View Your Cart

Bottle Feeding Kids & Weaning

Bottle Feeding Kids!

Use Goat Nipple, Small Animal Milk Pritchard Nipple for Bottle Feeding Goats
Fits slip-tip and luer-lock syringes and also fits many water bottles. Pritchard Nipple bottles may be purchased.
  • Amazon: $12.88 + tax for 8 nipples.
  • ValleyVet also sells them.
Do not cut hole in tip too large or kids will not drink. They must be able to suck the milk out for proper digestion.
Warm milk by running hot tap water into a glass and sit bottle in it. Kids will not drink if it is too hot or too cold. It's important that the goat's milk is warm just like it comes from their mama. We tested the temperature on our wrists, it should be just a touch warmer than or as warm as what you would offer a human baby. (A goat's normal body temp is 102-103 degrees F.) I heat mine to approx: 99-102 degrees and kids love it.
I personally use regular human baby bottles and nipples with more success.
Dam Raised Vs. Bottle Raised Kids: Pro's and Con's
You can allow the dam to start them nursing (Dam Raising), however, not for more than 7-10 days. Since I began leaving my kids with their Dam the first 10 days, they are much more robust and do not experience scours from bottle feeding.
Switching kids to the Bottle
You've no doubt heard kids cannot be switched from their Dam to the bottle. The fact is, it can be done, but must be done early on. I have spent much time with trying to find the perfect time to make the switch & how to switch successfully. 10 days works well.
How?
I take the kids from the Mom the night before making the switch and do not leave any pelleted food in with them. Heat your goat milk or Vit. D cows milk. Hold the kid in your lap, spend a couple minutes loving on the baby. Tuck baby under your arm and bring your hand up to baby's face, cradling the muzzle. With other hand try inserting bottle into its mouth, letting milk drip onto lips so baby can taste it. It will likely struggle to not drink. Make a couple attempts and quit. Love on the baby for a minute and put back in pin. Let a few hours go by, go back and repeat. Do this until baby latches on and drinks. Some will latch on upon the first try, some will need several attempts. Don't worry, be patient, it will work. PATIENCE AND HUNGER WILL HELP YOU SUCCEED AT SWITHCHING BABIES FROM DAM TO BOTTLE. This shared approach of bottle feeding gives the kids a great healthy start and they get socialized and love their humans.
Underfeeding and overfeeding is not good for your kids. If they get the scours (running stool) likely they have been overfed. If they cry constantly, they are being underfed. 

Nigerian Dwarf Bottle Feeding Schedule

I totally agree with Avalon Farm who states the following: "the best advice I have is to watch your babies and their activity level/overall behavior. Well fed kids are bright, alert, active and constantly exploring the world. Kids who aren’t feeling well will be just the opposite, standing around, lethargic, crying out or frantically seeking milk. Always go by what your kids tell you over what an article online does."

How much per feeding:  go with the way the kid feels. In general, a newborn kid will eat about 1-2 ounces, moving up quickly to a maximum of about 6-12 ounces. At that point, the number of feedings determine the total amount, not the size of the bottle.

 Note: kids go 8 hours overnight without a bottle from day 1.

Newborn schedule: start on a schedule of four bottles per day at 8a, 12p, 4p, 8p. In the first couple of days, I monitor closely to be sure they’re getting enough.

Below is a different bottle feeding schedule which some use. See what works best for you and your kids.

 Week 1 only - 5x a day
First 3 days - MUST GIVE Colostrum MILK 
 
1 - 3 Ounces per feeding 
6AM - 10AM - 2PM - 6PM - 9PM OR 8a, 12p, 4p, 7p, 10p
 Week 2  -  Feed 4x a day
2 - 4 Ounces of milk per feeding 
7AM - 11AM - 3PM - 7PM
Week 3 - 6   - Feed 3x a day
4 - 8 Ounces of Milk per feeding 
7AM - 1PM - 7PM 
Week 6 - 10  -  2 x a day 
8 - 12 Ounces of Milk per feeding 
7AM & 7PM 
Week 10 - 12  - 1x a Day 
13 - 19 Ounces of Milk in One bottle

Note about how long to give them a bottle: Doelings can benefit from 1 bottle a day from 10 to 12 weeks.

Bucklings can benefit from 1 bottle a day for 8 weeks.

The above suggested feeding schedules are not hard and fast rules. If you kid is crying, it needs to be fed or find out why it is crying.

Weaning Your Kids

Ideal Weaning Timeline
  • 8 to 12 weeks: Kids should be nibbling on grass, hay, and dairy goat pellet feed by their second week and can be weaned off bottles entirely by week 12.
  • 12 to 16 weeks: This is the absolute maximum age kids should receive bottles and is NOT necessary to go past 12 weeks and will not give a good outcome if they get a bottle past 16 weeks.
    How to Wean Properly
    1. Encourage Solids: Provide constant access to high-quality grass hay, clean water, and a specialized kid starter grain.
    2. Reduce Gradually: Drop one or one half bottle feeding every few days instead of stopping cold turkey.
    3. Monitor Growth: Ensure the kids are maintaining their weight and actively eating solid foods before completely cutting off the milk.

    CAN YOU BOTTLE FEED BABY GOATS TOO LONG?

    Yes, you can bottle feed goat kids too long. While milk is harmless in itself, keeping them on a bottle past 8 to 16 weeks causes developmental issues. Prolonged bottle-feeding delays essential rumen development, keeps kids overly dependent on you, and can be costly.

    Prolonged bottle-feeding carries specific risks:

    • Undeveloped Rumen: Goats are ruminants. If they are fed a liquid diet for too long, their rumen does not develop the bacteria needed to digest roughage.
    • Nutritional Deficiencies: After 12 weeks, milk no longer provides the complete nutritional profile a growing goat needs.
    • Behavioral Issues: Goats that are bottle-fed for too long will permanently view humans as their mothers, which often leads to aggressive or overly demanding behavior as adults.

    Additional Notes about Care of and Weaning Kids

    Your baby goats at around 2 weeks of age begin free choice grass hay and mineral, thus provide these. Their rumen isn’t yet fully developed but they will begin feeding instinctively when they’re ready. Free choice means the goat has unlimited access to grass hay and minerals. They won’t overeat because they will self-regulate how much they consume. This eliminates bloat, which is a common cause of death in baby goats. I discontinue feeding free choice dairy goat pellet at 16 weeks. They are then given a measured amount of dairy goat pellet and continue getting goat minerals & grass hay (not alfalfa) free choice. If you have bucklings which are going to be wethered, restrict or discontinue feeding dairy goat pellets completely at this point as they can end up with urinary stones & die. 

    Feeding Timeline and Schedule

    The feeding timeline and schedule are important to follow. Never overfeed, it can kill them. Always have fresh water available. Start offering the free choice of grass hay and mineral at 2 weeks. Remember to stay on schedule with their CDT Vaccinations and Coccidiosis Prevention program.  

     

AppleJo Farms is dedicated to breeding, nurturing and placing Registered Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats with Farms where they will flourish!

417-665-8996

The Gateway to the Lake of the Ozarks: Eldon, Missouri 

©2026 AppleJo Farms. All rights reserved.
Powered by Boutique Store Builder . Web Design by Avalon Rose Design.