Goat Feed Questions

KristineinKS · #1 04/23/07, 03:44 PM

We have 3 doelings that we keep in a large pen with our chickens & ducks. Within the next month we plan to build them a separate pen, but for now that's where they are & everyone seems very happy.

Initially I noticed that the ducks were very quick to eat up all the goat feed, and it was very hard to gauge if the goats were getting enough. However, in the past week I've noticed that the goats no longer touch their food, they only seem interested in the (non-medicated) gamebird ration that we provide for the chicks & ducks. They even chase the chickens away from the scratch we throw down on the ground for them, so that they can eat it! Will the gamebird ration hurt the goats? Will it fulfill their nutritional needs?

My second problem is that we've got a serious hay shortage around here. I have very little hay left & no idea where to buy more, so the girls aren't getting it daily like they probably should be. I know our area isn't the only one affected, as I've seen people elsewhere mention the problem, but I have no idea what to do about it. They've already stripped their pen bare of any greenery, so what are my other options for them? Is there something else I can buy (like in a feed store) to make up for the lack of hay right now?

Thanks!

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #2 04/23/07, 04:59 PM

It's not a good situation for the goats. Goatlings can't fight for feed from ducks. Goats stressed in conditions like this, add no hay, will get cocci quickly. You have to figure out a way to get the goats out of the pen daily to stretch their legs, and to eat feed and hay that has not been soiled on by ducks or chickens. You need to have your goats on a sulfa during this stressful time, and keep up with worming...in a situation like this the goats would be better off tied out during the day if you can't watch them, and only having to spend the evening with the fowl. Ducks also foul the water which then the goats won't drink. Sorry, but there isn't anything good to say. Vicki

kerrinatoz · #3 04/24/07, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians

It's not a good situation for the goats. Goatlings can't fight for feed from ducks. Goats stressed in conditions like this, add no hay, will get cocci quickly. You have to figure out a way to get the goats out of the pen daily to stretch their legs, and to eat feed and hay that has not been soiled on by ducks or chickens. You need to have your goats on a sulfa during this stressful time, and keep up with worming...in a situation like this the goats would be better off tied out during the day if you can't watch them, and only having to spend the evening with the fowl. Ducks also foul the water which then the goats won't drink. Sorry, but there isn't anything good to say. Vicki

Hmm I WAS thinking of turning out our chickens (right now just 2 week old bantams) in our goat yard for free ranging during the day....but with little goatlings due in June (and your post,vicki) I think a chicken yard sounds like a better idea!

prairiedog · #4 04/24/07, 05:35 PM

Our goats share a pen with the chickens but we pull the goats into their stall for feeding.

Mr.Hoppes · #5 04/24/07, 06:03 PM

our Goats als prefer to eat the chickens' feed , but then they want their own too. The chcikens only use for the goats feed is to lay eggs in. For some Odd reason ( only chickens seem to know ) the chiickens have taken to laying in he goats feeders. I have actually thought of buying a couple more and putting them in the chickens house. I guess it's only fair cause the goats like to climb on and lay in the chickens' house. The fantasy that I was going to seperate them was for not. Neither liked it and went over /under or through the fence. As for health, oth the chickens and the goats are healthy, as well as the :1pig: pig. BUT then he was on the extended visitirs list , but has moved to the less than 2 week notice list. The :1pig: pig didn't care much either way, chicken , goat, scarps or just grazing and He got fat QUICK. We did feed wormer to Goats inclosed so they would eat it alone, with out the other helpers.

http://www.livevideo.com/Homesteader Videos of me and mine....

We are new to the critters but they are healthy and getting bigger where they are supposed to and milking when applicable..

DQ · #6 04/24/07, 08:05 PM

because of hay shortage, I have been feeding chopped alfalfa that you can buy at the feed store in rectangular shrink wrapped type wrapper. I think its 11$ per bag (which is equivalent to what I paid for hay last time anyway), but I might stick with it even when I can find hay because I feed it in buckets and there seems to be little waste. unlike with hay when they take a bite they don't pull out a huge wad that falls on the floor to be stomped on, but it also provides some longish stems for them to gnash on, unlike pellets. it sounds like you don't have much control over what they are eating in the situation they are in, I would really suggest finding a different way of keeping them quickly.concentrated feeds, like scratch, and gamebird ration can cause serious problems if they get too much, and eating off the ground is not good too, especially around poultry. if you want to tie them out a retractable dog leash along a fence line (to prevent "wrap around") works good, it doesnt tangle around them as easily as a plain leash/tether/rope adn I think you can pick them up for around 12$. the only possible problem is predators., and make sure they can't knock over their water or tangle around each other. another option would be to buy cattle panels and create a small movable pen. 4 cattle panels x 16$ = $64 better situation.

Cheryl in SD · #7 04/24/07, 10:53 PM

I am having trouble with hay, too. The alfalfa I can get is mostly stems and so much is wasted. I just found some part alfalfa, mostly hay, part weeds bales and plan to fee that for roughage and alfalfa pellets with horse sweet feed for nutrition. They also like to graze, and we have been letting them out into the yard to get fresh grass/weeds.

white eagle · #8 04/25/07, 04:00 AM

Here we have a hay shortage too and does not look to get any better either. In one of my goats pen they have hardly any grass so I have been taking my guys to another field to eat all the grass and etc they want. Plus on the chicken and duck problem you need to either be feeding your goats where the ducks can reach the feed or fix a place and close it off so the ducks and chickens can not get to their feed at feeding time. Me I have all my chickens, ducks and other critters running around and when it comes feeding time I give my ducks and other critters their feed first then feed my goats. Plus on the water the ducks will mess the water up fast unless you have a high water tough where the ducks can not reach. My ducks can't reach my goats water trough due to being to heavy. Which makes a diffenent there.

GL with your goats and others.