Natural support for Goats who eat chicken feed

erikawinterton

hello there! I wanted to share my successful approach to a scary situation! Please note there isn't much here that is based in science or good practice. I just experimented, and can't say that if you attempt this the results will be duplicated.

Be sure to use common scense, your intuition, and go to a vet when necessary!

So the situation...

My three month old doeling broke into my chicken coop and ate alot of my chicken feed. She was bloated and miserable.

I felt sure she wouldn't make it, especially with a bulging rumen and stomach that looked like digestive bloat.

I am a new goat ownder so I didn't have a tube feeder, antibiotics, or anything.

So I decided to act quick, and try something radical and natural.

I let her lick some baking soda free choice, twice about an hour apart.

Then I let her drink a 1/2 cup of olive oil. (I had hoped this would be sort of like an oil slick and make the food move through faster, similar to mineral oil).

The result...

She had squirting poo for a day, acted lithargic and wilted. Then was better within two days. Her system must have worked it all out!

Some things to know too, She was a bottle baby, which helped reintroduce good gut flora back into her rumen (crucial to digestion). She also had minerals and clean water available at all times.

I am not saying this is an end all solution, just something that helped in my situation!

Hassena

hey there,

I have heard offering free choice baking soda is beneficial to goats whom eat lots of grain or pellet food.

Glad you had those items on hand. Best of luck with goat health.

We just got goats this year too. Love them! =}

erikawinterton

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/866015#Comment_866015

So Glad to have that backed up by what others have said to do! Thank you!

erikawinterton

So excited for your new adventure too! Good luck and let me know if you have any questions I might be able to help with!