Be Careful

[togg75]

Ok so I decided that with the upcoming milking season I would spend a few dollars for the Alfalfa hay. I decided not to feed it until closer to due dates to provide the added nutrients for finishing the kids and providing the does with added milking reserves. And I have 40 bales of fine second cutting hay that they have loved eating and need to get through before I switch to the alfalfa.

I did feed one bale to the girls and some to the boys just to see if they would eat it. It is crack. They ate it like I eat Thanksgiving pie. They fought over it, and they all filled their tummies until they looked like walking land rovers. Then they laid around and chewed cud and waited on the next round. I realized I may have made a mistake and decided to not feed anymore until the grass is gone. LOL.

Last night they decided to go on a hunger strike. They refuse to eat their grass hay. They give me that look. You know the look. Like hey we know you got that other stuff. We can smell it. Do you think because we are goats that we don't know you are holding back the good hay expecting us to eat this...this...grass.

I tried to fluff the mangers and even added some hay to them. They hurried over to the mangers expecting to get their fix, only to see that I had tricked them. Then they went shoulder to shoulder and gave me that look (see above). They pushed me out of the barn and told me not to come back until I brought the good stuff.

I wonder how long they will hold out. Be careful.

[mekasmom]

I have heard some people say that they never give alfalfa to their goats, only the seconds or grass hay. We have used both types over the years. It is just good to see that someone else has used alfalfa too.

[dozedotz]

Yes, definitely know "the look." One year we bought some alfalfa hay that was less than perfect...alfalfa, but not THE alfalfa that comes with the price tag that is extra LONG to accommodate all the zero's on the end!!! Turned up their noses and held out long enough that I gave in to their snit and replaced the offensive hay with what they love. Spoiled? Yes. Ours are pets and we serve at their pleasure...

[marusempai]

Yeah, whoever said that goats eat anything, did not know very many goats...

[bluefish]

I think they just like whatever they aren't used to. Mine get alfalfa all the time, though it's usually mixed with grass hay. When it's really cold I keep the manger filled with straight grass hay in between normal feedings to help them stay warm. They'll mow me over for that stuff and leave the alfalfa where it is.

Every. Single. Time.

If the cold spell lasts more than a couple of days, then it all becomes blase' (sp?) and they become their normal picky little selves again.

[punchiepal]

Yeah, wondering what our girls are gonna do when we bring ours out. LOL

[Poultryguy]

Who/what don't like good stuiffs?

[Ziptie]

Had to laugh at your post. We have a Jersey who is a hay snob!

Bought a whole bunch of really nice grass hay. Then a couple rounds of the alfalfa/grass mixture. Well, she won't eat that grass hay for love or money. Goats and bunnies seem to like it. Had to give in as her milk production was going way down.

If she only knew that when she dries up she will end up as hamburger. She would be smiling and shoveling that grass hay in as fast as possible saying yum,yum,yum.

[TRAILRIDER]

My girls are hay snobs too. But they love their fresh cutting grass hay, especially if it is full of dried black berry bush leaves. The really good (weed free) grass hay they don't like as well, so it goes to the horse. When I first started keeping goats, I was told to get them some alfalfa. The only alfalfa I could find was at a local feed store and was 18.00 a bale. Yes, it was a large bale, maybe 60#. And they did like it, but when I gave them the grass hay they really dove in.

I also used to give them BOS, calf manna and other goodies and they got so spoiled that if I ran out of calf manna they would stare me down for a while. Eventually they would eat their grain, but they weren't happy about it!

[sisterpine]

Around hear I am told that alfalfa hay is what goats are supposed to eat along with some stuff called top goat that is like grain and some minerals mixed in. My goats don't see to excited about the hay ????? They would just as soon walk on it and sleep on it as eat it. So now I have it in a hanging feeder thing that they cant walk/sleep in hopefully.

[Fetherhd]

hehehehe....it is amazing how good the little buggars are at training us!!

[togg75]

Day three of the hunger strike. The boys have finally given in and have eaten their hay. The girls have eaten hay also, but they are determined to not eat from the places where I put the alfalfa. They are sneak eating from places that I can't see where from but their bellies are full. Not as full as before but not rail thin and they are still chewing cud.

[Pony]

LOL. We feed alfalfa regularly, but there is an occasional year when the hay man produces Goat Crack. They get a look in their eyes like they're jonesin' for a fix, and nothing else will do.

Your girls are trying to play you for some more "weed" to feed their addiction.

[Cygnet]

We've had our goats on pasture since early summer -- just pasture and a handful of black oil sunflower seeds to get them into the barn at night. They're little butterballs.

We just got some alfalfa because the pasture's about eaten down. The goats are thrilled, and so are the chickens -- alfalfa is also Chicken Crack. I am far less happy about the mess I now need to clean up in the barn every day ... *sigh*

[togg75]

The hunger strike ended today. The girls showed me they will eat the grass hay. Im glad too. I was thinking about caving into them. I need to hold off on the alfalfa until mid jan.