Weaning baby goat

[gatorridgechics]

We got a baby goat that had lost it's mama. She is about 7wks. I can get her to take a bottle, it takes a little encouragement but it can be done, but she will also drink the same milk from a small bowl. Is it important that she gets the milk from a bottle or is it all the same no matter how she gets it. She is also eating grain and drinking water like a pro, and she is "going" like normal.
Also should she be put straight in with the rest of the herd? We started off that way but our doe kept head butting her, so I just moved her since it was late at night and did not want to stir everyone up or the baby get hurt.

 

[Stacykins]

We got a baby goat that had lost it's mama. She is about 7wks. I can get her to take a bottle, it takes a little encouragement but it can be done, but she will also drink the same milk from a small bowl. Is it important that she gets the milk from a bottle or is it all the same no matter how she gets it. She is also eating grain and drinking water like a pro, and she is "going" like normal.
Also should she be put straight in with the rest of the herd? We started off that way but our doe kept head butting her, so I just moved her since it was late at night and did not want to stir everyone up or the baby get hurt.

Milk is milk, as long as she will take it, that is great, no matter the method! There is a lot of opinion out there on when to wean. The usual range is between eight and twelve weeks of age. I kept my bottle kids on for 12 weeks, and they grew like weeds.

How was the Mama goat lost? An injury? Disease? Bloat? I'd run a coccidia count on the little girl, because a high load can cause problems in young goats (and adults too, but they can deal with it better).

Putting her in strait with the herd isn't a good idea. A kid that young will definitely get beaten up. Do you have a goat who is at the bottom of the herd order? The one who is most submissive to the others, eats last, that sort of thing? If so, pair that goat up with the kid, separate from the rest of the herd. Supervise them together for some time, of course, to make sure the older goat isn't too rough. Heatbutting is normal, but kids can't take as much abuse as an adult. After a few weeks, when the kid and her adult are buddies, then reintroduce the two to the main herd, slowly.

 

[gatorridgechics]

The one that I would trust isn't very in to people lol. She comes around to snatch a snack then away she goes. I can put the kid in a pen close to the herd that way they "get to know her" without being able to knock her around. Mama died from an injury. She is a good little kid, we named her KD. we thought she would bawl all night but she didn't. I wrapped her up in a blanket put her in my lap and gave her a bottle. She finaly latched on, but didn't eat a lot, mostly she just snuggled down and wanted to sleep. I put her in a small pen with some hay, I checked on her a little later and she did cry out but once she heard my voice she calmed right down. This morning she drank some of the milk, some water, and a little grain. Seems to be happy. The pen we used last night we also use when introducing chicks to the outside. They go in there when old enough to leave the brooder and stay until they can fly to the highest roosting post in the yard. The last of my chicks left the pen 2 weeks ago but I leave the door open just incase. This morning 1/2 the flock was crowding around it trying to see the new "chick". lol