I have a 9 week old fawn whose mother died when he was 3 days old. I keep him in a 30 by 40 foot pen. I feed him goat's milk in a bottle with a nipple on it and also some leaves, but I have never been able to get him to eat his alfalfa pellets or his commercial feed with molasses, grain, corn, oats and barley. I have tried to put goat's milk in the feed or crumpled it and put it in his mouth. Nothing seems to work; he doesn't like the feed or the alfalfa pellets. They just sit there. He gets very few leaves, because we live in a pine and fir forest and there aren't many leaves. I go out and cut leaves off my lilac bush every day though that he likes, but that is all he gets and there aren't enough leaves of that to give him. (Because he was cribbing, I grind up and put trace mineral salt with selenium in his goat's milk bottle and he no longer is cribbing, so that is good.) I gave him some apples, but he got diarrhea, so stopped. Any other vegetables you can suggest that won't hurt him. I am looking for anything healthy to feed him. He is always hungry and he is very thin. Do you know how I can get him to eat his feed and his alfalfa pellets or can you suggest a different feed? I really need help. I have fallen in love with this little guy and he has become part of the family. I am worried about him he is go thin. Thank you so much.
Try calf manna. You should be able to get it at your local feed store. if they do not have calf manna they should have equal like animax
I feed mine calf manna like Cassie said. Also give them a slice of wheat bread. My big deer like sweet potato's.
Joined Jun 2015
100 Posts | 0+
Newmanstown, PA
Agreed to the above. Take a pellet of calf mana and stick it in next to his jaw like a wad of chew. He'll get the hint after a couple
Like above, I "taught" my bottle baby to eat "real" food by sticking tiny apple and pear pieces into her cheek, same with pellets. At first she spit them out several times but I just repeated it over and over until she got the taste for it. I feed my deer Record Rack Deer/Elk feed 20% protein (TSC) or Purina Deer feed mixed with a 16% dairyfeed from feedstore that got molasses etc in it. And yes, bread is a treat these days too.
Thank you so much everyone. I ordered the calf manna and it will be here in about a week. I will try the raw sweet potatoes too. If the Calf Mana won't work, will try the Record Rack Deer/Elk feed or the Purina Deer feed. Thank you again. I really have been worrying about my deer not getting enough to eat.
Also, I notice that his hair used to be soft and silky, but now for the last few weeks, (he's nine weeks old) it looks scruffy and is more coarse. Around his neck, the hair also looks thinner and you can see the skin through it. Do you think this is because he is not getting the proper food or is this some kind of other problem? Thank you again for your help.
Also, I notice that his hair used to be soft and silky, but now for the last few weeks, (he's nine weeks old) it looks scruffy and is more coarse. Around his neck, the hair also looks thinner and you can see the skin through it. Do you think this is because he is not getting the proper food or is this some kind of other problem? Thank you again for your help.
Could be a few things. Is he inside all the time? if so, he needs sunshine. Also, if he's in a barn/stall it could be mites. Nutrition also.
Thank you for your post. No, he's not inside; he has been outside in a 30x40 foot pen (approximately) under the pine and fir trees for about a month and a half now. (he's a little over 9 weeks old). He has a little shed he could go in at night or when raining, but he won't; just stays outside. Anyway I am still waiting for the calf Mana to arrive, but in the meantime for the last couple of days, I have put a little molasses on his commercial feed of grain, corn, oats and barley and he is nibbling at it. Maybe eating 1/2 cup or so a day. So hope this will help. Except for his coat looking coarse and scruffy now and his being very thin, he seems healthy although he isn't frolicking around like he used to. Thank you again everyone for all the help you are giving.