Tips for Introducing Water?

[HomesteaderWife]

Hello all! Sorry for lots of posts as of late as we get our new little fella situated. Our goat kid was born the morning of 5/5 and in reading I see about this time he should be introduced to water. I am having quite a difficult time digging up the info, but I did cup some water in my hand for him today and let him suckle a little from my fingers. He was not well interested in it to say the least! Any tips for if this is the right time, and how to introduce it to him where he can drink during the day? Thank you kindly

P.S. For anyone who saw my posts after he was first born and I was asking questions, here is the little fella now

 

[Mini Horses]

Put a shallow bowl near him. How's Mom? Can he be with her and you bottle feed him?

 

[rachels.haven]

Is he dam raised or bottle fed?
For bottle kids at about a week I just leave our a small bucket so they can step in it and knock it over and poop on it so I get to change it over and over. They don't care about it until they're older. Clipped to a fence helps. Right now it's all about the milk for them.

For dam raised kids, they just copy mom. Keep mom's bucket shallow and accessable but safe for the kid.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

To touch on both responses from you @Mini Horses and @rachels.haven - thank you for your replies!

I will definitely try and find a shallow bowl and/or something to clip on his new little stall. Mom is doing better today after a round of shots from vet and some power punch they sent home for her. The day after she had him, she started to crash and we called the vet and they sent some stuff home for her. (Don't have names on hand but I kept bags and labels). I have checked her a few times a day and still not getting any milk out. She's perked up and doing a lot better and eating, but no milk. The second day when I had him out excercising in the yard, he bleated and his mom responded, so I did try to take him back in to her. She smelled him, looked sideways at him, and walked away. If he comes towards her, she trots off. I did hold her still to see if she would accept him near her bags, but she pulled around and would try to headbutt or kick at him.

Because mom A.) Has no attachment to him and won't care for him and B.) Still no milk being produced/released - he is still being bottle fed by us. Very strong and happy, getting his legs and doing his little binkies and hops. He picked up on the bottle the very first feeding, and by 48 hours he is a crazy monster man at feeding time!

In the back of my mind when she was closing in on time to kid, I was thinking that surely even as a first time mom if she doesn't want to be with him, I can milk her for his feedings. This ended up being just a wonky scenario! I was truly wanting her to be able to tend to him for his benefit. But, just over 96 hrs old now and he's been such a good boy. I get him out for his feed and potty, walk him to feed his mom, and then we go and get the Cattle Dog for a little walk together. The pup enjoys seeing him and they'll touch noses, then he twists up in the air and trots off. When she scratches off after going potty, he thinks that's the best thing and gets super hyper.

So, in all the rambling (sorry), I mean to say he is doing well and has been making friends. He loves my husband and they'll take walks together while I am cleaning up his little area. The Cattle Dog, being raised around all sorts of critters and having a very gentle disposition, likes their visits together too. I will definitely provide a shallow water option and try and help him find where it is.

 

[Ridgetop]

Has she been tested for CAE? With bad health going down after kidding and producing no milk she might have another problem.

Since he is used to the bottle, no need to try to get him back on her milk. Just continue bottle feeding. Since she had no milk to start with, ne has never produced any, she is definitely dried up now. Just keep water available and eventually he will drink it. Since he is only 4 days old, he is getting all the liquids he needs from the bottle.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@Ridgetop - she has not. The vet had a short day that day (and I think some emergency calls in that few hour window) and was extremely busy and so they asked a lot of questions via phone when we called for help and had a porch pickup with: Power Punch, Excede, and Banamine. She showed a lot of improvement after that and as of today she's been doing a heck of a lot better. Good appetite, no laying down, vocal again and acting 100% like her normal self.

He's definitely been eating strong and I will for sure make sure to leave water for him as an option. He has begun to get curious of things so I am sure he will pick up. I do feel bad for the little guy that his mom isn't the one showing him the ropes, but I am just thankful he has been doing well.