Feeding setups

[Kittikity]

Can I see some feeding setups? Like where you feed them their grain.. Your hay rack.. Do they have their own feeding stations or do you group feed?

[Bluemountainkid]

i don't have pics, but we group feed, and since we only have three does, two of which are in milk, the two who are in milk get their grain on the stand, the other one sometimes gets while the other one is being milked, because one of our does is separated from the other two. We've found that keyhole feeders(basically boxes on legs with keyhole-shaped opening on the side so they eat out of it) work for us, though we do have a large feeder that's like a hay rack except with a trough-like thing at the bottom.

[Kittikity]

Thank you, Bluemountainkid..

Anybody else like to share?

[mygoat]

I don't like keyhole feeders because I'm afraid while an animal lower on the totem pole is eating, she can't move fast enough to avoid a more dominant doe butting her, which can injure them extremely.

For hay, I built a couple hay feeders out in pasture. To keep them out of the top of it, I put a board on top and throw a tire up there. I have at LEAST two because when the more dominant doe eats at one, the other does can eat on the other side or on the other feeder - everyone can eat at once. I've had up to 6 adult does on the two feeders, any more than that and I suggest having three.

As for grain, most of the time I feed individual rations, because I'm one to feed only those who need it. I call them by their name into the milkroom one by one. Dairy does get fed in the stand, while mini meat does get fed right on the milkroom floor. They all know the "out!" command, so when they're done I open the door and holler "out!".

However, in the winter when I'm flushing them, they all get grain around the same time. I have several cheap kitty litter pans that I got from Family dollar that I use as feed pans. They're alot cheaper than actual 'feed pans', and do the same thing - when they break, they're cheaper to replace, but they seem to hold up pretty darn well. I just toss 'em out into the pasture (at LEAST 2, it depends on how many does you have and the pecking order) and divide the feed between the pans. During this process I always carry my whip around and don't allow any at the pans until I'm completely done - I don't like being swarmed, jumped on, or pushed simply because of impatient goats.

[Kittikity]

What do you mean by flushing? Worming them?

[mygoat]

Flushing is feeding does a LITTLE bit more grain beginning a month before the breeding season and continuing until you are sure they are settled. This puts them on an 'increasing plane' of health so that they drop more eggs when in estrus and therefore having more kids.

I only feed during flushing, 2 weeks pre/post kidding (or with dairies, 2 weeks pre kidding and on through lactation, 1 lb per 3 lbs milk)

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

http://lonesomedoenubians.blogspot.com/

I am doing this blog for my nephews senior summer class On there is a photo of my milkers eating out of the alfalfa pellet feeder. The cement side is my side of the barn that I milk in and they are standing on their side of the barn/stall. I love feeding like this, no trying to carry a bucket of grain or alfalfa pellets into a pen full of hungry goats. With them eating in the feeder like this, they also don't stand in the pellets ever. Do everything you can not to feed on the ground. Vicki

[JR05]

I have 40+ does(milkers and meat) and they get fed individually. Have it set up to feed 12 in two shifts( all older does) younger does eat in group feeder, and yearlings eat together in group. All babies eat in group feedings.If you go to the fias website, I chain mine the same way. I can look over their individual health, monitor their feed intake or administer meds or wormers. Everyone knows where they belong and their names. As to the hay we have the 12 foot goat hay feeders (2) outside under the carport thingy and smaller hay racks on the walls in the barn stalls. spreads out the 2 bales of alfalfa daily. Round bale goes on the hay rack we had made that is 3' off the ground to prevent the goats from climbing in it.





jr05

[Goat Servant]

The ideal is along the lines of Vicki's set up (very cool) so you don't have to get mobbed. Maybe someday!?
For now I have to live dangerously...unlatch gate, go get armloads of hay throw into feeder while a a bunch of white whales are jumping to their places that has a foot rest, sort of like belleying up to the bar. The only reason I havent fallen clear down is cause the rest are swarming me so they cushion any slips.
Different ones are getting differnt amounts of feed. The yrlngs dont get grain so they usually stay in when I call for Big Mama's & babies. It took them a couple of weeks to figure out who didn't belong outside the fence. So long as I don't make the mistake of calling Little Girls cause thats the yrlng group name & they know it.
The 3 Big Mamas & babies get a little more than their usual amount in four pans. When Musical Feed Pan song is over, Mamas get grabbed and shoved back in a certain order. Then their babies get a little more grain in relative peace.
Its not a great way of doing it, but for now its all I have to work with.

[Minelson]

Here is my set up...They each get in line in front of their collar and chain in the same order every time. I hook them up and they eat and then I unhook them and they go right into their nigh time stall and eat their alfalfa on the spool...in the morning they go to their outside pen or free roam after they eat...Gretta and Flossie play with their pink bowls while they wait for slow poke Frankie to finish.
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