10/22/13, 06:44 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 34
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In reply to the queries about my feeder I feel I need to give a little background about myself.
I have raised goats for 30+ years and wasted tons of hay. I have tried every style of hay feeder with the exception of the keyhole, modified them all, reduced the waste somewhat but never with the success I have had with this one. The keyhole feeder is good but I didn't like the goats being blindsided by their herd mates, not to mention the number of keyholes I would have needed.
I don't claim to be the first one to come up with this idea and I'm sure there are others using the same general idea that I use. After all, how hard can it be to feed goats hay?
I attribute the success of this feeder to:
*100% edible high quality hay (reduces the urge to search for that special morsel, dropping everything else)
*2X4 grate eliminates large bites
*the box catches the dropped hay and it is eaten because it's clean and tastes good
We have not tried using lower quality hay so there may be some waste as they search for that special morsel. Goats will be goats and where there's a will there's a way.
There has never been a goat get into the box that we know of, including kids. The 2x4 top rail makes it hard for the kidds to jump inside. I'm sure one will make it inside someday. Someone pooped in it once. We feel she backed up to it when she got up one morning.
The measurements of the feeder will need to fit the breed of goat that you have. Nigerians would have a hard time eating from a feeder made for nubians. We measured from the ground to the base of the shortest does neck which is 19". This is for medium size nubians. If we had made the sides a little shorter the does could have reached to the bottom of the box but the babies could get in and waste the hay. If we put the long side of the top 2x4 rail on the inside of the posts it would make it a little harder to load the box but the does could reach a little further down into the box. Decisions, decisions. What we did works well and my daughter doesn't want anything changed.
The bottom of the box consists of some 1x6's to raise the hay up off the ground for ventilation. She doesn't put a whole bale in it at a time because the does can't reach the bottom. She lets the fines accumulate and that helps keep the hay elevated. I think she puts about a half of a bale in it at a time.
All of the materials were left over from other projects. The posts are 4x4's and 40" long. If I need to put another 2x4 rail above the lower one to keep anyone from jumping in I can. So far that hasn't been an issue.
Inside 2x4 rail measures 22x50". Make this measurement to fit the size of the panel you will be using on the hay. Cut the panel so it will have a solid rod around the perimeter. Burn or file any cuts. A 20x48" panel will fit the above box. The panel I used is a 2x4 horse panel. You can use a 4x4 panel and double it offsetting the squares. The 4x4 panel may work fine as is, we just didn't try it.
I have probably forgotten something so if there are any more questions fire away. I hope at least one person gets some good out of this feeder.
Thanks for helping me get the pictures posted.
Linda
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