# mineral question



## StormyMoon (Jun 12, 2010)

I got this huge bag of mineral it is loose I have put some in a bowl so that they can get it when ever they want. I tried offering by hand because they like to eat things from our hand but they sneezed at it then kind of made a face like ( WHAT THE HECK LADY ).......lol

Am I doing this wrong, I even sprinkled some over their feed but it all seems to fall to the bottom I don't know if they are actually getting it.

Maybe I should wait till they are older they are about 3 months old I think ...... mostly their interest is in greeny type things grass, tree leaves, and really not interested in anything brown or dried out unless its crunchy dried up leaves.

Also I would like any suggestions in keeping the mineral like will it be safe to just leave it in the bag? Or should I get a storage box with lid for it?

Does it matter?

Thank you for any advise ..........

I forgot to add that the name of it is called sweetlix they assured me it was for goats and was all they had that had copper in it.


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## Chirpy (Jun 12, 2010)

I've never used the sweetlix but it should be fine as long as it is the formula for goats (not cattle, sheep, etc.). If anyone has used it hopefully they'll chime in and give their experience with it.

I have a separate container attached to the inside stall wall that is kept full of loose minerals for the goats.  They get what they need when they need it.  Even my goat kids (at a few weeks old) were licking at the minerals.  I'd just leave it available in a separate container and let them figure it out and eat it when they want.   

I keep  mine in those 5 qt. plastic ice cream containers (of course that means you have to buy the ice cream and eat it!  ) and I keep those containers in my big chest freezer in my barn to make sure no rodents/raccoons can get into it.  You want to make sure that the minerals are kept dry and away from rodents/pests.


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## StormyMoon (Jun 12, 2010)

Chirpy said:
			
		

> I've never used the sweetlix but it should be fine as long as it is the formula for goats (not cattle, sheep, etc.). If anyone has used it hopefully they'll chime in and give their experience with it.
> 
> I have a separate container attached to the inside stall wall that is kept full of loose minerals for the goats.  They get what they need when they need it.  Even my goat kids (at a few weeks old) were licking at the minerals.  I'd just leave it available in a separate container and let them figure it out and eat it when they want.
> 
> I keep  mine in those 5 qt. plastic ice cream containers (of course that means you have to buy the ice cream and eat it!  ) and I keep those containers in my big chest freezer in my barn to make sure no rodents/raccoons can get into it.  You want to make sure that the minerals are kept dry and away from rodents/pests.


For a while I was just leaving everything in the bag and keeping everything in my house. But I have started like you collecting the ice cream buckets to keep food in and also storage plastic boxes with lids.  It holds a 50 lb bag of goat feed.

But the salt I recently got and I didn't know if I should put it in a storage bin, would it keep it dryer was my concern .......keeping it fresh.

I am still working on putting together a feeder to hang on the wall.
I decided to put it in their house so it will stay dry but high enough they wont make it nasty. So far I havent had to deal with any nasty behavior like I have seen some people speaking of lol.......
I am hoping I will miss that part ......my pekin ducks are the grossest creatures yet they make everything nasty.

Do you just nail it to the stall ? I am not sure how to connect the container they use.........also should it be plastic or stainless steal does it matter what they are eating out of?


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## StormyMoon (Jun 12, 2010)




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## ksalvagno (Jun 12, 2010)

There are plastic mineral dishes. It is a small rectangular dish that has a divider in the middle. You can just nail/screw it into the wall. I just put a small amount in mine daily. They won't necessarily eat it every day. My goats love the Sweetlix minerals. I would keep offering it to them because they do need the copper.


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## mully (Jun 13, 2010)

Sweetlix is one of the top minerals for goats... Don't put it in their food use a mineral dish and let them have free choice.


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## StormyMoon (Jun 13, 2010)

mully said:
			
		

> Sweetlix is one of the top minerals for goats... Don't put it in their food use a mineral dish and let them have free choice.


Ok thank you both for your advice and wow I didnt kow it was the Top minerals for goats the lady said its what she has so I got it I couldn't find any in any other feed stores.


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## ThornyRidge (Jun 13, 2010)

you can also look up some pictures on internet for buidling a good mineral feeder out of plastic plumbing pipe.. it works great.. prevents a lot of waste and easy to fill from either hole in front or top of container... I have a couple and love them!!!  and I too use Sweetlix Meatmaker goat minerals.. make sure it is without rumensin!!!  fyi

here is site that describes the pvc pipe mineral feeder.. scroll down.. it is theone at the bottom with the Y piece of pipe
http://www.boergoats.com/clean/articleads.php?art=29


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## Ariel301 (Jun 23, 2010)

Hahaha I just switched from a salt/mineral block to loose minerals and I'm having an issue getting my girls to eat it. I'm trying an organic mineral made for all livestock, nobody local has anything for goats and it's the best one I could find here. 

The kids go nuts for it, but Gracee will only eat it if I put salt and grain in it, and then Flora doesn't want it after Gracee slobbered on it, Bonnie doesn't like to eat anything but sweets anyway, and Fancy just tilts her head and cocks one of those big Nubian ears at me and says "You want me to eat dirt? Silly lady, buckets are for grain." Hopefully they will change their minds soon.


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## jodief100 (Jun 24, 2010)

> here is site that describes the pvc pipe mineral feeder.. scroll down.. it is theone at the bottom with the Y piece of pipe
> http://www.boergoats.com/clean/articleads.php?art=29


I have 3 of these homemade PVC "Y" mineral feeders and they all use them.  Mine are a little differnet.  I use 4"  PVC, not 3" because then I can get my hands in to clean them.  At the top I have a screw on/off cap to make refilling easy.   I did glue to bottom using a flat cap not a domed one.  Since it is 4" I can get it clean using my hands and a long bristle brush.  

I will try to post pictures tomorrow.  I think they cost me about $6 each to make, but I found the 4" round PVC in my inlaws garage so I got it for free.


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