Hi, I have 3 1/2 week old kids that are bottle fed and am wondering how and when to start bucket feeding them? Mostly how. I tried and they were not interested. They do drink water from a bucket so I know they can. Thanks, Cindy

-- Cindy (ourfamilyfarm@email.msn.com), February 23, 2001

Answers

Response to bucket feeding

are you talking about a lambar or drinking from a bucket of milk as they do water? I have heard that the latter is not as healthful for them due to the mechanism of drinking it with their head down.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 24, 2001.

Response to bucket feeding

Rebekah, So do you feed with a bottle for 3 months? Ok by me but I have heard of people training them on a bucket. How much grain should they be eating. They are nubian/saaneen mix. I must admit they made beautiful kids.And do you think it is ok to put them back with the does. They were taken away at birth.I need to get them out of their little pen and it will be a couple of more weeks until we an get something elae up for them. Thanks, Cindy

-- Cindy (ourfamilyfarm@email.msn.com), February 24, 2001.

I had some nubian kids that I tried to bucket train after they'd been on the bottle a couple weeks. What a frustrating job!! I've trained calves before but could not get these baby goats to transfer over to the bucket for nothing!! From what I've read before, some people do the bucket right from the beginnning and never use the bottle. Needless to say, for the sake of the kids- I went back to the bottles.

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), February 24, 2001.

Forgot to mention - we did place the kids back with the does after a couple of weeks. The only problem we had to improve was the space. The does no longer accepted the kids that weren't theirs and had a tendancy to push them around every chance they got. Once I had a large area for them to get away easier, then I didn't have to worry about the kids any longer. Sure the adults would try to shove them but the kids always managed to get away. The original "moms" did not allow them to nurse but they were at least nice to them.

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), February 24, 2001.

I start with Lambar nipples on their soda bottles full of colostrum and then when I have over 3 kids, I simply switch them to the Lambar bucket. They are used to the nipples, so it makes it simple. I have a holder, welded to a rim that makes it nice so you can set it in the holder, and have both hands free. I take that time to set them up and get used to being felt all over and having their rear legs messed with for showing.

Just plain selling here: I have a brand new from Jeffers Lambar bucket, complete with nipples, tubes, lid and tube brush 20$ plus pay my postage when he get there. I also have a stainless steel milk bucket with half moon lid, it also has the funnel strainer and about 100 milk filters 60$ plus pay for my postage when it gets there. From Hoeggers, same exact thing I use. You can look up the Lambar on the Jeffers Livestock site, Hoeggers is not on line, but I do have a photo scanned I can send you. Both of these things were never used were part of a herd I brokered the gal purchased new for Y2K. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), February 24, 2001.