RathdrumGal
Chillin' with the herd
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- Jan 1, 2017
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I was just reading a thread where a poster mentioned co-parenting baby goats -- meaning having the babies both nurse from mama AND take a bottle. Any tips on how to do this?
The first year I bred my goats, I had two first fresheners who rejected their babies. I was able to get the two hungry babies to first suck on my finger and then gradually take a bottle. I successfully raised them as bottle babies. But since then, all the mamas have accepted their babies. We have been successful in selling our babies at 4 months of age, but they are not as friendly as the bottle babies. I have now retired and have the time to feed several times a day. I would love to be able to market my friendly co-parented babies, yet still have the babies well socialized to the other goats, as this would help my babies go to good pet homes. I do not want to (nor have the facilities) to pull the babies from the mamas.
Any advice on how this is done. I raise NDGs and I usually present at birth to dry off and warm the babies. I stay with the babies until they are dry, warm and latching on to mama for colostrum. The babies usually fight to get away, they would rather be with mama than this weird human.
Any advice on how to get the babies to accept a bottle without starving the babies?
The first year I bred my goats, I had two first fresheners who rejected their babies. I was able to get the two hungry babies to first suck on my finger and then gradually take a bottle. I successfully raised them as bottle babies. But since then, all the mamas have accepted their babies. We have been successful in selling our babies at 4 months of age, but they are not as friendly as the bottle babies. I have now retired and have the time to feed several times a day. I would love to be able to market my friendly co-parented babies, yet still have the babies well socialized to the other goats, as this would help my babies go to good pet homes. I do not want to (nor have the facilities) to pull the babies from the mamas.
Any advice on how this is done. I raise NDGs and I usually present at birth to dry off and warm the babies. I stay with the babies until they are dry, warm and latching on to mama for colostrum. The babies usually fight to get away, they would rather be with mama than this weird human.
Any advice on how to get the babies to accept a bottle without starving the babies?