they get older? Thanks so much for the help. Did I mention my aunt said she will be dropping the goats off Sunday ?!?

 

[SA Farm]

Ask your Aunt and Uncle what they've been getting and continue that. Should be 2-3 flakes of hay/day and a bit of grain. About 1/2 a cup per day per goat should be plenty at their age.
I don't increase the grain until pregnant and again when lactating. Until then 1/2 a cup is plenty.

ETA: you'll do fine. They're just tiny versions of your goats after all

 

[cjhubbs]

Okay apparently my aunt was incorrect or my mom misunderstood her. Apparently these doelings are 1 1/2 months old and will need to be bottle fed. I remember a little bit about weaning our bucklings from last year; however, I have no idea how to bottle feed. I was wondering if you all had any resources on the topic? Currently these doelings are getting 1 bottle twice a day and grass. We do not have any grass up here in NH, I mean it's February XD, so I was wondering how much hay they should be getting and how often? They currently are getting a little sweet feed too but it is more of as a treat. I was wondering how much feed I should be giving them and how often (should I start at x amount of feed and increase it over time to a higher amount? Thanks so much for the help guys!

 

[SA Farm]

They'll probably go through a flake tops at this point. For the grain, a small handful a day, and increase gradually. Here are some links about bottle feeding and whatnot:
http://goat-link.com/content/view/94/76/#.Uw_gJoV43kB
http://fiascofarm.com/goats/feeding.htm

 

[ragdollcatlady]

Baby Nigerians, and only 3 babies at that, should go through (maybe)1/2 flake of nice alfalfa hay a day with plenty of waste. My 4, 7 week old Nigerian doelings don't even finish 1/2 flake a day. They eat all the leaves and some of the finer stems but they do waste plenty. I would only offer about 1 measuring cup a day, of goat food/pellets for the 3 babies, along with their bottles 2 times a day. My babies do like to nibble on the grass hay and if they are used to green grass, they might like a grass based hay, but I would use alfalfa as my first choice if they take it.

I wouldn't necessarily increase the grain as they grow, but rather increase the amount of hay you offer. if they start to use up more/most of the hay you offer, it is time to increase the amount. By 8-10 weeks they can be on one bottle a day and weaned by 12 if you like, but I would wait to cut down on the bottles until they are well established and in a routine of eating the hay and grain that you will be offering. The move will be plenty stressful so making sure they are eating well will be important.

 

[taylorm17]

I have bottle fed my baby buckling and am getting 2 more bottle babies this weekend sometime. We will get them at 6 1/2 weeks old and they will get 1 bottle per day. For my adult does in the summer, I had hay out at all times since they mostly ate greens, but for the babies I would have about 1/2 a flake to 3/4 a flake for 3 doelings per day. As for grain I wouldn't think they would need a whole lot at all. I could just give them each slightly over a quarter cup a day. Since they will be moving, I would try to change their diet as slow as possible.

Have you ever raised a goat as a baby before or just the 1 bottle baby?