Are you wondering if bottle babies are right for you? Below is a detailed overview of feeding schedules and requirements is a good place to start to see if bottle babies are a good fit for you.
Bottle-feeding your baby goat is going to give you a huge payback in their temperament. For the time you put in with bottle feeding, you will gain trust and attachment. We bottle-train all of the kids, but unless there are special circumstances, they stay with their moms until they wean/go home. This "hybrid" approach to bottle-dam raising kids has proven to be the best of both worlds and ensures that babies have the smoothest transition possible when going to their new homes.
The ideal age to get your new baby goat is between three and four weeks old and feeding bottles 3 - 4 times per day. This makes for very friendly but well-mannered goats. By three weeks old, the baby's rumen is beginning to function and they can digest hay in addition to their milk. This means they can go a little longer between bottles.
Some people want them while they are fully dependent on bottles, less than 3 weeks old. In this case, we usually wait about a week after they are born to make sure they are developing well and really ready to go home. These kids grow up to be super sweet and attached to their human family. The temperament is even sweeter than the typical bottle baby who goes home at 3-4 weeks.
Let's start with what to feed your bottle baby. The type of milk used is a personal preference. The official and vet-recommended replacement for fresh, raw goat milk is goat milk formula. However, many breeders have had horrible results (sick, weak, and failure to thrive kids) using formula. We have never had to use formula so we can not give any advice based on personal experience.
We suggest using milk in the following order of preference:
1. Fresh, raw goat milk from a store, farmer, or co-op
2. Store-bought pasteurized goat milk
3. Fresh, raw cow’s milk from a store, farmer, or co-op
4. Store-bought, pasteurized WHOLE cow’s milk (for kids older than 3 weeks)
5. Goat Formula
How much do they eat per feeding?
The amount per feeding is based 20-30% of their body weight but babies have tiny stomachs so this has to be spread out among feedings. You may need to increase the number of bottles in a day to get enough milk consumed.
The amount recommended to feed is 3 to 4 oz of WARM milk per 5 lbs of body weight. Note that this means as the kids grow, their consumption per feeding will increase. Do not feed kids until they are full as serious complications can arise. Stick to the % guide and use good common sense.
For us and our Nigerian Dwarf babies, we let the kids tell us how much they want to eat and we never let them eat more than 8 oz at a time until they are at least 8 weeks old and then we cap it at 10 oz. (This is for our MINIATURE goats and not enough for standard-sized goats!)
When goats overeat it can cause a serious bacterial infection known as "overeating disease" or Enterotoxemia. If you feel that your baby goat needs more milk than 8 oz per feeding, you can add more feedings instead of more milk in each bottle.
We start out by giving everyone a 4 oz bottle and let them eat as much as they want at each feeding. As they grow and get used to eating fewer but bigger meals, they will gradually eat more. We increase the amount of milk per bottle to try to match this growth and then exceed it by about an ounce. If we think she will drink 5 oz, we will give her 6. This always allows for growth spurts!
Note that kids who have been with their mom are used to constant snacking with small amounts of milk all day and all night. It can take them a day or two to realize they need to eat on a new schedule.
Feeding Schedule
Up to 4 weeks – Every 4 hours (6 spread out feedings per 24 hours)
Sample Schedule: 5 AM - 8 AM - 12 PM - 4 PM - 8 PM - 11 PM
Above, is an adjusted schedule with cluster feeding to be able to skip a 2 AM bottle. Small (under 3 lbs) and/or weak kids MUST have continuous feedings throughout the night.
Between 3-4 weeks, kids will start to be able to eat AND digest hay. Before 4 weeks they cannot digest and absorb solid food despite their attempts to nibble. Be sure to begin offering hay and fresh water even if they are under 3 weeks as they will need to practice.
4 to 6 weeks - Every 6 hours (4 bottles every 24 hours) or the below adjusted schedule:
Sample Schedule: 6 AM - 11 AM - 5 PM - 9 PM
Once kids are eating hay and drinking water regularly, you can be much more flexible with this schedule. They still require the same amount of milk per 24 hours, but it can be spaced as needed for your own scheduling needs.
6 - 12 weeks – Every 8 hours (3 bottles every 24 hours)
Sample Schedule: 11 AM - 5 PM - 9 PM
We simply drop the morning feeding since this is when they are getting fed their hay rations. If they are in with the herd, you will want to ensure that they are hungry and eat when there is plenty of food available. This will also (hopefully) help as you wean them off of bottles and prevent the early morning screaming routine as they will become accustomed to not getting a bottle the first time they see you in the morning.
*Some breeders wean at 8 weeks and this is fine for wethers. However, we strongly advise giving milk to breeding stock up to 16 weeks. We have seen the difference in our kids left with their dam vs kids weaned at 8 weeks and the rate of growth is substantial in the kids who get milk long-term.
12 - 16+ weeks – Every 12 hours (2 bottles per 24 hours)
Sample Schedule: 11 AM - 9 PM You will eventually go down to once per day until you completely wean them off of milk.
We leave the night feeding as their last as it is nice to send them to bed with a full belly. We find that stopping bottles cold turkey is easier on the kid. If they don’t know if/when they are getting a bottle they will be more likely to cry and scream hoping for one. It only takes about 2-3 days for the crying to stop when bottles stop. Even then, offering treats and love will help.
Heating up the milk
DO NOT MICROWAVE: This kills vital nutrients in the milk!
Here is our method:
1. Fill each bottle with the desired amount of milk.
2. Place cold milk bottle(s) in a medium saucepan filled 2/3 with cold water and heat on high until water is hot to touch.
3. Once the water is hot to the touch, turn off the heat and leave bottles to come to the desired temperature.
4. Another less accurate but faster method is to put the bottles in a bucket and pour hot water high enough to cover the milk line. Let the bottles warm for 5-10 minutes.
Always test milk! Remember, goats run a 101-102 body temperature so they will like their milk warmer than a human kid.
TIP: If you are headed to the barn in cold weather and or have multiple kids to feed, use a small bucket or bowl filled with the warmed water and continue to submerge the bottles in the warm water right up until the kid(s) is fed.
What bottles are best for baby goats?
Regular baby bottles can be used but most kids prefer a more natural shape and size like the Pritchard Teat. These screw onto small soda or tea bottles. We suggest using these goat kid bottles that are easier to clean. We usually buy these bottles in bulk and have some on hand to sell for $10 each. Be sure to let us know if you plan to purchase bottles from us so we can set some aside for you.
The following sources provide additional information on the importance of bottle-feeding baby goats:
Michigan State University Extension: "Bottle-feeding kids." (https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/bottle_feeding_kids)
University of Maryland Extension: "Feeding Kids." (https://extension.umd.edu/goats/goat-kids-feeding-kids)
This information is not intended to replace or override advice and/or instructions provided by a licensed veterinarian. We are simply sharing what has worked for us.
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