Bottle feeding (fear of over feeding)

Last Saturday I brought home the first of two ND baby girls (yes Deborah I took your advise :) two goats )

The 2nd, from a different breeder will be ready to go in 6 weeks.  The first is now 16 days old and a  bottle baby.  I have read through earlier posts, and the feeding guidelines on Fiasco, and I am concerned that I am feeding in the upper portion of those guidelines for only two weeks of age.  Unfortunately, she has to come to work with me, and is quickly becoming "Zinnia the office goat".  She is taking ~20 oz in total a day.  Is this too much too soon?

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  • Thank you very much!

  • I don't worry too much any more about the total number of ounces given in 24 hours -- at least I don't worry about giving too much as long as it isn't more than 24 ounces the first couple weeks. After years of playing around with schedules and total quantities, I've come to the conclusion that NDs really can't consume more than 6-8 ounces per feeding without getting diarrhea (in most cases) in the first couple months. I like to do four feedings in 24 hours and have never had trouble with kids dying from diarrhea. It seems that the goal of a lot of people seems to be moving the kid to only two feedings in 24 hours as early as possible, and they tend to have problems with diarrhea (feeding too much per feeding) and/or kids growing slowly (kids not getting enough milk in only two feedings).

    Hope that makes sense! Holler if you need more clarification.

  • Hi Margaret, I think I made you nervous with the office comment; I am on a farm and raise sheep and poultry, however I am brand new to goats.   It is not feasable timewise to come home to feed her mid day.

    Bottle feeding was not my first choice.  Nigerian Dwarves are few and far between in my area (BC), (not that I haven't driven a day to pick up sheep in the past) and very few does available this year.  I had already arranged for the first doe from a different breeder, when it was suggested that I really should have two, when another breeder I contacted offered this doe.  It isn't my place to pass judgement on why people do what they do, but there were no medical or health reasons to take the kid from the dam.  As this breeder's main goal is showing, it appears that she makes her choices and sells the rest.   The second doeling, will be 11-12 weeks when I pick her up.

    I did have the vet out on Tuesday to check her.  She is nibbling on hay, and everything else.

    Zinnia was a triplet, born on the 10th of April.  I brought her home on the 20th, she did have colostrum.   Today she weighs 4 lbs 12 oz/ 2.15kg  (before her 1st bottle) and is 17 days old.  I am feeding her goats milk (pasturized) mixed with ~2 tsp yogurt and a little honey.

    Both breeders are registered in Canada.

     

    Joanna

     

  • Joanna, a little more info will be needed. How much does she weigh? What are you feeding her? Those 2 things will affect the answer here. Especially the weight. And does she have the opportunity to nibble on hay?

    I am concerned about her being so young and why she is on a bottle instead of on her dam. Was there a problem or what? Do you know if she got colostrum? So you got her at only 6 days old?

    I assume that since you are waiting 6 weeks on the other one that she is being dam raised? How old will she be when you get her?

    What farms did you get them from?

    Congratulations, she is really cute! I like her name too!

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