We've created food monsters!!!

[Mango]

OMG, I can't believe we have done this!! Things are about to change here!

Since I got my 1st 2 pygmys we fed them some noble goat morning and evening. Along with hay. I have loose minerals too that they rarely touch. Of course they would butt and shove the other one away. So then we added 2 bowls. Fixed that problem until we got another goat, then another one...hahaha.

Now I have 4 bowls and the 1st two butt the 2nd two away and it's total madness here!! A few days ago, the 1st two started shoving me around until I smacked them both! Before I could get a good swing, Sugar horned me from my ankle to my knee....OUCH!!!

As soon as we walk out in the morning, they are screaming bloody murder and same thing in the evening except now, everytime we walk outside they scream, If we have a cup on our hands they scream even louder! Heck, everytime they see us they scream and run to the bowls:-(

I just recently got a hay hook up with a lady that will deliver to my house for cheap, if I help her load it. So, no more trips to the feed store for 1 bale of a hay at a time in the back on my car. Now they have hay 24-7

I was reading on here about when and what everyone feeds and it got me to thinking I could maybe cut the morning noble goat since they are eating hay likes it's going out of style. We also go cut the grown up stuff in our land next door and bring it back to me....they love it!

Sure would be nice to cut out that morning feeding and the screaming at 6am. What do ya'll think?

 

[glenolam]

How much grain are you feeding them? I have 4 pygmys who live with 5 larger sized goats and everyone gets 9 cups of grain to split. I'm in the process of creating small leads hooked up to the wall so I can monitor how much everyone is getting, but no one screams at me in the morning because no one is expecting grain.

I think it's safe to cut down on the morning grain, but it also depends on how much your giving them.

 

[treeclimber233]

If you can, try going to the barn just to say hi several times a day and don't feed everytime you go out. Don't give treats either at these times. Just calmly lean against the fence and talk to them. After they calm down (may take a few days) go in and pet/brush them. But no food or treats during these "visits". they will soon learn they will not get fed everytime they see you. Don't end a "visit" with feeding. Leave them completely for 1/2 hour then go back to feed. Tying everyone will help the chaos too. Start with tying the dominate one first. If she is like my doe she will beat everyone up that is already tied whether they have food or not. They will soon learn that if nobody is getting tyed up there is no grain coming.

 

[Mango]

We're going to try tying Pepper and Sugar....they are the bullies! We do go out and see them without food and no treats although we slacked off b/c Sugar butts the crap out of the two new ones. Both Sugar and Pepper are mean to Nutmeg and Maple when we're with them. When we're not, they are fine.

Well as for amount, WOW glenolam!! We are feeding too much!! Especially now that they have hay whenever. Tomorrow brings a change and I'm sure it won't be a happy change until I get them cut down. That will help with cost on Noble goat

 

[glenolam]

Wethers don't need much grain (if any) and doelings/kids/yearlings don't require much either. If you have a doe in milk, she would need a bit more grain, but it depends on how much milk she's letting down. Do a search on this site and others to find out opinions on how much you should feed them.

Hay, minerals and water should always be free choice and full 24/7 - you should let them fill up on hay before offering grain.

 

[cmjust0]

Your bottom line question is: Can I cut their grain back?

If they're in good condition, you probably can. If they start thinning out too much, bump it back up.

If they're over-conditioned as it is, you have a duty to cut them back.

If they're thin, don't cut them back.


Grain should be a supplement to a goat's primary diet of hay, browse, graze, etc. Feed supplemental grain according to each goat's body condition, wherever possible.

 

[warthog]

I also tie mine up when feeding grain.

Before I started tying them up, I had a similar problem Pepper the "Herd Queen" would literally chase around all the feed dishes pushing everyone out, so she was eating far too much and the others were not getting enough.

My goats don't were collars, because they are out in the bush most of the day, don't want any accidents.

So what I do is they all have snap fitting collars, to each one I have a rope attached. In their pen I have rings screwed into the walls, clips on the end of the rope. When they get grain morning and evenings I put on their collars, (quite easy) they know it's feeding time, then just snap the clips onto the rings. I also make sure that the ropes are not long enough so that can't reach another goats feed dish.

They are tied up in order of dominance, when they have finished, (I give them about fifteen minutes), I remove their dishes, and untie in the opposite order. So that the dominant ones don't try to beat up the others whilst still tied up.

This might sound like a lot of work, but when you get into the routine it works very well, and whilst they are eating you can do any other chores, cleaning water buckets, filling up hay etc.

Also I have found that doing it this way you can keep a better track of who is eating what and how much, and if one of them needs a little more or less you can adjust accordingly.

Mine normally only get about 4oz of grain each, morning and evening, but they are out in the bush for most of the day browsing, they have access to hay 24/7, and after their evening grain I cut them some branches or leaves.

Sorry if this is a bit long, but hope it helps.

 

[Drk_wlf]

I have the same problem with my Pygmy buck the other four animals, three sheep and an Alpine buck have no problem eating together at the same trough. I have to separate the little prick out during feeding time so he doesn't disrupt everyone elses peaceful meal! He does the same thing with the hay that they have access to all day, so I have to make sure there are two hay feeding areas so the others can avoid him. Maybe its a Pygmy thing?

 

[savingdogs]

I also tie mine up when feeding grain.

Before I started tying them up, I had a similar problem Pepper the "Herd Queen" would literally chase around all the feed dishes pushing everyone out, so she was eating far too much and the others were not getting enough.

My goats don't were collars, because they are out in the bush most of the day, don't want any accidents.

So what I do is they all have snap fitting collars, to each one I have a rope attached. In their pen I have rings screwed into the walls, clips on the end of the rope. When they get grain morning and evenings I put on their collars, (quite easy) they know it's feeding time, then just snap the clips onto the rings. I also make sure that the ropes are not long enough so that can't reach another goats feed dish.

They are tied up in order of dominance, when they have finished, (I give them about fifteen minutes), I remove their dishes, and untie in the opposite order. So that the dominant ones don't try to beat up the others whilst still tied up.

This might sound like a lot of work, but when you get into the routine it works very well, and whilst they are eating you can do any other chores, cleaning water buckets, filling up hay etc.

Also I have found that doing it this way you can keep a better track of who is eating what and how much, and if one of them needs a little more or less you can adjust accordingly.

Mine normally only get about 4oz of grain each, morning and evening, but they are out in the bush for most of the day browsing, they have access to hay 24/7, and after their evening grain I cut them some branches or leaves.

Sorry if this is a bit long, but hope it helps.

Janet, thank you very much for sharing your method. I think I am going to try it. I don't have quite the issue Mango has, partly because I have only four goats, but when my babies are born our numbers will go up and I was wondering how I was going to manage feeding time with the babies around, with these ones fighting and scrambling, and it is very hard to keep the wether out of the grain. Right now I just don't feed much grain but as these does start to need more I was wondering how to control my (more dominant) wether and feed the right amounts.

Thank goodness I stumbled upon these forums......I learn so much.

I also realize our goats are bawling for food every time we go out because we usually take them something.
Glenolam your advice is always helpful as well. We have not always been letting ours fill up on hay first, that is good advice.