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Discussion on How soon can a colt start eating grain?
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Member:
cndlscen
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Posted on Monday, Jun 18, 2007 - 10:05 am:
I have a 6 1/2 week old colt that keeps trying to get his nose in his mom's grain bin. When can I start giving him small amounts of grain? I don't want to give it to him too soon, but he seems interested in it. He is already eating some hay and grass.
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Member:
jd1947
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Posted on Monday, Jun 18, 2007 - 1:27 pm:
Terri,
They all start eating from mama's feed tub, most of my foals would start putting their nose in mom's feed tub at 2 or 3 days old...they really just kinda play around with the feed, and as long as mama lets them share...it's fine.
Your baby is old enough to start using a creep feeder, start putting out a small amount of grain for him, he'll decide when he wants to start...they all start at different points of their ages. If he doesn't eat it, you'll have to toss it and put in fresh feed...so start with a cup full...if he does eat it, then you'll have to begin judging how much to feed him....and choose a good foal feed...you'll get a lot of opinions on what feed to use, and my best advice about that is to have your hay analyzed for mineral content so you know what to feed him...so many variables, the main thing is the calcium/phosphorus ratio...needs to be perfectly balanced.
I beleive Dr.O has some good articles here on feeding foals...and mama too, because, needless to say, he's eating what she eats thru her milk.
Best of luck with your little one!!
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