Fawns undergo rapid growth and development after birth. Their diet plays a central role in this process, evolving significantly from an initial reliance on maternal milk to a varied intake of plant matter.
Early Nutrition: Mother’s Milk
For the first few weeks after birth, a fawn’s diet consists entirely of its mother’s milk. This milk is exceptionally rich in fat, protein, and minerals, providing the concentrated energy and nutrients necessary for rapid growth. Fawns can double their birth weight within their first two weeks and triple it by one month of age. This initial period is also important for immune development, as fawns receive antibodies from their mother’s colostrum, the first milk produced.
During this phase, fawns typically nurse multiple times daily, consuming a significant portion of their body weight in milk. The mother deer often leaves her fawn hidden in dense vegetation between nursing sessions to protect it from predators. The fawn’s ability to remain still and its nearly odorless nature contribute to its survival during these vulnerable early weeks.
The Transition to Solid Foods
Fawns begin exploring solid foods surprisingly early in their development. Around 2 to 3 weeks of age, they start nibbling on tender vegetation such as grasses, leaves, and young shoots. This initial browsing is more about exploration and learning from their mother than obtaining substantial nutrition. Their digestive system, specifically the rumen, begins to develop during this time, preparing them for a plant-based diet.
While fawns begin sampling forage at this young age, mother’s milk remains their primary source of nourishment for several more weeks. The gradual introduction of solid foods allows their digestive system to adapt to processing complex plant matter, enabling them to incorporate new food types while still benefiting from milk’s high nutritional content.
Developing Independence and Dietary Shifts
As fawns grow, their reliance on milk steadily decreases, and their intake of solid forage increases. Weaning, the complete cessation of milk consumption, typically occurs between 8 to 12 weeks of age, though it can extend to 3 to 4 months. By this time, their rumens are sufficiently developed to digest a wide variety of plant material.
After weaning, fawns become fully independent foragers, consuming a diet similar to adult deer. This includes a range of plant matter such as grasses, forbs, twigs, and leaves, often referred to as browse and forage. Their diet continues to vary seasonally, adapting to the availability of different plants throughout the year. This shift reflects their increasing physical maturity and their ability to sustain themselves entirely on vegetation.