timeline / schedule for weaning bottle-raised kids?

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! I have 2 LaMancha cross bucklings (born 2/9 and 2/10) --- Cupid and Archer.
They have been bottle-fed since I got them 2/13 (hence the names) and I was looking for info or a website with info about when and how to switch them from bottles to solid food.

They eat hay and browse already (and eat laying pellets and scratch when they get into the chickens feed, bad goaties).
Today I picked up a bag of the only 'goat feed' at the feed store --- sweet goat feed (16% protein).

Right now, they drink 2 qts of replacer each in the morning, 1 or 1 1/2 qts each around midday (1:00-ish), and another 1 1/2 qts each in the evening (7:00-ish).

Today, I skipped the midday bottles and didn't offer another til 6:00.
They had hay, plenty to browse on, and sweet feed available, but you should have heard the piteous bleating --- I hid inside and watched thru a window, they hushed after a few minutes and started munching hay

At 6:00 this evening, they both took a full 2 qts.
At their age, is that an OK schedule for getting replacer and hay /browse / feed?
I feel like an over-anxious mom, but I want them to be healthy and happy.

Thanks,
Lisa

 

[turbo127]

at two months old it would not hurt them at all to be completely weaned. the way you are doing it is ok,but every couple days decrease the amount of milk by a cup. that way they get used to eating less gradually instead of taking them off the bottle cold turkey. at this age the mother has usually started weaning if not had them completely weaned. the biggest thing is to make sure they are eating well and have plenty of fresh hay and water at all times.
hope this helps.
marc

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Yes thanks, that's reassuring.

Lisa