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Goat feces/poop

 
                                  
Posts: 7
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I bought two doelings a week ago, they are about three months old now. They're feces has gone from the small round pellets to clumps of pellets to now kind of dog like poop (unless my puppy is getting into areas I don't think it can). They're diet has changed significantly since they are allowed to roam around and eat whatever they want as opposed to being penned up in mud and straw. They also seem to really enjoy the starter feed I'm giving my ducks and whatever I give my chickens (black oil sunflower seed, safflower seed, peanuts, etc.)

My guess is that this change in feces is due to their diet but I was wondering if I should be concerned and restrict their access to any of these things?

Thanks
 
                              
Posts: 30
Location: Many-snow-ta
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I'm going to assume that they're newly weaned? Change and stress definitely alter their stools; it will stiffen back up as they settle into their new diets and surroundings. It's recommended to make diet changes very carefully as abrupt changes can mess up the bacteria & flora in their rumens.

If your birds are getting whole grains they should be alright but stay away from medicated and the formulated mashes.

Also watch out for poisonous plants, and if they are having an increase supply of fresh greens be careful of bloat. Free choice baking soda can help with that if necessary.
 
                                  
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They are newly weaned and the ducks are not on a medicated feed but I believe it is formulated since it's Dumor Chick Starter. The more I read about it the less I like it. I think I need to switch their feed . . . any suggestions?
 
Posts: 700
Location: rainier OR
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supply them with some baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in a free choice dish

some pro-biotic from the feed store might be a good idea too,
sudden dietary changes upset the bacterial balance in their rumens, most times they settle back in but it can get serious the baking soda relieves discomfort if things get to acidic,

might want to set up a way that they cannot get at the bird feed too its not good for them to get to much concentrated food
 
            
Posts: 77
Location: Northport, Wash.
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You might also want to consider that they are getting too much in the way of grains.  We notice that when this happens, they have been getting too much grain.  Since goats are more browsers and do best on what they can find around the feedlot, providing there is something there for them, they tend to overeat on grains on manufactured feeds.
We had one doe that lost a baby, and had a lot of problems getting it our, we finally had to help her get it out.  The problem we determined, since goats generally do fine on their own, was that she was too fat, thanks to our trying to "make sure she got enough to eat".  We were graining the goats but since this is like feeding candy to kids, they usually go ape over it and will shove the others out of the way to pig out.
The should get a pretty limited amount of grains and the like, they do better on what they can graze, or so we found.  Once we cut way back on the grains, their poop went back to the little goat BB's, and they seemed more energetic.
 
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