Bottle Babies to Backyard Buddies: A First-Time Owner's Guide to Raising Nigerian Dwarf Goats

Bringing a Nigerian Dwarf goat into your life can be an incredibly lovable experience, especially when you start with bottle babies. These pint-sized babies are known for their playful nature, charming personalities, and adorable appearance. This guide will walk you through the essentials of raising your very own bottle babies, covering everything from bottle feeding to creating a cozy outdoor shelter.

Two baby goats snuggling on hay. One is brown with black and white markings, the other black and white. — Meet Remington (Brown) and Benelli (Black) AKA Remi & Nelli

Understanding Bottle Feeding

Bottle feeding is essential when raising Nigerian Dwarf goat kids, especially if they have been separated from their mothers. Begin by collecting necessary supplies, such as a high-quality goat milk replacer. Unlike cow's milk, which can disrupt their sensitive digestion, goat milk replacer is specifically designed to fulfill their nutritional requirements. We opted to purchase regular goat milk from the grocery store, though it appeared to be more costly.

Heat the milk to approximately 101°F. Pour it into a clean bottle with a small nipple, and position your baby goat to simulate natural nursing. This might involve the goat lying in your arms with its neck raised or standing with its neck up. When we first got our goats, they were so young that we initially used a syringe to feed them, then transitioned to regular human baby bottles. Most goats prefer to be slightly elevated during feeding, so providing comfortable support is essential.

Baby goats typically need to be bottle-fed for 5–8 weeks. Feeding frequency and milk amounts vary by age, as shown in the table below:
- 0–2 days: 3–6 ounces every 3–4 hours
- 3 days–3 weeks: 6–10 ounces four times a day
- 3–6 weeks: 12–16 ounces three times a day
- 6–10 weeks: 16 ounces twice a day
Goats can be weaned as early as 30 days, but it's best to wait until they weigh at least 2–2.5 times their birth weight and eat a lot of dry food, usually around 6–8 weeks.

What to do if your bottle baby goat has diarrhea:

Consult your veterinarian: Always reach out to your vet to identify the cause of diarrhea and receive suitable treatment, particularly if the diarrhea is severe, bloody, or accompanied by additional symptoms such as lethargy.
Modify feeding: Assess the quantity and concentration of milk you provide and make necessary adjustments.
Monitor hydration: Diarrhea can cause dehydration, so make sure your goat has access to fresh water and consider providing electrolyte solutions if needed.
Hygiene: Maintain cleanliness in the feeding area to avoid contamination.
Fecal sample: Your veterinarian might ask for a fecal sample to test for parasites such as coccidia.

Treatment choices based on the cause:

Dietary adjustment: If the problem is overfeeding, just decrease the milk quantity per feeding.

Coccidiosis treatment:

If parasites are detected, your veterinarian is likely to recommend medication like "Corid" to treat coccidiosis. When we first received our babies, they had Coccidiosis, and our vet prescribed Corid, which resolved the issue quickly.

Close-up view of a newborn Nigerian Dwarf goat drinking from a bottle — Our adorable baby goats sipping from bottles, enjoying a refreshing drink on our porch.

Diaper Duty: The Necessity of Outfits

While bottle-fed babies are undeniably cute, they can also be quite messy! Diapers can be useful for handling their "accidents," especially if your goats are kept indoors. Our little ones seldom urinated in their diapers and preferred to go outside, but they couldn't control when they needed to poop and would do so in the diapers. Thankfully, their poop is like small pellet rocks, making cleanup very easy.

Ensure the diaper is not too tight, as this can cause discomfort. To keep it in place, consider dressing your goat in a onesie, which helps prevent slipping and adds cuteness. For example, a newborn human diaper usually fits well on a Nigerian Dwarf goat.

Transitioning Outdoors: Creating a Cozy Shelter

As your bottle-fed young goats grow up and start dreaming of their outdoor adventures, it's time to build them a cozy little mansion. Nigerian Dwarf goats thrive in protected areas where they can wander, graze, and plot their next great escape (they're basically the Houdinis of the animal kingdom!). Just remember, these little escape artists can bust out of even the most secure enclosures faster than you can say "Where did my goats go?" So, be ready to construct a fortress!

Begin by establishing a clean, dry space that is well-ventilated and safeguarded from severe weather. A basic three-sided shed provides airflow while protecting them from wind and rain. We constructed a shelter resembling a dog house, but we do not confine them inside at night; they are free to move around as they wish.

Inside the shelter, use fresh bedding like straw or hay to maintain warmth and dryness. Living in Florida, we typically add hay or bedding to the shelter only during the winter months. Create a feeding area with bins and a water trough that are easy to refill. We partially buried a large water trough to make it more accessible and installed an auto float valve system to ensure they always have fresh water. Your goats should have plenty of space for exploration and play; generally, 50 square feet per goat is recommended for comfort and activity. We enclosed a large area with trees and grass for our babies, using a wood panel horse fence with an inner layer of field wire fencing.

While they adapt to life outdoors, spend time with your Nigerian Dwarfs. Gentle interactions from an early age foster friendly, social goats that will flourish as companions. We allow our babies to explore our entire property daily, but often you’ll find them on the porch eager to come back inside for a cuddle.

Raising Goats: Bringing It All Together

Raising bottle baby Nigerian Dwarf goats can be a fun journey filled with joy and learning. From the practice of bottle feeding to the wrangling side of diapering and providing a cute cozy outdoor home, each step brings you closer to forming a special bond with these adorable little creatures.

Observing your goat’s behavior allows you to tune in to their needs, and responding appropriately helps build trust.

Engage with fellow goat owners by joining forums and Facebook pages. Feel free to ask questions or express concerns, as farmers enjoy sharing advice to support one another. Additionally, there are numerous excellent books available. I'll mention a few below.

With the right knowledge and a lot of love, your bottle babies will grow into wonderful backyard buddies, enriching your life in ways you may not have imagined. Happy goat raising!