Brand-brand new here, need some help! Please :)

[RosieNPearl]

I learned a ton from byc.com (everything i know!) when i first got chickens 3 yrs ago and was happy to find what im hoping is as much of a support to my new kid additions....two Nigerian dwarf kids weve had 11 days now that are 4 and almost 5 weeks old. My main issue is TMI! Meaning everything I google tells me something different and I dont know if im feeding them correctly, so someone I plea for your guidance. I am feeding whole cows milk, removing a cup from the gallon then adding 8 oz of heavy cream to the gallon. I was feeding 4 times a day, 7-10 oz. Then I read I could be feeding them 3x a day. I went to feeding 9-12 oz (9 for the younger one,12 for the older one). Suddenly they only wanted 6-7 oz tops, so i felt the need to go back to 4x a day feedings and they still are only taking about 6-8 oz. Am I overfeeding? Id like to get back to 3x a day feedings. Cut back on cream? They wont touch their water though its replaced daily and i make sure there are no "straw floaters" or anything in it. The breeder told me to offer miniature rabbit pellets with BOSS. They barely touch it...so today I switched to goat feed. We have an entire fenced orchard for them so they browse the ground and nibble crazy things i cant imagine provide nutrition...lol dried dead leaves...dirt? nibbles of the ground? Its very very dry here so the only green grass is in our leech field where they have no access. So im a nicu nurse and very good at guessing weights though I have not officially weighed them (i like to surprise moms by guessing their babies weigh to nearly the ounce ) I think our Rosie girl is about 10 lbs and her younger cousin Pearl is about 8. I went through 3 pritchard nipples before i got the cut just right (dang those scissors making holes too big!) Anyhoo, thank you for your help. We are loving our new additions! (3 human kids at home....3, 6, 17, and 3 other kids that left the nest..and 23 chickens, one Roo and two rescue dogs). Thanks all!! Oh, fwiw I bought the Raising Goats for Dummies book, borrowed one library book and have 6 more awaiting me to be picked up Monday.

 

[RosieNPearl]

Also to add, ive offered alfalfa hay but they have no interest yet. I need to build a proper hay feeder (ive offered it on the ground or in a trough).

 

[goatgurl]

welcome to byh. first if the kids are eating well and are satisfied with 6-7 ozs that's ok, maybe cut back on the cream a bit. i fed my orphans plain cows milk with some yogurt mixed in and they did fine. they will start to eat grain and hay as they get older, just keep offering it. i have a set of twins right now and one eats grain like crazy and the other doesn't bother with it. and yes you need something to keep the hay off the ground so they don't waste it. good luck

 

[SA Farm]

Goaties do tend to grow up and try new things at different rates. I raised a few bottle babies this year and neither of them would really even try their grain or hay until they were about 6-8 weeks, the slackers
Like Goatgurl said, just keep offering it to them and perhaps cut back on the cream a bit

 

[RosieNPearl]

Thank you! I gave the last feeding with just plain cows milk and I'm ready to mix up another gallon, I'll just add 3 oz vs the 8-10 I was doing We just built them a hay feeder today (well..."we" = husband ha) and used my sons' old drop side crib rail. Glad we got some use out of it considering it was a VERY expensive crib and now the drop side cribs are illegal (so they have a $900 hay feeder lol). Oh and they started munching the alfalfa hay immediately! Appreciate all the advice

 

[SA Farm]

Looks great! Glad they started nibbling on it already

 

[goatgurl]

nice crib, ahhh feeder. mine didn't cost anywhere near what yours did, lol. glad they are starting to nibble. and nicu nurse, take it from an old icu nurse just relax, take a deep breath and new enjoy your new babies. usually everything works itself out but holler for help anytime you are unsure.

 

[goats&moregoats]

Great job, and I fed my bottle babies just plain store bought milk. They did wonderful on it. I sold one, kept the other. Poppit is 5 months now.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Sounds like you are doing great.
Good luck.