# Feeding multiple goats? Easiest way?



## TwinkleToes (Jan 20, 2015)

Hi so currently I have 4 goats, 1 Nubian mix and 3 miniatures. I need to feed them their muesli mix twice a day and I feel they are not getting their fair share. Theodore, the Nubian mix, is the only tame one out of the 4, so he is really easy to feed... But that's the problem.. He eats all of the other's food! And then we have our smallest and youngest miniature, Buttermilk, and she eats nothing because of all 3 goats ramming and pushing into the poor girl. 

I tried seperatly feed dishes but it gets all out of hand, once Theodore finishes his food, he'll go ram someone else and steal their food and it all turns into a head butting fest. I'll try to feed Buttermilk by hand but it's really hard because she is very skittish, same with Peanut and Truffles. :wallbang: any suggestions on what to do with a pig, 2 meanies and a very timid/skittish goat? Thanks in advance


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

I split mine into 4 night pens as I have a few to feed. I then tie up any major bully goat (I have two to tie up) then I put feeds out into heaps of different dishes, so if there is three left in each pen untied I would put down at least 5 dishes down with the same amount split between those dishes so that the lower one, when pushed of her bowl, there is another one for her to go to. I hope this makes sense :/ 


Owned by 10 miniature goats, 2 boer goats, 10 horses, 4 dogs, 7 cats, 9 parrots 23 chickens and 2 roosters!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Either physically separate or tie up.


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

I have 3 girls. They all wear collars because they are in a pen. I just loop 3 cheap (as in "Dollar Store)" dog leashes through the fence. I hook the girls up when it's time to eat and they each get their own bowls. I don't unleash anyone until everyone is done eating. It works great for us!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

You need to separate them, otherwise your going to keep having problems  You can tie them, or put them in separate pens/stalls. We have 5 adult does that have been together for a while, and the herd queen is a bad bully. 
Last summer when I had a feeder in their pen, I tied up the fast eaters/bully, and allowed the slower eaters/thinner does to get a head start. It can be a bit hectic depending on how crazy they get at feeding time lol.

IMO, the easiest way is probably to have the feeder in another pen or in the barn, put the food down, and allow your slower eaters/bottom of the pecking order goats in to eat first, giving them a head start, then allow the bullies/fast eaters to come in. 

If you still have issues with the doe getting picked on, then get her used to being pulled out and I'd feed her separately so you know she is getting her share.


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## Tapestry (Feb 5, 2015)

I have ropes attached to posts with a dish nearby. I drop in about 5 crumbs of food and whoever tries to eat it first gets fastened to that post, then I move on to the next one. All of my does just lie down by their feeding spot now and wait on me. I turn them loose in reverse order, so the more aggressive ones can't headbutt the still captive ones.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I tie everyone up for feeding.


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## HawaiiHorseGirl (Apr 11, 2014)

I tie my three up every day in the same order for feeding. As an added bonus they are very content to hang out tied. (Never unattended of course)


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## BrokenArrowRanch (Jun 6, 2013)

I tie my does up when I feed too. Now they go to their spots and wait for me to come clip the it leash on their collars and put their grain out. I came home almost an hour late one day and they were all at their stations waiting.


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## TheGoatWhisperer (Jan 18, 2014)

I tie up my two wethers and the girls usually will stick to their own bowl. Tying them up is the easiest way and they quickly learn when it is feeding time to "stand at their post" so I can tie them. Only time I get spilled grain is when I'm not paying attention and our obnoxious one kicks her bowl. lol


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I leave mine unattended to an extent. When I tie them up, I do other outside chores.


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## Greybird (May 14, 2014)

I've had to start chaining my dominant one up so that the low guy on the totem pole can get his share of alfalfa pellets. They don't squabble much over their hay since it's always there, but I only feed them pellets once a day and they insist on having a shoving match whenever crunchies are in the feeder.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

My adult does get fed their concentrates on the milk stand, milking or not. The bucks each have their own pens, so they are easy to do. The 4 yearlings are fed in the doe pen using the long plastic troughs that hang on a fence. I have 2 of those, one hangs on each side of the pen. There is plenty of room for them to eat. They could probably all eat out of 1, but with 2 they can dash to and from the 2 sides and all will get their fair share.

For kids I use a creep feeder.


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## SeventeenFarms (Dec 10, 2013)

I separate mine - re grain, the two dominant does eat together from a trough feeder in which I spread out the grain and although they may scuffle a bit, each gets her share. Another doe I bring outside the pen and feed her alone, while the youngest jumps up on the shelter and I feed her up there. It works. And they have gotten into the habit of where they are fed and separate themselves. I put hay in three different feeders in three different places so that if one gets "bumped " she can move to another and so forth. Not very complicated - I had tried four bowls, then two troughs, etc but that never worked so I just played around til something worked, and this did. Everybody is happy, and the beta's are getting what they need, and no one gets hurt or rammed, including me!


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## TwinkleToes (Jan 20, 2015)

Thanks for all the replies!

I tried to tie up the goats, but I couldn't catch them as they aren't tame.. And I'll scare them so much they won't even eat and they'll fight the lead and have a spaz attack, I can only get 1 tied up as he is tame but the others are very, very skittish. I guess my only solution is to make another pen...


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## GoatsLive (Jul 1, 2012)

A friend of mine has many many goats. she stanchions them all for each feeding. Once they are eating, it's easy to give meds, or trim hooves.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

You said your friendly one is the one that gobbles down all the food? Tie that one up and feed seperatly, then toss some food in the dish for the more scardy cat ones and let them eat while the friendly one is tied up. That might work?


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

My husband made this for me and it works like a charm. Even the babies get their share. Of course i have to keep going down the line to put more grain in there and it keeps them from trampling me down.
































The last picture i let a few out to clean up the grain that came out of the feeder...that way there is little waste. Whatever is left that the goats didnt find is cleaned up by the chickens!

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S&K Hilltop Farm and Ranch
Registered mini-Nubians and Nigerian Dwarfs


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

I have 12 goats on my feed trough I have head catches. All of my girls get there feed and I can catch the wild ones to doctor them.


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## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Please send pictures! I would love to see what you have!


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S&K Hilltop Farm and Ranch
Registered mini-Nubians and Nigerian Dwarfs


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

Its nothing special. It is just several wood head catchs that you have on a milk stanchion. But I have the head catch on my feed bunk. One other use I have for the grain bunk is my bum kids get a meal while the does eat. No need to milk first l let the bums milk for me.


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## Hollowdweller (May 5, 2011)

I only feed grain on the milk stand usually so that's not a problem.

However while it is important to think of our goats as individuals, for our own sanity we also have to think of them as a herd.

If you have mixed sized goats or one goat that is causing you more work if you cannot remedy the situation w/o a lot of work on your part then you need to get rid of the offending goat.

The larger your herd is the more you have to select for good "herd temperment" in order to avoid extra stress and work to you and the others.


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