I have two goats, a Nubian and Nigerian 7 weeks They have been bottle fed and I am a first time mom to goats. They seem so dependent on their milk I worry when it is time to ween that they won't have enough to eat. I have introduced them to grain and hay. They love the grain but I'm scared of bloat. I have hung oak branches all over their area to graze but they really love their milk. I go to work every day and don't want the Nubian "Bill" screaming all day. Help?
They are big young to wean quite yet. I start cutting back on feedings at eight weeks, as they get more hungry they will eat more hay. I always picked fresh grass for mine if they didn't have access to pasture. There will be yelling. I then start to replace the bottle content with water, eventually they are just drinking water and interest in the bottle starts to wane. I try to wean at around 10-12 weeks. Keep the grain amount low, but a good goat ration for growing kids can help. Them goat kids can sure make you feel guilty about weaning, they are big babies. The best chance for a long healthy life for a goat is good rumen development, which comes from eating hay and grass early. Good luck.
