My husband has five 6-7 month old buck fawns still on the bottle. He is still giving them 20-30 oz of milk replacer twice day! They are offered free choice pelleted feed and alfalfa, and my husband cuts up a dozen apples a day into bite sized pieces for them (constant trips to the grocery store for apples!). He says that they are "sick and weak" and that is why he is still bottle feeding them and he intends to keep giving them the bottle until they stop on their own. These fawns were all born with low birth weights and have had health problems throughout their short lives (one a broken leg, another a large abcess, the others scours, pneumonia) and we have been constantly doctoring on them and nursing them along, though they have been growing and seem to be doing relatively well now, I think. I think that at this point he is doing more harm them good by continuing to give them milk and in such a large quantity. I believe that it discourages them from eating more solid feed and that at a certain age milk becomes hard for them to digest. I hate to say it, but we are fighting constantly about it! Any thoughts?
Joined Oct 2009
3,165 Posts | 1+
upstate ny
Buteo41001981419016844
My husband has five 6-7 month old buck fawns still on the bottle. He is still giving them 20-30 oz of milk replacer twice day! They are offered free choice pelleted feed and alfalfa, and my husband cuts up a dozen apples a day into bite sized pieces for them (constant trips to the grocery store for apples!). He says that they are "sick and weak" and that is why he is still bottle feeding them and he intends to keep giving them the bottle until they stop on their own. These fawns were all born with low birth weights and have had health problems throughout their short lives (one a broken leg, another a large abcess, the others scours, pneumonia) and we have been constantly doctoring on them and nursing them along, though they have been growing and seem to be doing relatively well now, I think. I think that at this point he is doing more harm them good by continuing to give them milk and in such a large quantity. I believe that it discourages them from eating more solid feed and that at a certain age milk becomes hard for them to digest. I hate to say it, but we are fighting constantly about it! Any thoughts?
I believe this is a case where Pa better listen to Ma..The milk itself will not hurt per say but if he..Thinks..They need milk, put it in a pan or bucket for them. But i myself would cut them off the milk. Have they been wormed? You can add some other Sweet Feed or a bit of Corn to bump up their feed intake for weight gain.He can continue with the apples for treats if its not breaking the bank but can also back off if free choice feed is there.
They are there for you guys to enjoy and really no need for fighting. There is a great write up on..Whitetail Deer Farmer i believe about raising fawns that you can show your other half and kinda ease the point in that...You are right on this one... Worming is huge with whitetails.
My husband has five 6-7 month old buck fawns still on the bottle. He is still giving them 20-30 oz of milk replacer twice day! They are offered free choice pelleted feed and alfalfa, and my husband cuts up a dozen apples a day into bite sized pieces for them (constant trips to the grocery store for apples!). He says that they are "sick and weak" and that is why he is still bottle feeding them and he intends to keep giving them the bottle until they stop on their own. These fawns were all born with low birth weights and have had health problems throughout their short lives (one a broken leg, another a large abcess, the others scours, pneumonia) and we have been constantly doctoring on them and nursing them along, though they have been growing and seem to be doing relatively well now, I think. I think that at this point he is doing more harm them good by continuing to give them milk and in such a large quantity. I believe that it discourages them from eating more solid feed and that at a certain age milk becomes hard for them to digest. I hate to say it, but we are fighting constantly about it! Any thoughts?
I believe this is a case where Pa better listen to Ma..The milk itself will not hurt per say but if he..Thinks..They need milk, put it in a pan or bucket for them. But i myself would cut them off the milk. Have they been wormed? You can add some other Sweet Feed or a bit of Corn to bump up their feed intake for weight gain.He can continue with the apples for treats if its not breaking the bank but can also back off if free choice feed is there.
They are there for you guys to enjoy and really no need for fighting. There is a great write up on..Whitetail Deer Farmer i believe about raising fawns that you can show your other half and kinda ease the point in that...You are right on this one... Worming is huge with whitetails.
Joined May 2009
2,369 Posts | 0+
Chillicothe, Missouri
Worm em and cut the ***! 
Tell him he's gonna be like the gal on the Cover of the Tabloid...............Still breast feeding her 9 yr old!! :blink:
Who's enjoying it more?? LOL
Tell him he's gonna be like the gal on the Cover of the Tabloid...............Still breast feeding her 9 yr old!! :blink:
Who's enjoying it more??
LOLI tried that analogy Whitetail Sanctuary! He said that was ridiculous as at that age the child would be getting milk in a glass from the store! I seriously think he thinks they will die if we stop giving them milk!
Bell, I think the first question that arises would be, are they eating feed at all yet? If not, taking the milk away might starve them of what they are getting from the milk