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Post By Alice In TX/MO
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Post By motdaugrnds
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Post By lynnabyrd
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Post By mygoat
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Post By lynnabyrd
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02/08/15, 12:16 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 1,254
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Free choice hay feeding
We decided to start today giving our nubian goats free choice on hay. It is a good quality grass hay. Our concern is that they will just keep eating until it is gone. So far, they are trying to prove me right. Please tell me they will stoo soon... can they eat themselves to death on hay?
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02/08/15, 01:13 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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Nope. They won't eat themselves to death. 
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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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02/08/15, 01:58 PM
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Caprice Acres
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MI
Posts: 11,232
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They can't hurt themselves on hay.
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Dona Barski
"Breed the best, eat the rest"
Caprice Acres
French and American Alpines. CAE, Johnes neg herd. Abscess free. LA, DHIR.
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02/08/15, 02:25 PM
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: Avilla,IN.
Posts: 502
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They'll stop. Do it with mine so I don't have to make a lot of trips at chore time. I give enough to last 2 days and they do okay.
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02/08/15, 02:51 PM
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II Corinthians 5:7
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Virginia
Posts: 8,102
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They can eat hay free-choice without problems as long as the hay is not moldy.
I let my Nubians roam all over the acreage and only put hay into their feeders during bad weather when they do not want to venture far from the barn. This saves on hay as here it is $9.50 per bale. 
Last edited by motdaugrnds; 02/08/15 at 11:45 PM.
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02/08/15, 03:31 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The Boonies, Oregon
Posts: 153
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Wish ours was that cheap! Just bought 10 bales of hay yesterday... $19/bale. Gack.
It's extremely good quality and they're 90lb bales, but good gravy. And alfalfa is worse. $22/bale.
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02/08/15, 04:48 PM
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Caprice Acres
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MI
Posts: 11,232
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Wow that's pricy. Have you thought about round bales? We pay 55-60 for round bales of 2nd cut grass with some alfalfa. About 700-900lbs or so.
__________________
Dona Barski
"Breed the best, eat the rest"
Caprice Acres
French and American Alpines. CAE, Johnes neg herd. Abscess free. LA, DHIR.
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02/08/15, 05:19 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The Boonies, Oregon
Posts: 153
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I get round bales occasionally for the boys, although we don't have room to store very many. Around here they're $75 for 600lbs, but the real issue is the hay quality. Anything with alfalfa or high quality has to be trucked in from Central/Eastern Oregon, which means they are $$$$. Local valley grass hay is pretty poor quality.
I'm still looking for a better supplier, but so far I have two choices for hay. Either cheap, or good. Soooooo... I go for good.
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02/08/15, 08:10 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: W NY
Posts: 1,282
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Ouch! Sorry guys for such expensive hay.
I can see now why mangers and suggestions on keeping the waste to a minimum is so important.
I just picked up "small" bales- 35-40+ lbs at $3 a bale.
I've no means for transporting rounds, but small ones go for $25-35 around here.
Alfalfa does not exist- farmers claim it's alfalfa but I'd be embarrassed to call it grassy alfalfa!
Regarding mangers, I made one with 2x4s, a 4' section of deck railing and 4x4 non-climb fencing it can hold a full bale- with a lid of wire on top. There is waste but I go through about 2 bales a week for 5 goats.
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02/08/15, 08:29 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Alaska- Kenai Pen- Kasilof
Posts: 9,072
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Lynn....face the same prices.
If I have my ducks in a row I can grab 120 bales @ 10. But it is all gone from the farms for you can get another load most times.....so it is imported hay a few Yeats it was 28 a bale for 40-50 h
Pound.
__________________
I'll keep my guns, ammo, and second admendment--You can keep the CHANGE.
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02/08/15, 10:07 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 49
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I pay $3 a bale, 60-70 lbs, for prairie grass hay here in Kansas. $6 for 4th cutting alfalfa back in September ( now Alfalfa is $10 for late buyers) I feed a flake of alfalfa a day for two girls and free choice prairie hay. They do quite well in it.
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02/09/15, 09:06 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 1,254
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We have 40-50 lb bales that cost us $3.50. They are about 25% alfalfa and then good grass. We can get good grass rounds, 1000 lbs for $40 here. They finally slowed down last night, but not til after one of our greediest does laid down making a very weird wine. I think she just learned her first lesson in overeating. haha!
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02/09/15, 09:14 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: sw virginia
Posts: 2,542
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I better count myself lucky in hay I guess ; good second cutting green grass 60# bales $4.50 .we make our own big round bales of pretty good mixed hay for the cows . but more fun to spoil the goats
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02/09/15, 01:04 PM
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II Corinthians 5:7
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Virginia
Posts: 8,102
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Arnie, what type of grass is in those bales?
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