How to Build a Hay Feeder for Goats
Building your own goat feeder can be an easy task. While there are many methods to choose from, in the end it comes down to your preference and how your goats react to the feeder. One simple way is to use a wood pallet propped against a wall, while a little more complex way is to create a feeding box.
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Things You'll Need
- Wood pallets (2 or 3, depending on feeder option)
- Two-by-fours (6 or 7 full-length planks)
- Nails
- Hammer
- Hay
Instructions
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Wood Pallet
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1
Set one pallet flat on the ground so that one side rests against the goat barn.
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2
Lean another pallet over the first one, so that one side of it rests against the wall as well. This will form a structure like a lean-to.
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3
Stuff hay on top of the flat pallet so that goats can pull it out. The leaning pallet is heavy enough to protect the hay and allow the goats to pull it through the slats without knocking it over. They prefer to pull the hay like this rather than eating it straight from a bale.
Box
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4
Cut six or seven two-by-fours into four 1-foot pieces and 10 3-foot pieces.
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5
Nail one 1-foot plank to the ends of two 3-foot planks to create a U-shape.
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6
Nail a second 1-foot plank to the open end of the U-shape, to create a rectangle. This is the base of your feeder box.
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7
Set the base flat on a concrete slab or wood pallet where your goats eat and nail six of the remaining 3-foot pieces perpendicularly to the base to create the slats for your goats to pull hay through. Horizontal pieces can be added, but they might hinder the goats' ability to get the hay out.
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8
Repeat Step 5 to create the top of your feeder box and nail the vertical planks to it to create the feeding box.
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9
Stuff hay into the feeder box.
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1
Tips & Warnings
It is a good idea to allow holes or gaps in the bottom of feeder boxes, so that if water gets in, it also will drain out.
The box feeder is ideal for goat with horns.
Observe the goats using the feeder box to make sure there is no danger of them getting their heads stuck while eating.
