CREEP FEEDER WITH SHEEP AND GOATS??

[bloonskiller911]

I need help. We have sheep and goats and I want to creep feed my lambs (Suffolk/North Country Cheviot crosses). Here is my problem. We have 5 goats. Nubian and Nubian/Boer crosses, large goats. I can't make a creep feed door that the very determined goats can't get through with out the lambs also not being able to get through. Our lambs are nice and wide through the chest, and I swear our goats are part cat, if they can get their head through a spot and a leg they can twist through anything. Does anyone have any experience with this issue? If so, what was your solution or solutions. Another question I have is how do you teach lambs to go to the creep feeder? Everyone always says that theirs are looking for it, but I have never had any go search out the creep feed, I had to take them to it, and I left them there and they went out, but they wouldn't come back on their own. Any advice is appreciated. I want to get this figured out before our lambs are born, late January to early February(same time the goats are due). Thanks again for any info.

 

[purplequeenvt]

Lambs are very curious and they usually discover the creep on their own. Sometimes it takes a couple weeks.

You could try putting a heat lamp in there. That tends to draw them in. It also gives them a safe place to get warm.

We have trouble trying to keep our goats out of the creep. Thankfully, our does aren't piggy eaters. They'll eat a bit and then leave. Short of a separate pen for the goats (which we don't have space for), I haven't figured it out.

 

[bloonskiller911]

We have space for a separate pen but not the funds for building another shed, and having them all together is very handy. Maybe I will see if the does are not hogs, if so I might just go with it. why are goats such pains!!! they are great but most of the time it seems like !! Thanks for your reply.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

I put our kids in the creep pen with food and water, shut them in, and let them get cozy for a few hours. Then, I open the little scoot door to the pen and call them, wiggle my hand through the opening, and get them to come out. I then push them back through the hole, and get them to come out again. Do that a few times to get them to "see" the entrance, and then put a bit of feed in the pen to get them to go back in on their own. Should do the trick.