I actually don’t know how to help but I decided to post a reply to make sure someone sees and helps you out:hug:

 

I actually don't know how to help but I decided to post a reply to make sure someone sees and helps you out:hug:

I appreciate it❤

 

No problem

 

Can you get alfalfa hay?


If they are browsing, are you trying to feed them after they have already been out?
If you can pen them away from browse, over night, they may be hungry for hay.

 

Can you get alfalfa hay?

If they are browsing, are you trying to feed them after they have already been out?
If you can pen them away from browse, over night, they may be hungry for hay.

I considered that. My nigerian may break the barn down though. I lock them up at night and the bags still had just about the same amount of hay as the night, in the morning.

 

Have you checked the hay for anything that maybe mixed in? Do you change the hay out daily or leave til its gone? Is the hay fed off the ground?

 

When I was mad yesterday I threw it on the ground in the run, they picked through it, but not chowed down. We have those net bags..and for the past 6 months they havent been a problem. I usually refill them morning and night as routine. The suspect major load of2nd cut orchard hay is totally out of the bags. But definitely on the floor in there. I legit was tossing all the hays..took her to smell every bale. Not interested. So we got feed store hay that I have mixed in before..they eat it. Checked all the hays..nothing bad. No mold and smell yum.

 

True

 

I was up there telling them that we have all this darn hay and cannot be so choosy when it's starting to snow AGAIN. The one was eating feed store hay from my hand and I was opening up the bag (slow feeder) and the other one was eating from it. So I leave and they are back to incessant complaining. I really dont think there are any issues health wise happening here. They are just being jerks. The hunters out in the woods are probably so angry right now.

 

If I get alfalfa is it bad to just switch to that. I think there is a store that may have it.

 

I know we have to "fluff" the hay a time or two through out the day to entice the goats to eat it. We have hay baskets.. Maybe the netting doesn't allow them to dig through and choose the very best strand of hay. Sounds crazy but mine do it...alot end up on the ground.

 

I would introduce alfalfa hay slowly as its richer/hotter than hay.

 

Yes, introduce the alfalfa slowly.

If the goats have horns, I wouldn’t use the net feeders.
Bad horror stories about them.

 

They do have horns. But I felt it safer than the metal baskets. I was outside and they werent complaining. Maybe they just needed more reassuring that this hay was ok.

 

But I am new to this also. The boss doesn't let the little one eat and it seemed a tad impossible to have 2 separate basket feeders for them. But I can try. I was also worried about the younger one getting her entire body stuck in the feeder
But now that she is older and bigger and not as mischievous..I should consider switching

 

Fluffing was hopefully the answer! Hooray for now!

 

I have 2 different kids of grass hay. My boys prefer one to the other, but for breakfast they get the un-preferred kind. They don’t get out of bed, because they smell which hay it is. But later on I see they ate some. When it is colder and they need to eat more they will eat lots of it.
The screaming... are your goats young? Mine used to scream at me for getting something different.
But I also learned to ignore it and it helped a lot. They watch you closely. If you lookl limke you might cave and bring something else, they will keep screaming.
You could also talk to your neighbours and ask if they hear the goats. They might not even hear them. But you could explain that you are working on it.

 

My weathers wouldn't eat any hay until they ran out of grass to graze on.

 

We've found that our goats are very fussy. They don't like coarse hay. Sometimes even when the hay smells great, they'll pick through it and throw most of it on the ground. I'd suggest that you see if you can find another source for hay where you have more choices. buy one or 2 bales at time until you find something they like.

I've determined that it's cheaper to pay for a more expensive hay bale that they will eat, than it is to pay for a cheaper hay that they throw 80% of it on the floor.

 

We've found that our goats are very fussy. They don't like coarse hay. Sometimes even when the hay smells great, they'll pick through it and throw most of it on the ground. I'd suggest that you see if you can find another source for hay where you have more choices. buy one or 2 bales at time until you find something they like.

I've determined that it's cheaper to pay for a more expensive hay bale that they will eat, than it is to pay for a cheaper hay that they throw 80% of it on the floor.

Hi, Iam a new goat mummy from UK, have two 6month old kids (doe and wether) adorable, but fussy too, they are on stalky Timothy hay, eat fair bit, but leave very stalky, I've read that stalky is good for their digestion, so I tend to fluff it up, and wait few hours before topping up with fresh hay. I ve just bought small bale of ryegrass/Timothy medium haylage, to introduce gradually, to see if they eat without waste, also read more nutritious, as my boy is on thin side, hope Iam doing right.

