Bunk feeder - how to keep the goats out of it

[farmmom]

My folks gave me a bunk feeder that I use to feed my girls. However, they are all laying in it. They are Nubians, so fairly large and heavy, and are slowly tearing it up. I tried putting it up against the wall of the lean-to and built a frame of tomato stakes over it, just far enough apart for them to get their heads in between. They tore that up in about a week. I need ideas. I don't want it torn up. They cost too much for me to be able to replace it.

[Alice In TX/MO]

What kind of bunk feeder?

[Cannon_Farms]

the only thought that comes to mind is we had to put cut cattle pannel over ours to keep them out of it, its a pain but worked until my donkey got stuck in it, but it only took him once.
You can get some plastic barrels and cut them in half to give them a bed, mine dont seem to like laying on the ground at all.

[farmmom]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

What kind of bunk feeder?

It's like the bottom two on this link.
http://www.davonsales.com/pdfs/Poly%...k%20Feeder.pdf

I'll have to try getting them something else to lay on. Would a "shelf" work or do they prefer something rounded?

[Cannon_Farms]

Mine dont seem to care what it is, as long its its not the ground, they dont even like the old dog house top I used to use for my hay because it has hay in it still, silly human here thinking they might have liked it with bedding in it.
I think it makes them feel safe and clean, I would say i would prefer shelving as its easier to clean, but once again Im just a silly human and every goat has their own preference.

[Backfourty,MI.]

Dh built the manger type feeders out of wood & we have them in the lean too's attached to the wall then he put a hinged top made of wood so I can lift to fill it but the goats can't get in it. Otherwise if they can fit they find a way.

Our goats have many outbuildings with wood floors & things to climb & lay on so they don't lay on the ground much either.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Those feeders are pretty much useless for goats unless you build something around it. Otherwise, they are sleeping platforms.

If you have hornless goats, you can put can put cattle panels around it so that they put their heads through the squares to eat.

Or, if it's inside a barn, you could build a fancy wood slatted enclosure.

[Goat Servant]

"Fancy" being the operative word here. hehehe
My girls lay wherever they please; hay straw shavings bare ground, give them the choice & they would all sleep under the hay feeder if they could fit..
We use those metal feeders shaped like a V with 4x4" spaces. Boers cant jump into them.
But they do develop hayrackitus up high on thier noses.
They destroyed a wooden one dh built in a matter of months.

We do have one with the plastic trough underneath. They lay in that & pack it down solid if it's not cleaned out often.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Or you could have a Nigerian Dwarf buckling who figures out how to open the hatch.