Getting goat babies to eat grain

[Georgia Girl]

My 4 goat babies are 3 and 4 weeks old, how do they learn to eat grain if the mother's take it all? Do you put them in a pen and leave them with grain in a bowl which I have done and they want touch it. they will get up and try to eat with Mama but she does not allow them any? So how are you getting them on grain.....I think I read that most will eat by 3 weeks even though they are not weaned until around 12 weeks. I notice also that the mothers seem to not be letting them nurse that much as if she is trying to wean them off???? They are nibbling hay and they are always nibbling my fingers as if they are hungry. how do most of you handle allowing the little one to eat? Do you ever have a place with an opening that is just big enough for the little ones to go into that has feed? Or is this something at their age that I should not be concerned about????

 

[B&B Happy goats]

I use a large feed bowl when i have a doe with kids so they can eat together.....

 

[Hens and Roos]

x2 on what @B&B Happy goats does, the kids eat out of the does bowls, we have 1 doe that will allow kids other then hers to share the bowl.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yep, larger, low bowl/tub. Rectangular works well, more head room. I put in extra feed so mom's get theirs and kids begin to eat -- like mom! At this age, she isn't weaning them. She is letting them nurse what they need and she has, them walking away to stop nursing. When full and time for them to nurse, she will call them. They will nurse longer at this point but, less number of times a day.

These are the times that those of us who have dairy goats, and WANT to milk them longer, must be active in either separating or milking to keep production up. It's time when -- if you totally bottle feed -- the amount in each feed increases and # of feedings decrease -- like mom is doing.

Be sure pasture and/or hay is available 24/7.