[Cali2013]

My 2 huge fig trees have started dropping a lot of ripe figs that go uneaten and my 2 NDs have started eating them. I'm new to goats but I've read about how eating too much of a new food can give goats bloat. You all think they'll be fine eating all these fallen figs? Or should I prepare for possible bloat? They are 5 mo old, btw.

 

[happybleats]

I love figs!!! I think a few figs are fine..but too much might upset rumen function..might need to rake up the fallen figs or fence the trees off...I live in Texas too..maybe I should come get all your unwated figs : ) yum....lol

 

[Cali2013]

I'm watching them closely and this morning they were just fine so I guess all the figs they chowed down on yesterday didn't upset their rumen function. I'll keep watching, though.

We are a fig loving family, too! We have 2 huge trees on one side of the barn and a smaller on the other side. I have 13 chickens that love figs, too. And, now the goats. Between the all of us eating them, there are still figs that will fall to the ground for the animals to pick up.

Cathy, if you don't have a fig tree, they are very easy to grow, as long as you plant them near your house, a barn, some type of building. I had a tree in the middle of the back yard that froze to the ground every winter. Every spring it was like it was starting over, never got big at all.....UNTIL I moved it next to the barn. Now it has taken off. My mom's fig tree is next to her house and is bigger than ours!

 

[goathiker]

The nice thing about trees is that they drop some fruit at first and then more and more as the season goes on. The animals naturally get used to the fruit because of this cycle.