# Position of Grain Feeders



## Melissa'sDreamFarm (May 11, 2011)

Okay, my goats get a little grain every day. I have one of these

http://www.tractorsupply.com/livestock-feeders/double-tuf-hook-over-goat-trough-feeder-9-qt--2221814

I'm tired of getting mobbed at the gate so I was wondering if I moved the feeder to the fence so I did not have to go inside, Do I put the trough on the inside or outside of the fence? Either way I will have to cut the wire. Which side is best and I will be adding 2x4's and such to sturdy it up. 

Right now it it out side, on our rainy days (which have been few in a row) I have not fed grain because of the hassle. So the position of this will coincide with a "remodel tear-down" of the fence when I add their "porch" on the side of the storage shed. Then they will be fed grain on the covered porch and it will have to be inside with them to stay dry. 

Do ya'll see a solution? And which side of the fence should I put it. 







Just FYI, the green spot is my raised bed garden, lol. It just teases the goats, but its easy for me to weed and such and give the green stuff to the goats over the fence. I could not fit all the pretty diagram I made on one sheet, so the buck pen is bigger and the goats fenced area goes waaaayyyy back.


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## currycomb (May 11, 2011)

we have a couple of those feeders, great feeders, but you cannot fill them with goat heads in the way, so we put feed in rubber tubs scattered around so everyone gets their share, then fill the feeders with most of the grain. if you put it on the outside, and cut holes for their heads to go thru, will keep feet and turds out(maybe, they are goats afterall). if you put it on the inside, see above.


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## 20kidsonhill (May 11, 2011)

I think I would be worried, about a more dominant animal banging into another one with their  head stuck in the fence. I would put it on the inside.   

The idea of using a couple larger rubber tubs on the ground and putting some feed in them from the outside and then going into spread out the rest of the feed is pretty much the same thing we do. we have a couple different set ups, but you want to beable to distract them at one feeder and then you can enter with the rest of the feed. We also have a PVC pipe with a funnel attached to the end(old laundry soap jug) and stick it through the fence and funnel feed into the feeders.  Depends which area I am having to feed in. but it can be tricky.

 I have a pen set up right now, that the gate swings to the outside, and is that ever miserable. Pretty much I have to let them mob me, come out of the pen and then follow me back in. I have most certainly learned the value of a gate swinging into a pen. 

It helps if you have the bucket in one arm and a small scoop in the other hand and can scoop just a little bit of feed into the feeder instead of trying to poor the bucket.


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## Melissa'sDreamFarm (May 12, 2011)

It's comical when I feed. All the goats are at the door and just about knock me over, but waiting patiently by the feeder is my Jenny. She's all ready for the grain, waiting like a good girl. She is the only one that knows the drill. If you wait by the feeder, then you already have your spot picked out and get first dibs. Crazy goats. I need a way to feed out side the fence and then slide the buckets under kind of like they do in maximum security prison.


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## sandrachx (Aug 2, 2011)

i tried the outside the fence feeding as well, after getting mauled a few too many times by my boers. first few weeks i split the herd up into two groups closing the gate to their mini pastures. then i lined up the flat bowls along the fence and would drop food through the fence. it worked so well, i thought i didn't need to split them up. wrong! now they step in the bowls, hindering me from pouring into the them so back to square one. i also mounted one of the TSC feeders up on the fence line and used an old milk jug to pour into it. we're building a barn this fall with some stalls and i'm hoping that dividing up the girls at feeding time will make feeding a little easier for *this* old girl.


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## Goatmasta (Aug 2, 2011)

Here the feed troughs are on the outside of the fence.  They stay put and eat much better.  In the beginning it was a bit of a fight, but after a few feedings they figured it out and all is very calm at feeding time.


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## Melissa'sDreamFarm (Aug 3, 2011)

Goatmasta, I would love to see a picture of your "feeding" through the fence, especially one of your horned does. I'm getting ready to set up a feeding porch for the girls and am curious how you make your "fence" with the holes for the heads. 

P.S. Love your goat info blog, very helpful for us "newbies"


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## redtailgal (Aug 3, 2011)

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## Melissa'sDreamFarm (Aug 3, 2011)

redtailgal would love to see that too, and nope, your explaining was a little hard to follow. From one GA girl to another GA girl, lol.

