Things You'll Need
- Human baby bottle with medium-flow nipple
- Goat milk or medicated replacement
- Heat lamp
- Dog sweater
- Kid pellets
Instructions
Feed the baby with colostrum within an hour of its birth. For the first three days, allow the baby to suckle its mother if possible, or feed colostrum at two- to four-hour intervals. Feed the baby every four to six hours with a milk replacement or fresh goat milk thereafter. Allow the baby to eat as much as it wants. Feed more often if the baby seems to be very hungry at feeding time.
Watch the baby carefully for diarrhea. Reduce the amount of milk given at the first sign of problems. Provide a sick baby with a bottle of water to keep it hydrated until it recovers from the diarrhea. Take the baby to a vet or experienced goat farmer if the diarrhea does not clear within 24 hours. This is a dangerous situation for young goats.
Provide the baby with a safe, warm place to sleep. Raise babies in the barn with the other goats if possible. Keep the baby close if raising it outdoors is not an option. A spare bathroom makes an excellent goat nursery. Make sure the baby stays warm in cold weather by hanging a heat lamp in its pen or by dressing it in a dog sweater.
Gradually reduce the amount of milk you are feeding the baby. At about four weeks, Introduce the baby to kid pellets in a location where it can eat without being bothered by larger goats. Feed pellets according to the baby's weight and package directions.
Wean the kid between eight and 12 weeks by diluting its bottle with water. Diluting the milk will allow the baby to decide when it's ready to wean without introducing additional stress that can upset its delicate internal balance. Watch for the baby to frequently spit out the bottle. This indicates that it no longer has an inclination to nurse.
Introduce a house-raised baby to the herd by taking it for frequent visits to the barn. Gradually increase the time the baby spends in the barn to allow it to make friends, but stay with the baby to make it feel comfortable. Eventually, leave the baby by itself in the barn and check on it throughout the day. Within a week it should be ready to stay by itself with the herd.