Do you use keyhole feeders?

[Kathy'sKID]

Too much hay is being wasted....my dh is determined to build *something* this weekend. What do you use? What do you like/dislike? Are there any building plans that you know of on-line....I haven't been able to find any. Got a call into the extension office but haven't heard back. Thanks for your input!

Kathy

[trnubian]

Key hole feeder help to keep the waste down to a minimum. But please remember that goats are not grazers, they are browsers, therfore, they will not eat the hay like a cow or a horse does. They will pick throughit for weeds and leaves of alfalfa. They will leave the stems. What I have found works the best is just using cattle pannels for them to stick their heads through. They have cattle pannels for fencing in the barn. I just put their hay in a type of hayrack that they hay to stick their heads through the pannel in order to get to the hay. This way, most of it is saved from being drug back in their pen.

[dscott7972]

I thaught hard on the key-hole hay feeder but seeing my dominate does full run side-swipe/head-butt other does I just wondered what the result would be if they had their head in key-hole feeder.
I use cattle panels.

[TwoAcresAndAGoat]

some photos of keyhole feeders can be seen at:

http://www.khimairafarm.com/Feeding.htm
http://www.countrylogranch.com/tips_&_info.htm

Penn State also has down loadable PDF files for a key hole feeder along with other goat and farm plans visit their site at:

http://www.age.psu.edu/extension/ip/...EquipmentPlans

for usful goat housing plans -- down load pdf file -- IP 728-26 Goat

[Kathy'sKID]

Oh thank you! I have never heard of doing it this way and we have access to a couple cattle panels free. Perfect!

[oberhaslikid]

I just took mine down this past weekend I had 4 holes.Two does were sticking their heads in at the same time. I have had a couple scares of choking does.Have slats now much better Ill take the chance on wasted hay.To keep from getting strangled goat .

[Meg Z]

You're more persistant than I am! I gave up. Hay and straw cost the same around here, so I just quit buying straw for the poultry house, and started raking up the dropped hay from the goats to use there.

Meg