# Free choice hay or not



## OHMYKIDS (May 19, 2009)

Some do, some don't...I tried to do free choice and my 3 1/2 month old boys ate it all up.  I saw them most of the time by the feeder, until the next feeding time.  Is this normal?  Should I ration it?  Help.


----------



## Chirpy (May 19, 2009)

This is one of those questions that you will get different answers from different people.

I have dairy goats (I milk) so my does have free choice hay always available to them.  They only get grain/feed on the milk stand.

When I had a wether I tried to keep him from having access to the hay all the time.  I would chose to feed a wether twice a day with hay (and no grain except for an occasional treat).   

You don't want fat goats nor do you want skinny goats... you will need to watch over a period of time and see if they are getting too much (and getting fat) or too little (and getting thin) and learn to feed accordingly.


----------



## helmstead (May 19, 2009)

We do free choice hay in three feedings per day (to avoid waste) for all of our goats.


----------



## bheila (May 19, 2009)

I feed free choice grass hay to everyone and I grain the girls. My wether doesn't get any grain, maybe a handful of BOSS every few weeks because I feel guilty


----------



## cariboujaguar (May 19, 2009)

Everyone gets free choice hay here. Bucks, wethers, does, milk, meat and pet. Now alfalfa I would only leave out free choice for milkers or heavily worked goats. Our Boers are holding weight just as well on our high legume hay as they did on alfalfa but are less fatty (which in my opinion makes for better meat) I feed alfalfa in winter months on top of their hay, just 1/2 or so flakes per head morning and night...
But if they are hoovering it up non stop and you arn't seeing any gain or worth to wasting so much hay you should stop. At first they may overeat due to excitment over free choice, but you should see them loose interest and spend less and less time at the feeder. If they are the lazy types who never get over it and just eat and eat then I'd consider it wasted money and would go to 2 good size feedings per day...


----------



## kstaven (May 20, 2009)

Free choice feeding of hay for all our goats here. We are a little different in that we never grain feed and use a little alfalfa while milking.


----------



## OHMYKIDS (May 20, 2009)

so how much hay should 4 - 3 1/2 months goats should be eating?  1 buck, 1 wether, 2 does.  I was told by previous owner that they were eating all about 1/4 of a flake a day, with no grain.  Although she found out that the girls weren't weaned when I got them.  I'm scared of over feeding them, because those boys can eat.  I gave them 1/2 a flake (5 inches thick) and they were ready for another meal in the evening.


----------



## Rence (May 21, 2009)

All my goats have free choice hay, year round. I heavily grain the milkers with sweet feed, alfalfa pellets and beet pulp. I will grain anyone who can't hold their condition on the browse and hay, but of course, they get significantly less grain.

My bucks get terribly skinny and horrible looking when they're in rut, and they're just starting to come in rut, so they're getting grain too right now. 

We must not have enough browse because I'v heard of people getting a lot of milk with just grass and hay. Wish I could ....

I agree with looking at your goats to gauge their food. If they look good, whatever you're doing is just right. If they're skinny, you need to give more. If they're getting fat, you need to give less.


----------



## Brandywine (May 25, 2009)

I'm a little confused about "free choice hay all day."

Do you have hay out on pasture with them?

My doelings spend the daylight hours out in a moving goat tractor, with a good mix of browse and grass.  We shift the pen about every third day, when they've made a good dent in all the forage.  They get hay and grain in their stall at night.

My intention is for them to get most of their nutrition from browse -- which at this time, is effectively unlimited here.

I wouldn't want them eating hay when they could be clearing multiflora in their pen.  Would I?


----------



## ()relics (May 25, 2009)

I feed my boer does and yearlings/kids free choice good alfalfa hay at all times...They , right now are on new fresh grass mix pasture...But they still get all the hay they want...The alfalfa is a good source of protein and calcium....because the grass they are browsing on has very little of either...The browse serves to stimulate the rumen while the hay gives them the extra protein/calcium....Both are important to a healthy animal....Feed the rumen and the goat will be healthy...The exception might be your older billies...They are probably better on just browse...because they will eat everything that you give them...and who wants fat billies..


----------



## freemotion (May 25, 2009)

Sounds like you have the ideal situation, Brandywine.  Many people have more fauna than flora.  I would love to see a picture of your goat tractor!!!

edited for silly spelling!


----------



## Brandywine (May 25, 2009)

Photo of the tractor here : 

It's just four cattle panels clipped together at the corners.  Since there isn't a spot of level ground on this place, I use old existing fence posts (am laboriously ripping out the noxious old barbed wire and smooth wire "fences") and the occasional driven t-post to help support it.  New, proper fences slated for the next month or so.

Right now we are moving it every second or third day.  I can shift it myself without too much trouble, one panel at a time, then reclip.  The Princesses are clearing the edges of the overgrown small pasture.  The edges are the worst problem areas, plus they need the shade.

This place had horses for many years, and lackadaisical or no maintenance on the pastures.  So tons of bramble and multiflora and (I can't believe it myself) YUCCA has invaded.

YUCCA in PENNSYLVANIA.

The previous owner planted some as ornamentals in the yard, and it has invaded the small pasture.  None in the big pasture.  I'm gonna find out pretty soon whether goats will eat it.

Yes, at this time we have lots more flora than fauna.  The plan is for a small meat goat flock and a medium sized hair sheep flock, with intensive strip grazing to restore the pastures and maximize their benefit.  But first, the proper fences.  The two dairy does were an attempt to settle my antsiness about not being able to get my hoofstock in a timely way, because of the fencing mess.


----------



## taraann81 (May 25, 2009)

This is an interesting thread for me as I am new to goats and have been trying to feed my alpine doeling and toggenburg cross wether by the books.  Which says, hay at all times and grain twice a day (as much as they can eat in 15 mins).  I've been getting worried as neither of them even touch the grain they eat a small amount of hay but they eat a lot of browse and they look healthy!  So I suppose now, I shouldn't worry!


----------



## OHMYKIDS (May 25, 2009)

since I've been given my goats free choice hay, they browse more.  Although I'm finding out, they don't like treats too much at all.  I had to break up a carrot in little pieces for one to try out.  Then he would only eat from my hand, not my dd.


----------



## zatsenoughcritters4me (May 25, 2009)

free choice here too, my DH built this hay feeder and I can't believe how much hay we are not wasting now!! Plus they do graze more on pasture, and winter time they don't waste the hay like before.











we recently added hinges to the tin on top and a hook to latch so the top swings open and 1 whole bale fits in. lasts several days in the summer and almost 2 in the winter.


----------



## D Bar J Acres (May 27, 2009)

Free choice hay here too, even when pasture is available.

Nice hay feeder!


----------



## Goatfarmer (Jul 15, 2009)

Right now, we have all of our goats together, 1 buckling, 1 wether, and 2 doelings. They have a roll of good hay in the pin with them and they play on the roll of hay and eat what they want off of it. We feed grain only in the evening when they are put in the barn. Black Oil Sunflower Seed is also available free choice. It seems they only eat what they want, they arent constantly standing and eating the hay or BOSS, they run and play and lay around alot too. I would say just give it a try and see how they do.


----------

