Right now I am just putting about 1 tablespoon of loose minerals into 2 cups of nutrena medicated goat pellets twice a day (we have 2 Nigerian dwarf bucklings who are 9 weeks old...they will be wethered soon). is this ok? I see a lot of the minerals left in the bottom of their bowl when I feed them.
best way to give loose minerals (and how much)
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BlessedWithGoats
Herd Master
I put somewhere around a cup in a dish by itself, and the goats will go to eat it when they want it. 
I'm not an expert though, just getting into goats myself.
People who might be able to answer your question better than I can... @Pearce Pastures, @Southern by choice, @Sweetened, @OneFineAcre, and others.
I'm not an expert though, just getting into goats myself. People who might be able to answer your question better than I can...
@Pearce Pastures, @Southern by choice, @Sweetened, @OneFineAcre, and others. 
Pearce Pastures
Barn Babe
Some do use it as a topdressing. I have it in a separate trough and also have available soft-mineral blocks for my prissy-pants goat who doesn't like the loose minerals. They nibble it as needed.
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lol @ prissy-pants the goats will eat the mineral as long as its available though? I don't HAVE to top dress it? how often should I change the minerals out, daily? what if they are kept in their enclosure out of rain and such....Like @BlessedWithGoats , I am totally new to goats...and actually livestock in general, so I want to make sure what I am, or am not doing, isn't going to hurt my babes! Should I be keeping all their food/water/hay in their shelter to keep it dry/safe from any rain we have? or....can I post it up on one of the fence poles since their new favorite game is to push over their food bowl and dump the grains everywhere.
the goats will eat the mineral as long as its available though? I don't HAVE to top dress it? how often should I change the minerals out, daily? what if they are kept in their enclosure out of rain and such....Like @BlessedWithGoats , I am totally new to goats...and actually livestock in general, so I want to make sure what I am, or am not doing, isn't going to hurt my babes! Should I be keeping all their food/water/hay in their shelter to keep it dry/safe from any rain we have? or....can I post it up on one of the fence poles since their new favorite game is to push over their food bowl and dump the grains everywhere.
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
Find a way to give the minerals free choice. If they don't eat the minerals, just means they don't need them.
You should keep the food out of the rain. We have feeders outside, but move inside if it is going to rain.
You should keep the food out of the rain. We have feeders outside, but move inside if it is going to rain.
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- #6
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
ok, great! Just an additional trough would be sufficient I assume. we are getting a couple trough like feeders so I can get my big dog bowl back
I saw something on here one time, it may have been Southern by choice where they made a mineral feeder out of a piece of pvc pipe hung vertically with a top on it. So, the mineral would stay dry and would feed out the bottom as they used it.
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- #8
BlessedWithGoats
Herd Master
I agree with OFA that it is best to keep the feed and minerals out of the rain. You shouldn't have to worry about changing it out unless it got wet or if it's been there for like a week or more I think. Maybe try putting a smaller amount and see how it works.
You shouldn't have to worry about changing it out unless it got wet or if it's been there for like a week or more I think. Maybe try putting a smaller amount and see how it works. 
goats&moregoats
True BYH Addict
I have a hay rack outside & a trough feeder. I put very little hay in trough feeder as the dogs like to sleep in it and the goats tend to pass their waste in it. I also have a hay rack inside and I move the trough inside if I know a head of time that it will rain. Their loose mineral is in a long plastic feed dish attached to inside of barn where it will stay dry. I add more as needed and can remove it if it needs cleaning. Works great!
