[FarmerJen]

My doe freshened on 5/15 and is doing well. Not the most attentive mom, but babies are doing well. This is her second freshening. Late last week I noticed her poo was clumping together. Still "berries"... but they're all stuck together. I gave her some probios and it seemed to clear up. Yesterday I noticed her poo is clumpy again. I gave her probios again this morning, but I'm wondering if I should be doing anything else. Most of the droppings are berries clumped together... but there are a few that look more like dog poo (there are only goats in the pen) - no berry shapes.

She is eating well, has free choice alfalfa, minerals & baking soda and is getting 4c of grain, 1c of beet pulp and 1/2c of BOSS each day. Also access to lots of browse. Nursing trips. I did just open up a new browse area that they haven't had access to for the past month or so - needed to reseed. Nothing growing there that isn't in their other areas... but maybe she's just eating more greenery than usual? She was wormed post-kidding and I'm currently trying to get some weight on her. She's an 18" doe and had quads - went from a balloon to a skeleton literally overnight. She's only mildly skinny at the moment, but definitely not bloated or anything.

Again, I did redose her on probios this morning... but anything else I can do? How often can/should I give probios?

 

[Little-Bits-N-Pieces]

Has she been used to that amount of grain the entire time (or recently) ?
It could also be from the new browse. Green grass and leaves have natural laxatives in them, so that could be what's causing it.

 

[FarmerJen]

She was only getting 1c of grain per day, with about 1/2c of BOSS & 1/2c of beet pulp, during her pregnancy. So yes, the grain has been upped considerably - but I did it fairly slowly. I grain them twice/day. They scarf down their 2c of grain in the evening, during milking (I started milking on day 3 as they were engorged - I dont get a ton of milk, but not bad considering their both keeping up with trips!). But their morning ration, it seems they eat about half of it, then nibble on it throughout the day... which I figure is fine. I am not home to feed them mid-day, but the grain is always long gone by evening.

Should I only be feeding what they'll eat in one sitting, or is it ok to do it this way? Last year I fed far less grain... but it seems that most on here give more like what I'm giving now. Of course I will cut this back a bit once the babies are weaned and their only providing ME with milk... but for now... I'm kinda the 4th baby on each... so I want to make sure they have enough.

 

[Little-Bits-N-Pieces]

She could be cut back slightly on the grain. Normally if they don't clean it up while on the milk stand they should be cut back a little until they eat it all, then slowly adjust with more grain if she finishes it before you are done milking.
But its is nothing to worry about as long as its not diarrhea. She will adjust to it if you keep feeding her the same amount. If she is thin I would keep her on the same amount.