Bottle baby reorientation needed.

taraann81

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I hate to post this as a new thread as I am sure this info is all through this forum, but I am afraid that with my dial up....yes some places dial up is still being used ;) ... it is so difficult to look through many posts to compile all the information I need.

So please bare with me on the monotony of this thread.


In just a few hours I will be getting a new bottle baby.

He is 8 days old today and has been on his mother until today. She has started favoring his twin sister and she is thriving while she pushes him away.

His mother is a Nubian/boer, his father is suspected of being a nubian/boer as well but that is up in the air.

I have decided to go with whole cow milk vit D added this time(used replacer last time and he was much older and already used to a bottle). While this is more expensive than the replacer, the ease of just pour and warm really appeals to our busy family.

At his age and for his breed(I will weight him when he arrives but from what I've seen he is quite thin) how many bottles per day should he be getting?

And how many ounces per feeding?

Also any hints on how to transition him on to a bottle easily?

Thanks so much for all your help and advice.
 

miss_thenorth

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Hi! :frow

I just had a bottle baby and the milk replacer was not really labour intensive. Just measure, add hot water, shake and serve. It takes about as long as heating up a bottle of milk.

At that age, I think it was two 8 oz bottles twice a day. (mine were sheep though, but it should be the same)
 

miss_thenorth

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Sorry, I read 8weeks, not 8 days. Sorry, I cant remember how much at that age. You can call up Uher's in Blenheim--they sell replacer there, and the instructions are on the bag.
 

taraann81

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miss_thenorth said:
Sorry, I read 8weeks, not 8 days. Sorry, I cant remember how much at that age. You can call up Uher's in Blenheim--they sell replacer there, and the instructions are on the bag.
Thanks! We have replacer left over from last year but I worry its stale.

We bought our replacer from McBraynes in Dresden it was very reasonable. But our kid last year did scour a couple of times. So I thought this year, I would try the whole milk and see for myself if there really is a huge difference in kids raised on whole milk as opposed to replacers.

I guess I will just read the old pail of replacer and use those amounts as a guideline.

Bottle baby sheep! How cute, I assume for milk?
 

miss_thenorth

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Yep, for milk. We got two ewes, and they both had trips. One ewe managed to feed all three herself, the next ewe had one lamb that got hypothermia. We had to keep that lamb in the house for awhile, so she became our bottle baby.
 

goat lady

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I just pulled two twin does that will be 2 weeks on Wed. We pulled them off their momma last night. I was able to get 3 oz. down them today. 3 oz. each doe. This morning they just was not into it. But tonight much better. So I am looking for a better day and more into them tomorow. I use whole vitamin D milk. I like the pour and heat also. I had two bottle babies a year ago and they were already on the bottle when I got them so this is an experience trying to get them to start taking the bottles. I did some research on one of the threads and it said 3 times a day and someone suggested 7:30am, 2:30pm and 8:30pm. So I think I am going to try that schedule with them. I have them away from their momma and they can't see each other just hear each other. And surprisingly it was a quiet night. :D I have had seen on here that some people feed 20oz for their bottle babies. Mine that I got last year only ever got up to 6 oz a feeding. They always had hay and was starting grain when I got them, so when I feed my adult goats I will give them a little handful of grain also, and they just stop wanting the bottle. One was 8 weeks and the other was 11 weeks before she would not even come for the bottle. Someone told me to that when you get the bottle in the mouth to try and have someone tickle their bottoms like a momma would do and then they will take to the bottle easier. We tried that tonight and my hubby laughted, and the baby goat just looked at me like I was nutts. :lol: Sorry this got long and good luck.
 

Lil-patch-of-heaven

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I'm probably the newest person here at this, so my reply is definitely a fwiw one but. I got my bottle baby (already on bottle) at 7 days old and she was taking about 14 oz 3 times a day. She took a bit less on one feeding in the first few days I think. Sometimes she leaves 1/2 oz in the bottle. Within days I was giving 16 oz bottles and that's still what she takes now at 2 weeks old. She's already eating a leaf here and there. Mostly she chews at lots of browse but I have seen her actually eat some

So I'd say 12to 16 oz 3x a day is good for yours. I don't actually know for sure if mine should be taking more by now or not though. :)
 

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