If you are currently feeding a food and wish to change, there are several steps you need to take first:

- begin by mixing the food with three quarters of the old food, and one quarter of the new food, feed this for a week.
- For the next week, mix equal parts old and new (50/50) feed for a week.
- For the third week, mix three quarters new and one quarter old, feed for a week.
- Finally complete the switch and give them the new food only

The entire time you are switching food watch for any signs of allergic reactions, or a change in stool consistency. If they show signs of loose stool, change foods even slower, and provide extra hay.

While it might seem like a lot of work to switch your chins diet over, the steps are absolutely necessary. If you switch food suddenly, diarrhea will occur.