I belong to several "goat" groups in Facebook. Lately, I have read post after post from new kid owners about how their new bottle baby refuses to drink from a bottle. After some questioning, it has been determined that the kid had been dam-raised until the new owners took the kid home.
I find this situation so frustrating! Breeders should know better than to all of a sudden turn dam-raised kids into bottle babies. This is an action of very irresponsible goat breeders. Kids do not transition well going from the teat one minute and then to the bottle the next.
A note to breeders: Don't be so irresponsible as to put the kid in jeopardy of malnutrition or even death (yes, I have read where this has happened when the kid refused the bottle way too long). You should know better!
A note to buyers: If you are purchasing a bottle baby, please make sure that the kid will take a bottle before you take the kid home. Have the breeder show you that the kid will do so before you take that kid home. It is not worth the frustration or potential consequences when your new bottle baby is actually a dam-raised kid.
Kids can be fed using a baby bottle or a nipple such as the Pritchard teat which fits on a plastic soda bottle. Be aware that kids are very susceptible to bloating and other gastrointestinal problems from milk replacers that contain a high level of lactose due to use of dried whey in their formulation. Reduced lactose milk replacers will reduce bloating problems. One suggestion is to use whole cows milk (look for the red cap) instead of a replacer. If you would like a feeding chart, please contact me at Bobbette@BriarCreek.Farm and I will be glad to send it to you.
Now, after that rant, here's a cute little video of Olivia my very first doeling, that not only was dam-raised, but received a supplemental bottle due to the fact that she needed the extra nutrition for a while as she was so little.