# How much hay?



## ashleighashley (Mar 19, 2013)

How much hay per goats should I put out for them each day???? 
summer?
winter?
How much should I stockpile for 5 goats?


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I started with 4 knowing that I was going to get a buck, and I got 20 bales for over the winter. That would have lasted (still have 2 bales left) however I actually ended up with the buck 2 lambs and another doe in milk. So I think 20-30 bales should be good for the winter. Mine do not get hay for the spring & summer months for the fact we have 7 acres, so they have plenty to eat. I also grain them in the winter too, and the does (all moms & milking does will always get grain) It also depends in the size. I've got 2 standard size girls, 2 medium size wethers, 2 small ones. Hope some of that info helped


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## AlvinLeanne (Feb 16, 2012)

We have a round bale of hay out for them all the time, other than during kidding when they are in the barn. During that time we usually go through about 10 bales, but they are only in the barn for a week or 2 before we start letting them out in the field during the day. At that time they eat the round bale during the day and get a flake of hay when they are put in the barn in the evening. After the babies are a month old, we don't put them away at night and they eat the round bale free choice. Right now we have 8 goats and a pony and we go through a round bale every 3-4 weeks.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

ashleighashley said:


> How much hay per goats should I put out for them each day????
> summer?
> winter?
> How much should I stockpile for 5 goats?


The average adult goat will eat roughly 1 ton of hay, pasture, browse, etc., per year. Assuming they are yearlings or older, are open, and are not raising kids, start with 5 lbs of hay per goat, per day and adjust from there. Summer they will eat a little less, winter they will eat a little more.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

2 full-ground Nigerian dwarves usually go through a flake in the morning and a flake at night. 1 standard goes through the same. 

I like to give them as much as they will eat when I can  In the summer they eat less, in the winter they eat more.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

I feed one flake to every 2 ND goats.. But I add/subtract if they get thin/fat


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I free choice the hay here. I've found that each goat and each herd is going to take in different amounts of hay. The best way to figure out the amount of hay needed is by opening a bale, mark that day the bale was starting to be fed and then see how long it takes the goats to finish it. That will give you a general idea on how many days it takes to finish a bale and count ahead and see how many bales you'll need. I always have more bales then I think they'll need just to be safe.


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## adriHart (Nov 1, 2012)

I have two pregnant does, 2dry does and 3 weathers. Halfway through winter I added a bucks to the mix. I bought 10 bales of hay at 140 pounds apiece they went through it by January. I have three and a half acres so in summertime I barely feed hay but the lactating animals get grain. I also supplemented the pregnant does with alfalfa all winter the rest was just grass hay. If I let them they will eat an entire bail in 1 Day. I'm not sure where the cut off point it would be because if I left it free choice it would be gone. Oh and my heard is mixed Nubians mini nubianss and Mini manchas. The wether's are all the bigger boys and they eat the least. Of course I supplement with minerals too and I threw a bag of black oil sunflower seeds on them over the winter because their hair was dry


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