If you drew a line straight up from the "People Door" on my diagram to the "Chicken Enclosure", that's where I'm building the "feeding porch". I'm calling it a porch because it will be covered. I'm going to put in a "fence" and a gate. That way I can enter, pour feed and/or gather up does I'm milking. The "Chicken "Enclosure" is now my milking room. I'm pouring a concrete floor in there this fall with an outdoor sink. I wanted a hand pump to our well in case the power goes out I'll still have water, but my husband nixed that idea. Too much rock to dig through. 

I was considering making a ramp on the feeding porch and "tying" the girls to the fence in their "stations". Stations will have side walls. That way I enter the gate while they are eating and milk whoever I need to. I'm still considering it.


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## Goatmasta (Aug 3, 2011)

Melissa'sDreamFarm said:
			
		

> Goatmasta, I would love to see a picture of your "feeding" through the fence, especially one of your horned does. I'm getting ready to set up a feeding porch for the girls and am curious how you make your "fence" with the holes for the heads.
> 
> P.S. Love your goat info blog, very helpful for us "newbies"


We do not have any horned goats any more.  If your goats are horned I would not feed through the fence or you have to be creative in how you build the feed trough.  I just cut a 6" pipe in half for a feed trough, we use "field fence" so they can just stick their head through and eat.  This method works good for us, it keeps everyone in one place so they are not jockeying for position.

 Edit:  Thank you for the compliments on the blog.  Hoping to get a new one out there soon.


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## kstaven (Aug 4, 2011)

With horns you can still use a station system. Imagine a cut out shaped like a keyhole for a skeleton key or the letter "Y" The bottom stick of the Y is a four inch wide cut out and the top v is totally removed so they stick their head in and then reach down for feed.


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## Melissa'sDreamFarm (Aug 4, 2011)

Unfortunately Jenny my boer doe has horns. A friend of my husband gave her to us. I still have no idea on how I'm going to breed her to our ND buck when the time comes. I really don't want to take her to get her bred, because you never know what you might bring back. I might put her in with the horses. She's about the same size as our pony, lol. She's one big girl compared to my nigerians. 

Having a horned goat is not fun, I thought I was not going to de-horn our babies born here. I did not want to "hurt" them, but after having Jenny, all my goats will be de-horned. I have to get her "unstuck" every day. With the heat we've been having, I feel just awful going to work. So we put a PVC pipe across her horns today when I left. She is not a happy camper, but I bet she won't be stuck when I get home and being 105 today, that's a good thing. 

Thanks guys!!!
Melissa


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## 20kidsonhill (Aug 4, 2011)

You have to have electric on your fences when you have horned goats. but putting a stick on their horns will help alot.


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## Melissa'sDreamFarm (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks 20kidsonhill. I know I've seen the PVC idea somewhere. I put the PVC on with rubber bands I use on my hair. They are soft, but I'm concerned with the circulation in the horn. What is a good idea for putting the PVC on there until it cools down and we can run the electric inside the fence. I wanted to wait on running the electric inside until we build the pig pen. We are getting a couple of pigs next spring to feed garden scraps to. Of course they will have a ration along with extra whey, milk and eggs. I'm hoping to find someone who will help with processing for half the meat. That is my goal, but I do have a back up plan if that falls through. 

I remember my dad's family raising pigs when I was young. I also remember my granny Ruth penning up old hens or extra roosters in the barn for a week and feeding them buttermilk and cornbread. Chicken would be killed and fried on Sunday before church. I wish my granny Ruth was still alive. I could have learned a lot from her. My uncles that used to raise pigs are all much older and it would be too much to ask them to help, but I will see when that time comes who is willing or may be a cousin.


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## Goatmasta (Aug 4, 2011)

Your Nigerian most likely will not have a problem breeding your doe.  They are very persistent and quite creative...


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## redtailgal (Aug 4, 2011)

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## 20kidsonhill (Aug 5, 2011)

NIce set-up.  I can't remember, how much land do you have for your goats?


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## Melissa'sDreamFarm (Aug 5, 2011)

I think I need to work on the grassy lot part of my goat area. They just have lots of brush right now. I cut trees and my friends come to cut trees (for winter heat). One day the trees will be cleared and we will have more grass. Your set up looks real nice redtailgal and I've seen pictures of 20kidsonahill. Ya'll have me beat by a mile, but that was one reason to get goats, clearing off my land. Little by little, I'll get it done. 

And Goatmasta, yep he tries, but she's so tall and he's so short. He's 8 months old and she is only 5 months and she towers over him. I need to make him a stand, but the problem is she does not like to be touched. I can hand feed her, but no touching, lol.


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## redtailgal (Aug 5, 2011)

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