# Need ideas for grain feeders for a large number of goats



## SDBoerGoats (May 22, 2012)

Well, feeding grain has become a pain in the keester here at my place now, with so many goats.  I keep the babies on free choice Developer,  and am getting ready to start graining the does again as most are going to fair. 

One of the shelters has a long grain feeder INSIDE the barn. SO you have to walk through a herd of ravenous goats to get to it and that is not much fun anymore as they are getting big. I asked for the builder (my son in law) to put it on the back wall and cut openings above it so I could just feed from the outside. He put it on completely the OPPOSITE wall. (yes, sometimes I wonder if he is working WITH me or against me.) Some of them have horns, and although they are not mean in anyway, when they are trying to beat their buddy to the grain and decide to go between my legs, then jerk back to run around front, they have left many bruises behind.  I have decided that on this particular little barn, he is going to remove the grain feeder from that side and put it on the side I wanted it so I can make openings to feed from the outside! That problem solved. 

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for home made goat grain feeders, or how do you all grain a large number of goats? By large I mean we have 15 adult does, in one pen, and 8 doelings in the other pen. The buckling/wether pen has been cut down to only 3, so  not bad now. 

I would like something to feed from the outside with, so I don't have to go into the goat pens. I have seen feeders made out of PVC pipe and hung on fences, does anyone use these? And for the winter I would like to somehow cover it, so if it is snowing, raining or blowing, they can still be grained, cause goats hate to be outside in the nasty weather.


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## redtailgal (May 22, 2012)

I was going to suggest the pvc feeder, lol

I looked into doing that myself, but found the pvc too costly.

I dont have pics (wish I did) but I was recently at a farm that had a wonderful feeding set up.  The hay racks were mounted to the wall, and under them was a shelf of sorts with a 1/2 piece of wood nailed down as a "lip".  The wasted hay fell onto this shelf instead of the ground, so the goats wasted less (they would still eat it since it wasnt on the ground) and it could easily be scooped back into the haybeeders.

Above the hay feeder was an open area so that the hay could be placed directly into the feeder without having to go in........and the hay storage area was RIGHT there, no hauling hay.

There was also a small opening that allowed for the grain to be poured right into "shelf"........and the grain was store right there.  They fed 50 goats easy as pie.


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## SDBoerGoats (May 22, 2012)

See, that's what I want, a way to feed from the outside so I don't have to get mauled anymore. I just saw one on youtube which is pretty slick but it's going to take some building. But this guy has about the same number of goats as I do, so it would be perfect for me! Here's the link...I do like it, and he is putting plywood on the top also for shelter if the weather is bad. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4I482JXMs0


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## 20kidsonhill (May 22, 2012)

we have found the easiest way to feed a group with out being banged into, is have a smaller area gated off that you feed in, like a coral outside your barn. and before getting the feed, run the animals out of the coral or out of the barn and shut the gate, then spread the feed and open the gate. I haven't been happy with trying to feed through the fence, I think it is too hard on your fence. 

We use free standing grain feeders, made out of wood. I hate the feeders we have made with PVC pipe.


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## SDBoerGoats (May 22, 2012)

I saw your wooden grain feeders, those are really neat. My worry about the drain pipe feeders is that they aren't heavy enough and will get broken. Having a separate feed area would be a good idea too, that you can shut off so you can go in and fill the feeders. Goats just get so darn excited about grain!


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## 20kidsonhill (May 22, 2012)

SDBoerGoats said:
			
		

> I saw your wooden grain feeders, those are really neat. My worry about the drain pipe feeders is that they aren't heavy enough and will get broken. Having a separate feed area would be a good idea too, that you can shut off so you can go in and fill the feeders. Goats just get so darn excited about grain!


yes, the PVC pipe feeders are too light, and they can also push the feed out of them too easily, because of the curve shape of The PVC pipe. If you do have PVC pipe available, you have to use a plenty big enough size, and in my opinion you have to cut it more than half way so it start curving in, or you have to have it framed with some wood so the feed doesn't come out. By the time you are done with all of that you are better off just making them out of wood.


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