[janeen128]

Bella came to me a little less then a month ago, she is 3 months now. It doesn't look like she's growing to me She's gained some weight as she is getting heavier when I pick her up lol I am still feeding her a 16 oz bottle at night, I found out when I was on my way home with her that she was weaned at 4 weeks, so I started her on a bottle, and she is eating 2 cups of Noble goat grower pellets, and 2 cups of sweet feed. Actually Beebop my little wether in the last pic is her pen mate, so he is eating some too He'a a little over a month, and is still on mom during the day. She also gets about a cup of Alfalfa pellets, and hay, free browse as well, as I still have a bunch actually. First pic is when I first got her, second pic was taken today, third pic was taken yesterday, they were playing

 

[MsScamp]

If she is gaining weight, she is growing. Might not be as fast as you would like, but she is growing. Being weaned at 4 weeks of age, she has some considerable roadblocks in her way. I would keep doing what you are doing and hope for the best. Why anyone would wean a kid at 4 weeks of age is totally beyond me! I'm not familiar with Noble grower pellets, but you might want to give some thought to changing out the sweet feed in favor of the grower pellets. I'm thinking the grower pellets have a lot more to offer in the way of supporting her growth and development than the sweet feed, and is better nutrition. But I will also be the first to state that I do not believe in feeding sweet feed to any animal because it can cause too many problems. Just my .02.

 

[janeen128]

I don't want to feed the sweet grain really, but she won't eat the grower pellets without me mixing them. Maybe I can slowly take the sweet grain out, and put more of the grower pellets in... Might be an idea.

The whole thing made me mad really, but she is the sweetest little girl, so I wasn't about to return her. Long story, but needless to say he told me she was born at the beginning of May, but that he would have to check on the actual birthdate, but that they were "all" weaned at the end of June. That would be 8 weeks, so better then 4... He texts me on my way home that her birthday was 6/7??? I had answered a different ad a month earlier, and the lady told me they weaned at 4 weeks, I chose not to take one, because of that alone. I'm guessing they were actually the same people different ads, and I dealt strictly with the husband ARGH!!!

 

[janeen128]

I don't really like giving the sweet grain but she won't eat the grower pellets without it. Maybe if I gradually start giving her less sweet feed and more grower pellets she would eventually eat just the grower pellets.

The whole thing made me mad really. It was a CL add that went bad... Long story really... They didn't feed grain either, and since I have 2 kinders in milk, I started bottle feeding her twice a day, until she finally started to eat grain. She's a real sweetheart, and I hope she makes a decent milker I sure hope so, I won't breed until next season fall of 2014...

 

[janeen128]

I didn't know my 1st post went through, so now you know the story... My phone is acting weird...

 

[AmyBoogie]

If it were me, I wouldn't add more grain. I'd add in alfalfa pellets, calf manna, and/or beet pulp. Since the herd was weird and she was weaned too young, it might take her a while to catch up. She might not be ready to breed this year because of the rough start she had.

 

[ksalvagno]

What is the protein percentage on your feeds? I would see if she would like calf manna.

Good idea on slowly decreasing sweet feed and increasing grower pellets.

 

[janeen128]

I think it's 16 or 18% protein, I can't remember. She does get the alfalfa pellets, she picks at those though, she did eat most of them yesterday. She doesn't like the beet pulp yet, but that is offered I know she won't be ready to breed until fall of 2014, unless she has a huge growth spurt in a month or so, that's my plan. Thanks everyone

 

[MsScamp]

She is sure a pretty girl! Sounds like she is a fighter, too, and that is always a big plus on her side of the books.

 

[happybleats]

a few things that will slow growth besided diet is tape worms and cocci..a fecal will let you know if they are an issue. I would also either split that 16 oz into too bottles or cut the one in half..16oz is a lot for her to digest at once..could be her tummy is working over time digesting..leaving no room for feed...at three months she needs the graze/hay/alfalfa more than milk to build her rumen...if after slowly switching to pellets she still wont eat them well..you can try a diluted molasses spritze on it..mix 1-2 tablespoons molasses with 16 oz water in a spray bottle..mist her grain right before she eats..this might get her to gobble it up and you are not adding a ton of unnessasary sugar..but a trival amount of protien..decrease the amount of molasses slowly until she is eating pellets with out it..

 

[janeen128]

a few things that will slow growth besided diet is tape worms and cocci..a fecal will let you know if they are an issue. I would also either split that 16 oz into too bottles or cut the one in half..16oz is a lot for her to digest at once..could be her tummy is working over time digesting..leaving no room for feed...at three months she needs the graze/hay/alfalfa more than milk to build her rumen...if after slowly switching to pellets she still wont eat them well..you can try a diluted molasses spritze on it..mix 1-2 tablespoons molasses with 16 oz water in a spray bottle..mist her grain right before she eats..this might get her to gobble it up and you are not adding a ton of unnessasary sugar..but a trival amount of protien..decrease the amount of molasses slowly until she is eating pellets with out it..

Oh, she is eating the grain now. Last night she ate all her grain, well Mr. Beebop helped a little, but they are eating all the grain I give them in the AM and PM, I just want them to eat just the grower pellets, instead of mixing them. I did I fecal for her when I did Rosie's, 2 weeks ago and she came out negative for Cocci, but did have significant hook worms, so I gave Valbalzon at that time... As soon as my vet is back I will be doing another one for both After she ate her grain she happily took the bottle as well, so do you think I should still give 8oz in the am and 8oz in the PM? She's actually quite the pig She also ate her cup of alfalfa pellets too this morning, so she is starting to eat those as well... Last night was the first time I noticed them gone

 

[janeen128]

She is sure a pretty girl! Sounds like she is a fighter, too, and that is always a big plus on her side of the books.

Thanks! She is also a sweetheart

 

[happybleats]

Oh good, sheis eating well then : ) the hook worms wil stunt growth so now that they are taken care of you might see better growth in her here is a link on that
http://goat-link.com/content/view/72/109/#.UjY0uGSDTL8

yes I would split it up the bottle...give more time for her to be hungry and work on her rumen..here is a goo link to show how the digestive system works in a kid..
http://goat-link.com/content/view/99/86/#.UjYz4WSDTL8

 

[janeen128]

Hmm, okay. Wow interesting read Thanks Happybleats