How to Make a Homemade Creep Feeder for Goats
Feeding kids can be challenging, especially when they're the four-legged kind. For the first few weeks of life, kids nurse. Sometime between two and five weeks of age, they start to feed on grains and grasses. It is then that a creep feeder is needed. Creep feeders are necessary so kids can eat without mom or other adult animals consuming all their food. The challenge for any creep feeder is letting the little animals in while keeping the big ones out. Sturdy, durable and accessible are keys to making any creep feeder worth building.
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Things You'll Need
- 1 16- or 20-foot long, 48-inch tall, heavy welded feedlot panel (4-gage wire with 4-inch openings)
- Bolt cutter
- 9 1½-inch hog rings or ½-inch cable clamps
- 3 stainless steel snap hooks, ½ inch or larger opening
- 6 ½-inch one-hole conduit and pipe straps (optional)
Instructions
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Prepare and Assemble
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1
Cut the panel vertically into four equal sections.
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2
Snip off the entire bottom row of horizontal wire (only if using creep outdoors).
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3
Select one section and locate the horizontal wire, second from the bottom. Snip both edges of that horizontal wire between two vertical wires. Do this in two separate places so you have two 4-by-8-inch openings for the kids to access the creep.
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4
Snip the second and third wires from the bottom (only if using the creep outdoors). This leaves you four inches of wire to put into the ground while maintaining an eight-inch-high opening for the kids.
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5
Form a square creep by connecting the sections, using hog rings or cable clamps. Leave one edge unsecured.
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6
Attach snap hooks evenly along the unsecured edge. Snap hooks will allow for easier access to the inside of the pen.
Installation
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7
Place the creep next to a wall for extra support (for indoor installation). The creep can be attached to the wall or floor using ½-inch one-hole conduit and pipe straps.
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8
Push the bottom wires into the ground to secure the creep in place (for outdoor installation).
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9
Attach feeders and water bowls to the inside of the panels.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Place your creep feeder near water, in the shade or wherever your goats laze around during the daytime.
Kids love to climb. Place stumps, large rocks or small tires inside or near the creep for added entertainment.
Enjoy watching your kids tease their moms by escaping into the creep, a place she can't go.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images
