Hay manger ??

yarddog4jc · #1 07/31/06, 06:03 PM

I am having a dilemma. How in the world do ya'll feed hay to your goats? I have only 4. I built a manger which was basically a rectangle box with a wire bottom and open on top. They slept in it. My latest idea, was to take some left over fencing wire and make a circle to put a bale in. I came home today and there were two of them with thier heads caught in the wire. I don't have a lot of money but I am fairly handy. Please help. Pictures would be great.
Thanks,
Mark

Dee · #2 07/31/06, 06:40 PM

I use keyhole feeders that I made. They have to put their heads in the hole, then slide it down to reach the food, less waste. I can also lock their heads in if need be. I used 2x6's to make mine but others have used plywood with no problems. I have pictures but haven't figured out how to get them from hard copy to this site yet.

ScorpionFlower · #3 07/31/06, 06:56 PM

I lucked out and was given one of those metal things that hangs on the fence. I use that for my girls. My boys.... I put their alfalfa in a milk crate LOL. The waste isn't too bad and what waste there is becomes mulch and/or compost so it's not really waste for me. Considering I live in a baren desert environment therefor there's not much of anything else to use for mulch/compost without buying it, which I detest.

Idahoe · #4 07/31/06, 10:04 PM

DH took a leftover piece of welded wire fence (2 x 4 inch) about 8 feet long and 5 feet wide, bent it into a "U", and attatched it to the fence. I toss hay over the fence into the receptacle, and the goats enjoy eating with their necks up. The babies just stand beneath it and munch . Now this is temporary, but we like the idea so much that we're going to reinforce it as an outside hay feeder.

silvergirl · #5 07/31/06, 11:06 PM

We used to do a lot of rescue work with feral cats and so we had some small dog kennels on hand - wire training kennels - which you can pick up for $30 at Wal Mart - we hung them from two hooks on the wall of the goatshed just above head level so they were reaching up a bit to pull the hay from the kennel - it worked perfectly - kept the hay from being stepped on and ruined and kept them from climbing aboard!

dk_40207 · #6 08/01/06, 07:49 AM

do a forum search for hay manger. i posted a great one that my hubby made w. scrap wood ina few hours..

homebirtha · #7 08/01/06, 10:16 AM

Someone had posted pictures not too long ago of one they had made with part of a cattle panel. It was really cool. Search for that one, or maybe whoever posted it can do so again?

trob1 · #8 08/01/06, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homebirtha

Someone had posted pictures not too long ago of one they had made with part of a cattle panel. It was really cool. Search for that one, or maybe whoever posted it can do so again?

I posted this one but it is made from part of a goat panel and could be made from a cattle panel.

Hay manger ?? - Goats

xoxoGOATSxoxo · #9 08/01/06, 04:28 PM

Hi. This is the first reply or anything I've ever posted. Nice to meet you. Now, to the point.

Um, I don't know if you've ever seen any of the "Storey's Guides", but they have one about most livestock, including goats. (Storey's Guide to Raising Goats, obviously!) This particular book is by Jerry Belanger. It has some nice designs for feeders and buildings that you can build rather cheaply. You might be able to find it at your library, or if you wanted to buy it, at a Tractor Supply Co. (if those are around your region, I'm from Michigan). You could definitly order it online. Hope it helps, if you want to check it out. Good Luck!

homebirtha · #10 08/01/06, 04:47 PM

Yep, I think that was the one. Did you have one outside too? With two panels in kind of an A-frame? I really like these ideas!

Quote:

Originally Posted by trob1

I posted this one but it is made from part of a goat panel and could be made from a cattle panel.

Hay manger ?? - Goats

Bearfootfarm · #11 08/02/06, 12:37 AM

Use "hog panels " instead of cattle panels They have 4X4 openings instead of the 6X6 so they cant get their head through. And make the tray at the bottom wider to catch what drops so you wont waste so much. You cam also make the upper part solid so the hay wont be able to drop on their backs

prairiecomforts · #12 08/02/06, 12:51 AM

I just love those panel feeders! My dad made me two free standing ones this spring using hog panels and scrap wood. They really cut down on hay wastage. I just told him this week that I would like two more before winter.

**mygoat** · #13 08/02/06, 01:26 AM

I would just like to butt in and say that the keyhole feeders of any sort are dangerous. When a goat's head is in a keyhole and munching away, it is open for attack by another goat. broken necks aren't unheard of, and a goat can be seriously injured with this type of feeder.

trob1 · #14 08/02/06, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mygoat

I would just like to butt in and say that the keyhole feeders of any sort are dangerous. When a goat's head is in a keyhole and munching away, it is open for attack by another goat. broken necks aren't unheard of, and a goat can be seriously injured with this type of feeder.

I heard that also and so when I made my hay feeder that is why I used goat panels instead of cattle panels. With the goat panels they can't get their head in the holes just their nose.

yarddog4jc · #15 08/02/06, 08:17 PM

Great ideas!! Thanks to all. Boy if I can figure out that panel feeder, I'll stick on the back of my chicken coop Where thier loafing shed is. Thanks again.
Mark