Bottle-Feeding Goat Kids: Schedule, Amounts and Weaning

Sometimes a doe cannot raise her kids - she rejects one, has no milk, or has more kids than teats. Bottle-feeding steps in. Done right, bottle kids grow up healthy and friendly. Here is the schedule that works.

Colostrum comes first

Nothing matters more than colostrum in the first hours of life. It carries the antibodies a newborn kid cannot make itself. Feed colostrum (from the dam, another doe, or a quality goat colostrum replacer) within the first 2 hours, and continue for the first 24 hours before switching to milk.

What milk to use

• Whole goat milk - ideal if you have it.
• Whole cow's milk (from the store) - a common, reliable substitute.
• Goat or multi-species milk replacer - mix exactly to label; avoid cheap generic replacers.

Feed at body temperature (about 38-39 C / 101-102 F), never hot or cold.

Feeding schedule and amounts

Amounts are a starting guide - adjust to the kid's size and appetite, and never overfeed at one sitting.

Weaning

Offer hay, fresh water and a little starter grain from the first week so the rumen develops. Most kids wean by 8-12 weeks, once they are eating solids well and have roughly tripled their birth weight. Wean gradually by dropping one feed at a time.

Watch for trouble

Overfeeding causes bloat and scours (diarrhoea) - the most common bottle-kid problems. Keep bottles and nipples clean, feed on schedule, and call your vet if a kid is weak, bloated or scouring. Planning for a big litter? See how many kids goats have and our pregnant goat care guide.