Bottle Baby

[flicka_sugar]

I have a 2 week old bottle baby. My friend said this is best page she could suggest for help. Right now she gets fed every 1-2 hours during day and 2- 2 1/2 hours at night. I was wondering what age do you suggest putting more time in between bottles. Also she has been nibbling grass when outdoors and hay in small amounts, but not interested in moistened foal grain or bucket. I have 2 buckets I put in her outside pen, one with water, and one with a small amount of milk I change regularly. She sniffs but that is it. When might she start drinking out of a bucket. Work has been slack but will be picking up again in a couple weeks and finding foal sitters when I work isn't always easy. I have back up arranged with work if needed, but don't want to take advantage of the generosity more then needed. Thanks.

 

[chandab]

Do you have an adult horse that can act as a babysitter for her, or at least one that can be across the fence from her so she can watch another horse? Foals learn much of what they need to know by mimicking their dam, so without her dam that puts those lessons on you or a babysitter horse. Will she suck on your fingers at all? If so, use that to get her drinking milk from her bucket; get her sucking on your finger, then slowly lower your fingers into the bucket (works with water too). [some pick things up quicker than others, and don't need as much showing; others need lots of patience and showing. I know foals are a bit different than calves, had my share of bottle calves in the last 12 years; and some pick it up without much help, others need lots of help.] With the grain, you may have to put a few pieces in her mouth, so she gets the taste. I'm sure the other aunties will have more tips to help you get her going.

She's a cutie.

 

[flicka_sugar]

Thanks. I have tried the fingers a few times but she stops watch time at the liquid. Haven't tried that with grain. As to watching others, I take her to barn often when can, however due to temperatures I have had to bring her in the house at night and sometimes during day. Her coat in that pic fits better then it did but is still big on her and she gets cold easy as we are still hitting 30's at night, and high's in 40's and 50's sometimes get to 60's, and rainy lately. Plus I admit makes nighttime feeds easier as I don't live at the barn and had to drive back and forth making less sleep time the first night when she did stay up there while hoping mom would change mind to take her, and to make mom feed her the colostrum.

 

[chandab]

Just keep trying. Try a shallow bowl rather than a bucket for her milk and see if it makes a difference, I think it was on here a few years ago someone mentioned that a shallow bowl/pan worked better than a bucket for milk for their foal.

 

[flicka_sugar]

Any suggestions though when can move feeding back to 3 hours apart? Or 4?

 

[chandab]

Once she is eating foal feed and drinking water well, then you should be able to space the bottle feedings further apart; you can probably stretch the night time feeding further apart now (less activity going on, so she's likely to be sleeping more). Just make sure she's still getting the same amount of milk for the day; so fewer, but, larger meals. Watch her carefully and make sure she's handling the larger meals, spaced further apart.

 

[flicka_sugar]

Ok. Thanks. I always monitor her intake to make sure she gets enough, along with occasional weight check to make sure she is gaining weight.

 

[AnnaC]

I have never had the experience of having to bottle feed a foal, but I have heard that most of them seem to prefer to drink from a bowl rather than a bucket, so as Chanda suggests, it might be worth giving that a try to make life easier. I would also think that your little one would have to be at least a month old before it could be expected that she will be reasonably established on her foal feed, hay and water, probably alongside a milk substitute?

Babies drink so regularly - little and often - from their Mommas, that I dont think that it can be good for them to have their feeds spaced out too far at such a young age. You are obviously doing her really well - wishing you good luck over the next couple of months. Do keep us informed as to her progress, plus of course lots of pictures!!

 

[flicka_sugar]

Thanks. I don't expect her to be eating foal feed for a while, was just stating how she nibbles one and not the other. Loves grass and walks/ jogs to see the kids. I will definitely try the bowl. The buckets I use I forgot to mention are not the big ones but small flat back buckets that are like the perfect size for minis. I know a bowl that may work. She is spoiled rotten. Never seen a foal rarely lie down in stall or outside but that is how she is. She lies down fine on her blanket in house, but anywhere else she has to be very tired before she will lay down. Silly needs to learn she can relax in other places as well

 

She's so cute. We're happy to see all the pictures you can share!

 

[flicka_sugar]

So far she is doing well. Still not drinking from dish. Putting on weight, hoping for weigh in tomorrow. Here are some updated pictures taken on walk home from the kids bus stop. 2 weeks old now.

 

How cute are those!!!

 

[AnnaC]

Aww bless!

 

[Luna_tic]

I raised a bottle baby from literally 2 minutes old, we decided to keep her solely in the house until 3 months of age, she house broke beautifully, she's going to be a year old May 23, if I can be of any help at all... Only mistake I believe I made was not exposing her to enough bacteria, or horse poo among other barnyard ick lol in turn we ended up dealing with months of cow pie manure and diarrhea when she moved her out to the barn. I spent a fortune on blood tests, ultra sounds etc ugh! To find it was just what it was, her gut having to adjust from a comfy dog bed in the house, bottled water and a bathtub to bath in to the barn, hose water and rolling in the dirt -____- I learned a good lesson should I ever have to do that again lol

In "my topics" I posted a thread a while back about her with some pics, your baby is super cute btw!!!

 

Yes, it's very important to let them get the "goodness" of mom's poo to help set their systems in proper motion. All foals eat some of mom's manure and it helps set up a proper digestive system. Sounds gross, but it's really necessary to get them on the "right road" to good health.

Since you have "mom", you might try offering a little of her mom's manure out in the grass when she's out and about. You may see her do some nibbling, and that will help "set up the flora" her gut needs to digest properly.

Just an idea!