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10/19/13, 07:57 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 693
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Hay feeders
After raising goats for 9 years - and selling off over half the herd this year - I finally have some extra $$, even after paying the winter hay bill.  SO I'm looking at doing some improvements around the place that I've wanted to for sooo long. One of them being - having 'actual' hay feeders. Forever I've just fed my girls on the ground through a cattle panel on the fence line, and it's 'ok' just not ideal. ANYWAY - I found this on craigslist in my price range. But I've never used anything with spaces this small - always things they can get their heads into. I'm wondering how well it works? And if there is less waste because they can't get it all over the ground - or MORE waste because they can't get the hay out of the bottom of the feeder? Or trouble with the longer pieces. I only feed alfalfa if that makes a difference - Anyone use this kind before? I'm thinking I will need to prop it up higher on cinder blocks or something to keep them from climbing in the tray . . .
Next on the list - mineral feeders 
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~ Kristen in SE Nebraska
Raising Nubian, Alpine, First Gen. Mini's & cross breed dairy goats. Est. 2004 www.LomahAcres.com
& Handmade Children's items KootieZ.com & Our Etsy Shop
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10/19/13, 08:15 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Mountain Home, Arkansas
Posts: 2,550
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I've been in the market as well. I've been thinking if making mine from cattle panels with sides and mounting them to the walls in the barn.
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10/19/13, 08:32 PM
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Crazy Goat Lady
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 1,393
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My husband made a really nice feeder for my doe pen. I'll have to see if I can post a pic.
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10/19/13, 08:47 PM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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Needs a lid/roof/rain cover.
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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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10/19/13, 09:12 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 693
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Well, I have a cement area that runs out from the barn with an overhang, that protects it from 'most' rain/snow. And when the weather gets really nasty I just feed them inside, so not too worried about that.
__________________
~ Kristen in SE Nebraska
Raising Nubian, Alpine, First Gen. Mini's & cross breed dairy goats. Est. 2004 www.LomahAcres.com
& Handmade Children's items KootieZ.com & Our Etsy Shop
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10/19/13, 09:20 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Mountain Home, Arkansas
Posts: 2,550
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I found a bunch on craiglist. I have some feelers out. They are all in Missouri.
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10/20/13, 12:12 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Idaho
Posts: 2,287
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It depends on where you live.  Here, most people can feed outside in open feeders, no problem for the most part.
I don't do this, but majority of folks around here have hay in stacks on the ground with no cover at all, all winter. Usually just top and bottom bales get messed up. You can save bottom bales by just putting down a layer of straw. Or just feed the yucky bales to cattle.
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Nancy Boling
Frosted Mini Goats
Alpine and Nigerian Dwarf goats
2 Jersey heifers
1 guard llama
And whatever else shows up...
http://www.swfarm.net/
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10/20/13, 11:06 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: IA
Posts: 882
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The feeders we made have 4x4 openings and we have had nubians, nigerians, saanens, and mini breeds of each eat from them with no problems. Alfalfa or grass. We made 2 kinds. The ones on the wall are the ones that dh made and the barrel ones are ones I fashioned in a pinch. They were cut with one of those little cutting tools with the multi-blades and then holes drilled to wire them up.
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10/20/13, 12:50 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Mountain Home, Arkansas
Posts: 2,550
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Quote:
Originally Posted by punchiepal
The feeders we made have 4x4 openings and we have had nubians, nigerians, saanens, and mini breeds of each eat from them with no problems. Alfalfa or grass. We made 2 kinds. The ones on the wall are the ones that dh made and the barrel ones are ones I fashioned in a pinch. They were cut with one of those little cutting tools with the multi-blades and then holes drilled to wire them up.
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That first picture is my plan.
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10/20/13, 02:13 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: True Northern California
Posts: 13,298
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I have two feeders like that. And it does not end waste by any means. It does reduce it.
All of the goats like to grab a mouthful, drag out more than they can eat, pull it out and drop it whereever they happen to be looking. One of the the goats loves to hoover through the pan meant to catch the droppings, shoving anything that doesn't meet her current standards over the edges. She soon lowers her standards but by that time a lot of the hay in on the ground and now taboo to goat lips.
I tend to make a trip by when doing chores to pick up the waste and drop it back in the bin- where it is magically transformed into the best tasting stuff they ever ate.
It's ok but it would be so much better if the pan sides were higher.
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For we used to ask when we were little, thinking that the old men knew all things which are on earth: yet forsooth they did not know; but we do not contradict them, for neither do we know.
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10/20/13, 02:56 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 34
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I made a hay box for my daughters nubians the size of a square bale. It has a floating 2x4 grate on top of the hay that prevents them from pulling out mouthfuls of hay and wasting it. She has been using it for about 6 months with 6 does and there is so little waste you can still see the ground through the wasted hay. She feeds horse quality coastal so it is all edible. It has been a great hay saver.
Linda
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10/20/13, 06:04 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Mountain Home, Arkansas
Posts: 2,550
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Dad paid $50 for this.
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10/20/13, 08:38 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Idaho
Posts: 2,287
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lindamoo
I made a hay box for my daughters nubians the size of a square bale. It has a floating 2x4 grate on top of the hay that prevents them from pulling out mouthfuls of hay and wasting it. She has been using it for about 6 months with 6 does and there is so little waste you can still see the ground through the wasted hay. She feeds horse quality coastal so it is all edible. It has been a great hay saver.
Linda
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Pictures?
__________________
Nancy Boling
Frosted Mini Goats
Alpine and Nigerian Dwarf goats
2 Jersey heifers
1 guard llama
And whatever else shows up...
http://www.swfarm.net/
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10/20/13, 09:18 PM
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Crazy Goat Lady
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 1,393
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This is the barn feeder.
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10/21/13, 05:19 AM
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HOW do they DO that?
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Southwest Michigan
Posts: 1,664
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Hodges
Dad paid $50 for this.
Attachment 16611
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Is the roof hinged?
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Insatiably Curious
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10/21/13, 05:54 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Mountain Home, Arkansas
Posts: 2,550
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aart
Is the roof hinged?
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Yep
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10/21/13, 11:56 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: 2400 ft up in the CA sierra mt foothills
Posts: 1,901
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Nice feeders All!!!!
(Puts to shame my round of Ag wire I threw together on the way out the door...its ontop of a wire dog crate so they cannot step in what they pull down, I get home later today and see what happened)....
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10/21/13, 12:33 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 34
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Do I need a photobucket acct to be able to upload pics. I've never done this before. I have got some pics of the hay box I made my daughter that works so well.
Linda
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10/21/13, 12:45 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,984
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I have all sorts of types but the best are keyhole feeders. The hole must be high enough that they have to lift their heads up to go in or they will reach in, pull a mouthful out and take their heads out and waste.
Also you need at least 1' deep box at the bottom or they will just reach in thru the narrow part and pull the hay out thru the 4" slot rather than putting their heads in.
I have 1 feeder, not fixed and on it the keyhole slots go to the bottom of the feeder and there is always more waste out of that one.
If you have a feeder where the goat reaches up to eat you will nearly always have more runny eyes and coughing from hay particles. Where when the goat reaches down you don't have this problem.
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