Humming bird food and goats

Donna1982 · #1 07/01/11, 02:27 PM

I was wondering if it's safe to have around the goats? This month's grazing area is around our house and I have every year a humming bird feeder... which should be high enough the goats can't get it... should be!!! They haven't even tried to get to it but was wondering if anyone knows if it would hurt if they did end up knocking it down.

pookshollow · #2 07/01/11, 02:46 PM

Depends what is in it, exactly. And, yes, if they can reach it, they will knock it down - especially if it's overhead!

Alice In TX/MO · #3 07/01/11, 03:06 PM

Assuming you are making your own hummer food, and it's just sugar water. One feeder's not going to have much in it, and if they knock it down, it will be spilled, not slurped up by goats. Not much to worry about.

Donna1982 · #4 07/01/11, 03:17 PM

Its store bought stuff... my hummingbirds hate homemade stuff :-/ it has in it mineral water sucrose fructose and other sugars. FDA color red # 40 potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate citric acid calcium disodium EDTA hexametaphosphate mid season orange oil and vitamin a c d and e. The feeder is about eye level to me (im 5'5'') so right now they can reach it. The only way they would get it if Red stood Monkey on his head or the wind knocked it down. I am paranoid I guess when it comes to the two that are left.

CaliannG · #5 07/01/11, 04:43 PM

It has never once occurred to me to worry about goats getting into the hummingbird food. We have three hummingbird feeders here. We use the store bought hummingbird food. Sometimes, the feeders get knocks down by wind or clever horses. The goats have never tried to eat it to my knowledge and, if they have, it has done them no harm.

Mine are hung on the metal, 4' tall hooks, well within reach of goats. Goats haven't hurt them, but horses HAVE.