Clever hay feeder idea

Squeaky McMurdo · #1 10/03/14, 10:55 AM

Someone just posted this idea on my local BST Facebook group. I think it's pretty clever, since it holds an entire small bale and is portable. Do you think it would still be structurally sound with another hole or two for goats with sharing issues?

Donna1982 · #2 10/03/14, 10:59 AM

We thought about doing this. Only bad thing about it is I can see my goats using it as a sitting post. lol

where I want to · #3 10/03/14, 11:03 AM

Ooooo- my horse would have the thing ripped off as soon as they had to start reaching for the hay. I think the goats would pull out and leave it all on the ground. Maybe for goats if the hole eas higher but the you run into the same problem as keyhole feeder- a goat with a head inside would not see a herdmate aiming a headbutt.

Alice In TX/MO · #4 10/03/14, 11:40 AM

Lots of hay will wind up on the ground among the worm eggs.

DEKE01 · #5 10/03/14, 12:17 PM

This is what we've gone to for horses. Probably wouldn't work with goats as they would be inside the thing unless you rigged up something to stop that.

http://www.grazingbox.com/howitworks.htm

We made ours as a 4x4 box. two sheets of marine grade plywood and four 2x6s plus a few pieces of scrap 2x4.

southerngurl · #6 10/03/14, 12:31 PM

You could hang it up where the opening was off the ground, more at head level and then instead of cutting one big hole, cut smaller ones all around. I would just be careful not to cut the holes too close to each other so you don't make weak places the goats might end up tearing off and eating.

Distaff · #7 10/03/14, 12:41 PM

Well, I wish it were that easy.

Not going to work for my girls. In my experience, if it doesn't look bear-proof, it isn't goat-proof either. My girls would have it tipped, cracked, and be inside it or on top of it (and be launching themselves over the fence) before I could even get back to the house.

As others said, "worms;" hay on the ground isn't good. I would also worry about moisture buildup inside creating deadly mold.

In my experience, no hayfeeder is perfect. Tried many. I bult a wood one with slats, and that seems to be the best so far.

Ford Zoo · #8 10/03/14, 06:03 PM

I tried this, putting the can on a short table and strapping it to the fence so they couldn't knock it over. Had to put a cinder block on top of the hay so it would keep falling down as they ate it otherwise they would eat what they could reach and the rest stayed towards the top of the can out of reach.

Then....they somehow destroyed the can, ripped the pre-cut hole open so far that they could pull all of the hay out with one good pull.

Great idea, but it did not work for my goats.

sisterpine · #9 10/03/14, 06:49 PM

someone on here or somewhere made or found a hang on the wall type hay feeder for goats that looked pretty sturdy.

SJSFarm · #10 10/03/14, 08:05 PM

Has anyone used the side rails of a baby crib? The drop down type has been recalled and I kept the sides of my child's crib. I just never got around to doing it.

I did aquire a short section of deck railing I used to make a feeder which holds a bale. I used fencing to wrap around the rest to hold hay in. Works fairly well.

Doug Hodges · #11 10/04/14, 08:10 AM

It doesn't matter what you do, a lot of hay will end up on the ground. I gave up. My stalls are about 8" deep in hay now.

http://www.spottednubian.com/index.html

where I want to · #12 10/04/14, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Hodges

It doesn't matter what you do, a lot of hay will end up on the ground. I gave up. My stalls are about 8" deep in hay now.

http://www.spottednubian.com/index.html

As hay is now $22 per 110 lb bale, I keep trying. The keyhole feeder is remarkably good at reducing waste. But then there is the issue of blindsiding.
I have one in the doe's kidding pen because that is one doe with her kids when they are very little. No other goat to hit the one with her head in the feeder.

What I have found is if I sweep all the goat berries away from the hay bunker before they go to feed, the goatie girls will do a pretty good job of eating up what falls. I started doing this when I noticed they would leave little islands of fallen hay around each berry.

But they don't have feed in front of them all day and I feed on rubber mats. So it woukdn't work if they were at the hay all day.

||Downhome|| · #13 10/04/14, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by where I want to

As hay is now $22 per 110 lb bale, I keep trying. The keyhole feeder is remarkably good at reducing waste. But then there is the issue of blindsiding.
I have one in the doe's kidding pen because that is one doe with her kids when they are very little. No other goat to hit the one with her head in the feeder.

What I have found is if I sweep all the goat berries away from the hay bunker before they go to feed, the goatie girls will do a pretty good job of eating up what falls. I started doing this when I noticed they would leave little islands of fallen hay around each berry.

But they don't have feed in front of them all day and I feed on rubber mats. So it woukdn't work if they were at the hay all day.

Ouch...

wendle · #14 10/04/14, 06:16 PM

Maybe use a pan at the base with holes drilled in the bottom for drainage? Then put the garbage can on a few blocks and strap it to a fence. I like the idea as it would keep the hay dry while in the can. An alternative might be using one of those 55 gallon plastic drums. Not sure if they would hold up better, but they are pretty tough. Just another thought. I wonder how well it would work if it was on the opposite side of a cattle panel. Then you wouldn't need a very deep pan, and the goats couldn't walk in it.

southerngurl · #15 10/04/14, 09:21 PM

This hay feeder works great for me, I have very little waste with it.

DEKE01 · #16 10/04/14, 09:27 PM

southerngurl - i like. how many are you feeding at once?

southerngurl · #17 10/04/14, 09:28 PM

12 adults. Some of the youngsters get in there too.

Alice In TX/MO · #18 10/05/14, 07:16 AM

What is the spacing between the vertical boards? Do the goats crawl in?

southerngurl · #19 10/05/14, 08:25 AM

I'll have to measure it, it's been a while. I think 7 inches...We did put some 1x1 on each of those slats later to make the head holes smaller. Have had a couple that may put their front foot or feet in there sometimes when they're excited as I'm putting hay in and I scold them if they do and make them get back down before they get the hay. But for the most part, it's worked out great. I would make the trough part deeper if I did it again. If anyone wants all the measurements, I'll get them for you. I can put hay, fresh cut browse, alfalfa pellets, even grain in there. This year I cut a lot of browse and shoved in it and they just went crazy. Attaching a picture of them chowing down on some lespedeza, pine, oak and sassafras.

We have a lid on it because we have free range chickens.

Alice In TX/MO · #20 10/05/14, 09:48 AM

I really really like that.