*~* Making Hay & Gathering Natural Goat Treats *~*

[Livinwright Farm]

This year, my grandfather is allowing me to grow out his backyard(tall grass, turns an amber color in the fall once it has gone to seed, unsure of the type). There is cypress spurge along the outer edges of the backard... not sure if it is goat safe... anyone know one way or the other??? there is also wild strawberry & clover here and there. I also plan on harvesting all of the blackberries & raspberries that are sprouting up everwhere on his property....

Cali LOVES berries!! Wish I had my camera yesterday for when she was done eating the strawberry... it looked like she was wearing lipstick!

 

[freemotion]

You probably know this, but wilting strawberry and raspberry plants are poisonous. Fresh and thoroughly dried are fine, though.

I've made hay before and it really saves on the feed bill.

 

[DonnaBelle]

A lot of folks suggest raisins as treats for goats.

I have cut up an apple, Lenora loves it, the others, not so much. All seem to like multi-flora (wild) roses, blackberry leaves, poison ivy, austrian winter peas (DH planted some of those in a patch last fall, they love them,( cereca lespedizia which grows wild on our ranch) and most any kind of vine, especially wild grape vines.

The only thing the my goats just won't really eat much of is poor quality hay and GRASS.

DonnaBelle

 

[theawesomefowl]

I'm going to let my goat eat some of our overgrown rose bush. And we have TONS of multiflora rose....

 

[DonnaBelle]

Yes, they will eat a $30.00 Knockout rose bush too!!

Just delicious, they said.

DonnaBelle

 

[Georgiamainers]

My children collect branches of pine needles- the goats and their kids absolutely love it. When I go walking on our dirt road I collect a bunch on the way home. It's a natural dewormer, too.

 

[BackFortyFarm]

Pine tree needles?? Guess I'll try that. Gave a branch off of my plum tree and "bunny" really liked it, but one of the buff orp cockerells that is sharing her pen kept pulling it away from her and walking off with it. Must be good. Have peach tree branches too. Wonder if she'll like those?

 

[Goatherd]

My children collect branches of pine needles- the goats and their kids absolutely love it.

My girls think pine needles/branches are the greatest. Fortunately, their pasture has many pine trees so no need to gather it here.

 

[kid'n'kaboodle]

Goatherd......your goats are adorable. What kind are they?

 

[Goatherd]

Thanks! I have one percentage Boer and the other is, I think, pygmy/Nubian. The jury is still out on that.