# Goats refuse to eat beautiful pasture



## Serina81 (Apr 24, 2010)

I have three nigerian goats out in a small pasture.  They have so far refused to eat any grass.  They were raised on dry hay with their last owner.  How can I encourage them to eat pasture?


----------



## freemotion (Apr 24, 2010)

Feed them nothing else....I've yet to see a goat starve!


----------



## Serina81 (Apr 24, 2010)

Ooookay!  I've been trying to cut down on the amount of hay they get so that they will be hungry without starving, but I guess I need to go cold turkey with them lol


----------



## freemotion (Apr 24, 2010)

The only caution is to not let them gorge on green, growing stuff when they are used to only hay.  But if they've had access to it for a while, they are probably nibbling.  Maybe you could give them hay overnight, then take it all away in the morning, or something like that.

My gals are getting only one flake per day for four of them, sometimes they don't even finish that.  They used to whine about breakfast in bed, I just told them to get their lazy butts out their and pick their own!  Sheesh!  Now they prefer it and leave the hay.  I do give them some hay if there is a cold rain or heavy downpours all day.


----------



## Serina81 (Apr 24, 2010)

Do you have Nigerian Dwarves?


----------



## Serina81 (Apr 24, 2010)

I was just curious because my three goats go through 2 flakes a week even off pasture.  And we don't get heavy downpours mostly where I am lol!  The middle of the dry hot desert.


----------



## haviris (Apr 24, 2010)

How old are they? Do they see you as a herd member? You could try pretending you are eating it! When I had some kids get sick and have to have hay for the first time I had to put an older goat in w/ them to show them it was ok to eat it.


----------



## freemotion (Apr 24, 2010)

havaris, one of my does does this with me!  Yesterday my parents tried to feed her grapes, and she spit them out.  When I arrived, they told me.  So I showed her a grape, ate it, then gave her one.  She ate it without hesitation!

Serina81, I have a couple of pygmy-x's and a couple of dairy-x does, all good eaters!  And as of yesterday, on tiny baby doeling from one of the dairy girls.

Mine did go out to eat more willingly when I had my horse.  They stayed in more after she died, but then I got a very alpha doe and they became brave again.  I wonder if they are nervous to be out there by themselves?  Maybe you can take a paperback and a nice drink out there each day until they get used to it, or some tools and get some chores done out there for a few minutes a couple of times a day.


----------



## Serina81 (Apr 24, 2010)

lol!  That would be hilarious.  I can just see it.  Me down on all fours trying to pretend to eat grass!    That's a good idea with the horse though.  I have four horses so maybe I can put them in the pasture with the goats.


----------



## warthog (Apr 25, 2010)

How long is the grass? Can they see each other?

Mine don't have grass as such, it's brush at first they wouldn't leave the fence area.  Then I realised this was probably too thick and dense, so I cut pathways through the brush and now they are OK.

Like Free suggested going out with them for a few days with a book and a nice cold drink (for you that is, not them)   may be a good idea.  I did this with mine and it worked.  Also take your camera, you can really get some good pictures.


----------



## The Egg Bandit (Apr 26, 2010)

It took my NDs a while to figure out that grass was good.  They had been spoiled with loads of hay and grain before I got them, and really didn't seem to know that grass was good for eating.  A couple days of lighter than usual hay deliveries, and they decided grass was GOOOOD.  Of course they griped about it quite loudly at first.  They are Nigerian Dwarf goats, and complaining is a requirement.


----------

