mysunwolf
Herd Master
Not really sure which section to put this in...
We have been in the process of taking our sheep from low-quality hay, a small grass lot, and the barn to a high-quality spring pasture. I have been letting them out to graze for a few hours in the evenings, and then taking them back inside.
The first day 2hrs, the second 3hrs, the third day 3hrs, the 4th day 4hrs. On the 4th day, both my pregnant (I hope) ewes scoured overnight. Since then, they have had normal poops interspersed with nearly liquid scour poops (with a tinge of green that's now all over my barn, stuck to the walls, all down their legs... you get the picture).
When they were in the barn/grass lot area, I did a fecal and there were some barbers pole worms but nothing else. I have not checked since then, but I did read that barbers pole doesn't cause scours.
So, I assume that this is just related to the lush pasture.
We feed them higher-quality hay in the mornings to try to get them to fill their bellies, but they actually hold out all day on eating until the evenings when they know they're going to fresh pasture.
I don't have the time to take them out for 10 minutes, put them back, take them out, etc.
1) Should I be worried that the scours is something else?
2) Any home remedies for this digestion upset?
3) Any other tips/tricks, besides feeding hay before+during, as well as gradually increasing pasture time?
I should note that I have 2.5 month old weaned lambs on the pasture that are doing just fine, no runny poo at all. They are from different sources, of course, and different climates. The lambs are from just down the road, the ewes from a warmer area down south.
Help? Thank you!
We have been in the process of taking our sheep from low-quality hay, a small grass lot, and the barn to a high-quality spring pasture. I have been letting them out to graze for a few hours in the evenings, and then taking them back inside.
The first day 2hrs, the second 3hrs, the third day 3hrs, the 4th day 4hrs. On the 4th day, both my pregnant (I hope) ewes scoured overnight. Since then, they have had normal poops interspersed with nearly liquid scour poops (with a tinge of green that's now all over my barn, stuck to the walls, all down their legs... you get the picture).
When they were in the barn/grass lot area, I did a fecal and there were some barbers pole worms but nothing else. I have not checked since then, but I did read that barbers pole doesn't cause scours.
So, I assume that this is just related to the lush pasture.
We feed them higher-quality hay in the mornings to try to get them to fill their bellies, but they actually hold out all day on eating until the evenings when they know they're going to fresh pasture.
I don't have the time to take them out for 10 minutes, put them back, take them out, etc.
1) Should I be worried that the scours is something else?
2) Any home remedies for this digestion upset?
3) Any other tips/tricks, besides feeding hay before+during, as well as gradually increasing pasture time?
I should note that I have 2.5 month old weaned lambs on the pasture that are doing just fine, no runny poo at all. They are from different sources, of course, and different climates. The lambs are from just down the road, the ewes from a warmer area down south.
Help? Thank you!
There is hair underneath the... hair. Definitely looking patchy, but hopefully not much to worry about. I took away any jutting-out nails or sharp wood I could find that they could scratch on and hurt themselves. 
I'll just keep posting the saga.
