Hay rack

[SeaGoat]

I need a new hay rack.
I can either build one or buy one.

My goats are very pushy when it comes to food. Those little $50 wall racks aren't going to be big enough.
I like what I see at tractor supply.
It's a taller longer rack with a black tub under neath to catch falling hay and feed. You can buy the tub and rack separate.
But I wonder how sturdy it is. If the goats get out there shoving each other or the wind picks up (we are out in the middle of a field and the winds really pick up out here) is going to knock over.

I need something that will stand next to the fence and I can put hay in without having to enter the pen.

Anyone have an opinion on what's available in the stores or ideas on what to build?

[Doug Hodges]

I have 3 of them. They work great and can handle 10 goats standing on them eating from them.

[Doug Hodges]

Mine are very similar to this. I got then at Orscheln

[Doug Hodges]

This is also a great idea.

[SeaGoat]

How high is that?
I can see mine trying to "top"each other and getting legs stuck

[Suzyq2u]

Here's ours, weighs a TON. It's made from a 50gal drum.
We bought it from someone and see them on craigslist fairly often.
Suppose if you can weld and are handy it'd be easy enough to make.
Works great! We put it close enough to the fence so we can
lean over with a plastic tote of hay and fill it up with a few trips
and no one gets trampled

[SeaGoat]

Originally Posted by Doug Hodges

This is also a great idea.

Attachment 27354
Attachment 27355
Attachment 27356
Attachment 27357

I do like that and it looks simple enough to build

Is the fence part made of this?
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...ft-l-x-50-in-h

a bunch of 2x4s and plywood?

[Doug Hodges]

The link didn't work but it's like you said. I assume you posted the panels in the link.

[SeaGoat]

The description is

The versatile OK Brand Handy Panel is for cattle, swine, sheep and goats, and horse containment or lawn and garden projects. Manufactured using a galvanized-before-welding process to eliminate sharp edges or burrs.
8 ft. L x 50 in. H
Constructed of 4 ga. wire
Galvanized wire
8 in. vertical x 4 in. horizontal to 8 in. vertical x 6 in. horizontal mesh

I dont want to get something too flemsy and im not sure about the word mesh

[Tango]

Originally Posted by Doug Hodges

Mine are very similar to this. I got then at Orscheln

Attachment 27353

I had these previously without the hay rack on top (I used hay rolls then). They are very , very tough and there isn't much that can hurt a playful goat. The one posted by Doug is similar to the one I am buying for my girls when they get into pasture.
I just wanted to throw a caution out there about welding metal or using wood slats for goats. I've heard a lot of stories from people who were good carpenters or very skillful at putting things together and they accidentally created something their goats strangled on or suffocated in or broke a leg in.... what Doug posted is sold by goat suppliers and I would trust it before I trusted anything else. I have a little one who loves sticking her head in everything so she has been a great reminder about the dangers of the world according to goats. Meshwise I'd go with a 2 x 2 or 2 x 4 and keep bolt cutter s handy to cut out stuck hooves.... ask me how I know this

[mrs whodunit]

I took a cattle panel and bent it like this l_l The u part fits into the goat pen and I can feed a round bale, small squares or loose hay with out going into the goat yard. There is no hay waste as the goat don't pull any hay out. One should fram out the panel to make it stronger. All I have right now it posts in the ground at the corners. I feed 4 goats with this set up currently.

Will not work with horned goats.

[Goatsandsheep]

Suzyq2u we have the same feeder! Also have a smaller one with the blue barrels on the bottom.

We also have used horse feeders spaced out down a fence line.

[SeaGoat]

Yay, I actually found the plans for the wooden feeders.
There are varying designs for goats ad sheep

http://www.premier1supplies.com/shee...eders-2012.pdf

[punchiepal]

This is the panel that you are looking for at TSC.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...ft-l-x-48-in-h

[cowbelle]

I highly recommend the Premier design - had a large goat dairy, and found that mangers where the animals had to put their heads through had far less waste. The slanted part should be on the outside. The first page of the Premier site shows it well. You can make it any size, but being able to feed from the outside is so practical. The holes for their heads should be just big enough for their heads to go through. There should be enough length for all animals to feed at once so they won't fight over it. I used the rigid panels and cut out one bar. Used them for years.

The design where the slanted part is on the inside makes more waste feed. I speak from experience. The Premier design is the best, whether you buy from them or just use their plans. Cattle feedlots have used this design forever - not promoting feedlots, but they are designed for practicality and economical feeding.

[myheaven]

Doug I'm drooling!

[harvestmoonfarm]

We buy round bales, as we've found they're much less expensive than feeding square bales - 1 square bale per day vs. 1 round bale per month. We put the bale on a pallet and wrap a cattle panel around it. However, we do have a feeder for square bales (which we used before switching to round bales) that is simply the cage from an IBC container - works great and was totally free.

[Backfourty,MI.]

I just ordered my 3rd hay rack from Tractor supply today. They special order it from their catalog & it's sturdy all metal. High winds or pushy goats not a problem.
Mine don't have the black bunk underneath just metal legs.
Have them look them up in the book for you, they'll come right to the store.
I can't remember what the price was for the one you show with the black bunk but the one's I've ordered are $229.

I don't like the bunk because they'll stand on it, in it, etc. Plus I think that one stand a little shorter overall than the one's I have.

[DamnearaFarm]

This is the one I built...the top is hinged and secured with a safety latch:



Um....except it isn't sideways in real life.

[Dan B.]

Not mine but looks just like it. Made mine longer to accomodate more heads in the feeder at one time.