# Teaching bottle baby to drink water??



## Guest (Mar 11, 2011)

This is not our first bottle-baby, but this is the first one that has been so frustrating. Others, kids and lambs, have taken persistence in teaching them to drink water on their own, but this one takes the cake. She was 8 weeks old on Tuesday and, despite weeks of trying, she still won't drink on her own. I put an adult ND in her pen 2 weeks ago, figuring that she might just need a teacher that speaks her language. She's now eating hay well, but still won't touch the water. She gets 2 bottle-fulls of water after her bottle of milk. Do we stop giving her water (bottles) and just wait for her to get thirsty enough to drink from the bucket?? We don't want her to get dehydrated, but this is ridiculous. :hair Help!


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## Cheribelle (Jul 23, 2007)

Why should she, if you're bottle feeding water? Milk only in the bottles, and water available in a pan or small bucket at all times. She'll get it soon enough.


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## mrs.H (Mar 6, 2003)

She will not gain weight or grow on water. As long as she has fresh clean water available at all times she will drink when she needs it. I would not feed her water bottles. Milk has a lot of water in it. 

The reason you have trouble training them to drink, is because they don't naturally drink much water when they are drinking milk.

You are trying to make them do something against their nature.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Stop the water.


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## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

frogdog said:


> This is not our first bottle-baby, but this is the first one that has been so frustrating. Others, kids and lambs, have taken persistence in teaching them to drink water on their own, but this one takes the cake. She was 8 weeks old on Tuesday and, despite weeks of trying, she still won't drink on her own. I put an adult ND in her pen 2 weeks ago, figuring that she might just need a teacher that speaks her language. She's now eating hay well, but still won't touch the water. She gets 2 bottle-fulls of water after her bottle of milk. Do we stop giving her water (bottles) and just wait for her to get thirsty enough to drink from the bucket?? We don't want her to get dehydrated, but this is ridiculous. :hair Help!


We had this problerm many years ago, and a diary farmer (friend) said, 
Have them suck on your finger. Then put your hand in a bucket of water, and let them suck on your finger, they will learn to drink water. Well, it has worked for me over the years.


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## Laverne (May 25, 2008)

After a few weeks I have water out in a shallow container, if they need it they will drink on instinct.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I have never once ever had to teach a goat to drink. I put a bucket out at a couple weeks old, that's it. I don't know anybody who 'teaches' their kids to drink either. They will when they need to. 

You must understand that milk is MOSTLY water, and for a long time they don't NEED to drink. If they drink at all, it will be minimal, and is likely not going to be when you're around because it's too exciting. 

Stop the water bottles, just have a bucket out there. She will use it if she needs.


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2011)

:doh::doh::doh:

When we ended up with our first bottle-bably (a rejected lamb), 6 years ago or so, the information I found said to give an equal amount of warm water after their bottle of milk starting at 2 weeks. This is even what our goat book, "Raising Goats The Modern Way", says to do?!  With the previous bottle-brats, the finger trick worked - a few after several tries. That hasn't worked with this one, neither has putting in an older one to show her. She's caught on that hay is food, but no luck on the water. We'll stop with the water bottles, though.

What is the best reference book?? This book says to wean at 8 weeks, but we were leaning toward 10 or so - about when the dam-raised ones tend to be weaned by mom. Is 10 weeks alright? 

Are there likely to be any adverse affects from having given her water bottles for 6 1/2 weeks? Hoping not...


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

That book is horse hockey.

Wean at 12 weeks, at the earliest.

The water bottles mean she could have had more real food, but she'll catch up.


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## Oat Bucket Farm (Jul 28, 2006)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> That book is horse hockey.
> 
> Wean at 12 weeks, at the earliest.
> 
> The water bottles mean she could have had more real food, but she'll catch up.


What Alice said


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2011)

What would be a good reference book?

12+ weeks will be an easy sell for this one! 

We were kinda over-feeding her for awhile - I won't say by how much (too embarrassed) - but I don't think catching up should be an issue...


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2011)

I remembered seeing a floating calf nipple in a catalog a while back. After this last bottle, I took the top off and as she latched on (immediately), I lowered it into her water bucket. As soon as she started drinking I slipped the nipple further into the bucket and out of her mouth. She didn't seem too happy about it, but I'm hoping that she'll make the connection.

Yes, milk is mostly water - so dehydration won't be an issue. Excuse me for a moment...I need to go find a bag to put over my head :ashamed:


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