My situation is two fawns 60 and 63 days old. Two others 54 and 51 days. I have been giving them 12 oz. 3 bottles a day. (because I can't leave work any more times to give some 3 and some 2) I want to put them all on 2 now but here is where I'm wondering what to do. They all have food, water, and I give them all grapes leaves, maple leaves ect. all the time. The first two are eating some of their food a little. I think they will just eat more when I cut their bottles. The older one of the other two will eat a little when i hand feed her. (I hand feed, or try to, all of them when I give them their bottles) I think she is just excited about the bottle and is so worked up she is wolfing anything. She actually jackhammers her bottle so fast she coughs milk out her nose!!! The smallest one will not have anything to do with food. She will eat grapes, strawberries and apples and some oatmeal but i try to mix that stuff into her food and she absolutely will not touch it then. You would think she is starving to death the way she attacks the bottle!!! She will wait for the bottle and not touch her food at all. I tried cutting back on the greens some but she just waits for the bottle. We've come a long way (me and the two younger ones) from scours, coccidia and major dehydration to the point of IV in the neck at the vets that I don't want to hurt (or lose) them now by not feeding them right or enough. I have tried 4 different kinds of foods, sweet feed, calf starter ect. but it is the same thing. Nada!! If I give them extra greens, that's what they eat, not the food. The older ones eat some so it's not them but the younger two and more so the youngest. What do I do!!?? Just starve them and tough it out till they eat?? I about ready to run up the white flag. Sorry about the long post but I tried to give as much info as I could.
Woody, we have two fawns both about 46 days old - one just loves the bottle and will dabble with browse, but pellets only if hand fed. The other likes the bottle and goes after browse like it going out of style, but again pellets only if hand fed and these she will take as long as you give it. Neither will have anything to do with the pellets even with milk starter sprinkled on them. Neither will touch hay, but will do the browse thing in their own style. Not sure what all this means as this is our first time with fawns on a long term scale.
try putting milk powder on the pellets. It was mentioned in a recently past post, that night it started working for me great.
If your worried about cutting their bottle and they will dehydrate just put water in bottle and let them feed on that. They will not get the nutrion they need so they are more likely to eat greens and pellets. Like CameronCrow said try putting regular old powdered milk sprinkled on top of their pellets. We have done this and once you get one licking on it she will pick up a few pellets and start eating it. Within a week I no longer had to add the powdered milk. Start out doing one feeding with milk,one with water and then one with milk again. After few days cut out the water feeding. If they are eating greens then they won't starve. If they miss that milk flavor the powdered milk will help. Rick
Joined Apr 2009
519 Posts | 1+
Rivesville, WV
This is tough and I know it has you worried, I can feel it in your words. Here is my experience with this. The dry milk powder may work, also the water in the bottle ( or even not plain water but very diluted replacer)
If you have been doing something and it works, then just keep doing it. Some fawns mature faster and experiment sooner with different foods. Some don't. But most of all, cater to each fawn for whatever it needs. I know it gets frustrating, and sometimes not everything can fit into your schedule. Just do whatever you possibly can do for each fawn.
My concern is that we are getting into a hot, humid, dry time of summer. If you try changing these fawns too much too soon, it may give them the runs. And the runs in August can be horrible with flies. Remeber this is also the age where their rumen starts. So you don't want to get caught in the middle of that. Give them some probios to help create hunger. This may stimulate them to nibble more on different things.
Do what your gut tells you needs done. My feelings are to give each fawn its own individual care if thats what it takes. Eventually they will all get on the same schedule.
If you have been doing something and it works, then just keep doing it. Some fawns mature faster and experiment sooner with different foods. Some don't. But most of all, cater to each fawn for whatever it needs. I know it gets frustrating, and sometimes not everything can fit into your schedule. Just do whatever you possibly can do for each fawn.
My concern is that we are getting into a hot, humid, dry time of summer. If you try changing these fawns too much too soon, it may give them the runs. And the runs in August can be horrible with flies. Remeber this is also the age where their rumen starts. So you don't want to get caught in the middle of that. Give them some probios to help create hunger. This may stimulate them to nibble more on different things.
Do what your gut tells you needs done. My feelings are to give each fawn its own individual care if thats what it takes. Eventually they will all get on the same schedule.
Woody,
They are old enough to be cut back to two bottles a day. Getting them less dependent on the bottle and they will explore more for greens, feed and water. Trust me they will not starve. Just keep feed and water available at all times.
BTW, I have bottles babies the same age as yours that are fully weaned!
They are old enough to be cut back to two bottles a day. Getting them less dependent on the bottle and they will explore more for greens, feed and water. Trust me they will not starve. Just keep feed and water available at all times.
BTW, I have bottles babies the same age as yours that are fully weaned!
I agree with gaylen, the fawns will be dependent on the bottle as long as you are feeding them enough to meet their nutritional needs... I never feed more than about 30 oz per day and this will make them eat more pellets ... try to feed twice a day and no more than 30 oz
Thanks for the advice. I'll be cutting them down to 2 bottles tomorrow and holding my breath. Is there any special feed I should try? And Gaylen, I'm envious!!