Dumb question

beccachow · #1 03/12/10, 02:28 PM

So now the teen that overfed his goat has taken to trying to over HAY him...thank goodness I don't think you can really do that. But anyhow, he keeps throwing more and more hay out, there has to be at least 3 bales out there now, all scattered, all uneaten. ANd he KEEPS adding to the piles! I figured they wouldn't eat it if it was icky, but today it has started to rain. I noticed the sheep out there nuzzling through it, and it hit me: can hay laying outside get moldy if it isn't baled? Do I need to clean this up, or will they find the good parts and leave the rest? They do eat small portions of the fresh stuff, but leave the majority of it untouched. I suspect they have found some fresh spring scrub out there. I figure they probably pooed and peed in it and so will not touch it now, but don't want to take a chance. Leave it, or clean it (which HE can do when he gets here, grr!)

saanengirl · #2 03/12/10, 07:44 PM

As long as they have fresh hay available, they won't touch nasty or moldy hay. Wet hay is ok if it is relatively fresh. As long as he is putting more hay out there daily, they will be fine. The only thing hurt by his overfeeding hay is his parents wallet.

Backfourty,MI. · #3 03/13/10, 05:26 AM

The hay can & will get moldy laying on the gorund like that but they won't eat it, especially since it will most likely have poo & pee in it too.
Sounds like he needs to make a manger type feeder for the hay & put a top on it to keep the hay dry.
Maybe you could supervise him Becky & show him how to do it, draw him a picture or something. Seems like he's wasting alot of hay the way he's doing it too.

beccachow · #4 03/13/10, 07:42 AM

Ahh, I wish it was their hay they were wasting, alas, it is mine, lol. But I am counting down minutes til it gets warm enough to be green again!

I agree, I think a manger is in order. Thanks for the input!