How Often Do You Bottle Feed Newborn Goats?

Baby goats usually don't have to be bottle fed. Sometimes, though, a mother goat will reject a kid for reasons that only Mother Nature understands. If a doe has not accepted a kid within 24 hours, you can count on bottle feeding the kid to help it survive. Plan on at least eight weeks of using a bottle. The frequency of feedings will decrease over time, but you will have to feed the kid every few hours at first.

Newborn goats must have colostrum in order to survive. The best source of colostrum is directly from the mother goat; if the mother's milk is not available, you can use a colostrum supplement or frozen colostrum from another goat. Newborns should receive about 4 oz. of colostrum every three hours for the first two feedings. Then after the first six hours, they should receive 4-to-5 oz. every six hours. On days two and three, feed 5-to-6 oz. of milk every four hours.

Increase the amount of milk as the kid ages while decreasing the frequency of feedings. At four days old, you can increase the amount of milk to 9 oz. at each feeding and decrease the frequency of feedings to three times a day.

The frequency of feedings will remain at three times a day until the kid is old enough to wean, but you will continue to increase the amount. At 10 days of age, increase the amount of milk to 15 oz. and feed this amount at all three feedings.

When the kid reaches three weeks of age, you will need to increase the amount of milk to 20 oz. three times a day. Then continue to feed this amount until you are ready to wean at eight weeks for buck kids or 12 weeks for doe kids.