how to baby goats

[granny1]

I have a 2 month old baby billy. He is adorable. But, he nibbles on green grass and will take a bottle of whole milk mixed with sweet feed. My delimma is. He will not eat the sweet feed by itself unless in a bottle. How do I get him to eat the feed from a bucket now? Puzzled.

 

[Domestic_goddess]

I have a 2 month old baby billy. He is adorable. But, he nibbles on green grass and will take a bottle of whole milk mixed with sweet feed. My delimma is. He will not eat the sweet feed by itself unless in a bottle. How do I get him to eat the feed from a bucket now? Puzzled.

Why mix the milk with sweet feed? Usually once you take the bottle away, they will start eating better. I only give the sweet feed as a treat, only occassionally, not all the time. Make sure it's drinking water from a bucket and hay.

 

[shadowpaints]

i do not understand why you are mixing sweet feed in with his bottle?? sweet feed must be chewed, not swallowed whole.

8 weeks old he should be eating hay/grass and grain and eat it just like another goat . do you not have any other goats with him?? all my babies are 6 weeks and under and my 7 bottle kids are eating hay and grain right along with my yearling goats.

 

[redhen]

I have never heard of putting feed in milk for a baby goat...
I would not do that anymore..
Maybe you can try soaking his feed in milk and putting it in a bowl... and let him learn to eat out of a bowl that way.... then gradually stop wetting the feed?
Dont know... never heard of wetting goat feed and putting it in a bottle... i'm suprised he doesnt choke...

 

[Skyesrocket]

By 8 weeks old he should be well on his way to being weaned. I wouldn't use sweet feed with a buckling. Get a pelleted goat feed and start putting it down for him. Be sure he has clean water down at all times and start cutting back on his milk. If he has a belly full of milk he might not get hungry enough to start eating the pellets.
I never heard of mixing feed in a bottle for goats either. Good Luck with the little guy! We love pictures here....hint hint.

 

[elevan]

Goats don't truly need grain / sweet feed / pelletized feed. It should be a supplement only.

Here are a couple of threads on the sister site, Backyard Herds, that you might want to read.

So you bought a baby goat….Now what?
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=149874#p149874


Let's Look at our Different Feeding Practices *GOATS*
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=11677