Easy to build feeder for Alfalfa cubes or pellets?

[off_da_grid]

What is the easiest to build feeder for Alfalfa cubes or pellets? Y'all know of anything? Have any pics? It don't have to be fancy just has to serve the purpose.

[hoofinitnorth]

If you're feeding small goats or small amounts of pellets, those $3-$5 mineral feeders work well.

For larger areas/more goats/more pellets, I've seen nice welded metal trays. Of course the farm resident husband was a welder.

You could build a wood trough but they can be sometimes hard to clean and disinfect. Hard plastic with rounded edges would be my choice.

[suzyhomemaker09]

Our goats just loathe alfalfa cubes..pellets they love.

[smwon]

Perhaps just small buckets??? That is my plan for my Nigerians when I get them. I can use three... one for water, one for pellets, and one for carrots or brassica’s. I was going to say for grain too, but for me that would only be used during milking. You can get rings (or make something) to hold them up off the ground.

[DocM]

Depends on your dynamics. I have 9 does together, and they all think they're the queen. My pellet feeder consists of a 2 X 4 (12' long) nailed between two posts. I place 10 (1 more than the number of goats) little giant mini feeders along this bar, alternating half one on each side. I measure out the number of pounds of pellets I use (20 lbs for this mixed age group) and put an equal (2 lbs) in each pan. Then I let the girls in and they play musical feeders. The pigs get their share, but because there are more feeders than goats, the little ones get theirs too. Soon the girls will go into their individual sydell's style pens and will be given their own feeders and customized amounts each day, but for now, while the weather is still tolerable, they're in the communal pen at feed time.

[smwon]

How would you do that for just two does DocM??? I'm trying to figure out just how I will manage things. Oh ya, and what are mini feeders?

[off_da_grid]

Thanks for the ideas. Does anyone have any pics?

[smwon]

Ya... sure wouldn't mind some pictures!

[Feathers-N-Fur]

Take the tank from a hot water heater, cut it in half with a sawzall, long ways. If you weld you can add legs, but mine just sit on the ground. You can get free hot water heaters all the time and one makes 2 feeders. This is all my FIL has ever used for his sheep. One half accommodates 3-4 goats.

[Tam319]

We've taken the largest diameter PVC pipe you can find, saw it in half lengthwise and put plywood ends/feet on either end. One length of pipe makes 2 feeders. They are light enough to move easily (ie. just put out during feeding time and put away once feed is cleaned up to reduce pooping in them).

[mygoat]

what I do is just go to the local family dollar store and I get a few kitty litter pans. They work great. Get several if you have larger herds, and divide the feed between the pans. I use them to feed the chickens, baby goats, doe herd, etc.... they're excellent and usually about 1.00 each. Can't beat that! Carry a whip too, so you don't get swarmed in those larger herds. I know mine would trample me if I didn't carry that whip. hehe.

[DQ]

these are all made of scrap wood. except of course the 1/2 barrels. the all wooden feeders work well for pellets and loosely stuffed hay. the 1/2 barrels I use a as community feeders for the basic daily ration and hay ( only enough that they can clean up in a few hours otherwise they sleep in it). I have drilled holes in the barrels so they don't collect water. the pic of the wooden feeders from an upper view barel shows the board in back put in at an angle to direct the pellets to the front. they barrels are great for cleanability and I plan on making feeders similiar to the wooden wones only with the plastic barrels and they will be more sanitary, not that I have had any problem with the wooden ones. I'm sure it bothers me more than the goats!

[smwon]

Oh I like those last two! I wonder if it could be made so one side would be in two different stalls with the chute being between the two to fill it? I like that idea.