Need plans for goat hay feeder with horns?

Question

will feed 2 goats. want to build out of wood

Answer 1

You're going to need to keep the slats closer than 4-5 inches for adult goats.  Some people epoxy a slat between the ends of the horns or wire each end of a wire around the tips fo the horns.  This keeps the goat from pulling their head back and running the horn between the slats.

Answer 2

I raise meat goats.  I do not dehorn any of my goats.  I have about 100 goats.

They range in size from newborns, to 300 pound bucks.

My husband and I found the best/easiest feeders for us were keyhole feeders.  We built them to hold one ton bales of hay.  

Obviously if you only have two goats you do not need a feeder anywhere near this big.

You need to buy this magazine:

http://www.hobbyfarms.com/hobby-farm-pub...

It's expensive for a single magazine, $9.99 in the U.S., but it's worth the price.  Starting on page 60, it has REALLY good plans for a keyhole feeder for someone with only a few goats.  It's made of wood, the plans are clear and easy to follow.  

My keyhole feeders are also built of wood.  However they are very large, and moved with the tractor, since they go around one ton bales of hay.

One bit of adivce.  Build you feeder large enough to handle several more goats than you currently own.  That way if you have kids, or add another goat, the feeder will already handle an extra few goats.

I have found that feeding free choice alfalfa, meaning it's at the goats noses 24/7 has not increased my feed bill in the slightest..  The keyhole feeders also greatly cut down on the waste hay created by the goats.  If you have questions, post them as and edit to your question, and I'll check back on the question in the next couple of days.  

I can also get you a link to another goat feeder, but it's more expensive to build, and requires the use of something like cattle panels as well.  Still suitable for goats with horns.

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Raising meat goats since 1999

Answer 3

You can keep it simple, or not. Put their daily ration on a raised affixed table to keep it out of the slop. A favorite product is to use/ recycle wood pallets. Make a bin out of them. You might have to remove a slat or two for accessibility. Keep them checked for nails becoming exposed as they will probably get chewed on. Use the heavier hard wood pallets and try to make sure first that they were not used for toxic materials and have spills or chemicals soaked in. They will be free and easy to replace. Stand them up and support them in a "V" shape using two and that will provide a simple set-up to easily take care of two knuckle heads (or more). Also try a box shape if that suits better or use one attached to a stall wall in a modified "V" with direct attachment on the bottom an supports to hold it out at the top. Hay will stay off the floor.

Answer 4

WHY DOES THE FEEDER NEED HORNS??

Answer 5

There is a great Storey publishing book called How to Build Animal Housing that has great plans for feeders.

Answer 6

Here is a few you might take a look at. I like the goat panel feeders the best, but of course they are not all wood.

http://elmhaven.com/HayFeeder.html

http://www.goatworld.com/articles/feeder...

http://www.motesclearcreekfarms.com/asp/...

Answer 7

Ask a neighbour to come over every afternoon with some hay ,  wearing a Viking helmet .