 

Well they aren't really "screaming" but loudly calling to me. It's all about the hay. We had them try the hay that I bought in bulk by handfuls and they enjoyed it. The other hay we bought to try it. The feed store hay, they have eaten before. It's pretty stemmy which they like. They are eating one of the hays and mildly eating the feed store hay (after I beat it up and fluffed it and made a bird nest inside of it and then hung it. Suppose it could be the bags. Could be they are acting like brats. I have no idea. Hay is hard to come by now and nothing is close.
Oh the neighbors can all hear. My closest neighbors are the absolute worst. But I'm not moving and cant quit living my life either.

 

Said neighbors watch me all day. So I'm sure they are aware that I am doing everything I can do. Even though they are annoyed (and deserve it).

 

They are eating hay (of the ground) from a guy who is sold out though. Idk why they cant eat the hay I bought in bulk. WHY!!! The bulk hay is also guaranteed mold and dust free. I should just be putting it in there and tell them to suck it up. Like if there was something poisonous in there..they wouldnt be able to smell that straight from the bale right. I ripped one apart, had my face all in it and didnt see anything. It does smell on the sweater side more than the green grassy side, if you know what I mean.
They also are quieter, and boss gal knows she can manipulate me lol!

 

If you keep offering them alternatives they are holding out for other stuff. If that's all they get for a week they will learn to eat it. If you got a large quantity - they will have to. Try to always buy the same hay that will last you through the winter. Orchard grass is high in phosphorous so you may need to feed alfalfa pellets as well to balance. Switching hay all the time will cause them to be a bit more picky. DONT use net feeders - there are a lot of good ideas on here about feeders that lessen the problem of goats strangling and getting caught in the nets.

 

Gotcha on the nets, and now super paranoid about it.Premier 1 has a basket feeder for like 65, guess I could buy 2 for myself for xmas. I have seen ones made from barrels. I'll either do that or come up with a more safe alternative within the next 2 days.
They eat a junk feed, my one came with that. Under a half cup daily. Maybe I could gradually switch to the alfalfa, but I swear I read alfalfa wasnt very great for them. . I feel like I have read so much about feeds and hays that I get everything confused. I really appreciate all the input!

 

https://www.chewy.com/kalmbach-feed...00?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=f&utm_content=Kalmbach Feeds&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIupar9pe67QIVAa_ICh1CPgT2EAQYASABEgLsKvD_BwE
This is it. It seems alright but its loaded with corn..that I pick out alot of and covered in molasses

 

Don't worry about hunters in the woods getting mad at your goats- the deer ignore goats. Heck, my dh has a target area set up behind the barn and shoots flintlocks from near the barn. The deer wander around and ignore the gunshots, the goats ignore it, I'm the only one that jumps! And I shoot too!

Haybags and metal hay racks are not good. Those horse hay racks are really bad. I lost a doe, years ago to a metal rack. Almost lost one to a hay bag- somehow they weave their necks into the mesh (after chewing a hole) and can strangle.

 

Don't worry about hunters in the woods getting mad at your goats- the deer ignore goats. Heck, my dh has a target area set up behind the barn and shoots flintlocks from near the barn. The deer wander around and ignore the gunshots, the goats ignore it, I'm the only one that jumps! And I shoot too!

Haybags and metal hay racks are not good. Those horse hay racks are really bad. I lost a doe, years ago to a metal rack. Almost lost one to a hay bag- somehow they weave their necks into the mesh (after chewing a hole) and can strangle.

So what do you use now? The premier 1 ones are thin. I can imagine one getting their horns stuck but not entire body. Which I was afraid of.

 

I have pens made of the goat panels that have 4" by 4" openings and on the outside of the pen have more of the goat panels that I put the hay in. They waste it but can't get heads stuck. (babies can, that is a whole nother problem....)

I don't know if photo shows or not.

 

It doesn't. But that's smart. I attached the one I considered. But I could totally make one.

 

Try offering hay in milk crates. best thing is if horns get stuck they just have a milk crate hanging from them, no harm done. Tennis balls on horns are good though.

 

And that would be the highlight of this year!

 

For now I just have the 2. I'd like to get some bucks but I really dont want to bite off more than I can chew right now. Tons of chickens and a 9yr old and a 3 year old crazy child. I'm going to see what I can do with fencing for a feeder or may buy those premier ones. The goats were out browsing late..which is not a thing they do. This situation is kinda irritating. I thought they'd like the hay especially since they ate it prior to its permanent placement. I wonder should I be looking for new hay or just make them suck it up. I dont dry lot them. They have an area that's just under and acre and we will be making more spaces for them but I want to make sure they are eating hay before old man winter really gets here. All the areas/paddocks will be accessible from their barn, which they will be locked into every night

 

Very smart, not to bite off more than you can chew! A buck is a lot to chew, and more than one can be very tough to chew!!