# We have a new free choice mineral buffet setup!



## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

I'll take photos after we get the cover on too. There's a pan of their old mineral mix, and one of just salt, not attached. We're hoping to see if we can eliminate one or two of the minerals that they consume very little of, then repurpose those feed bins. It's been out a week and so far so good! The goats have been eating the exact things I've been supplementing them with lately so I guess we're synced up.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Did you burn the elements into the wood or just marker? Looks really good.


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Love it! Are you going to raise it up? 
My goats would be walking in it or pooping in it. They just don’t get no feet in the food/mineral bucket concept. Silly goats..


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

That does look great- can’t wait to see what your cover looks like with it. I’m assuming a long raised top that covers all of the containers but allows them to reach in under it?


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

DDFN said:


> Did you burn the elements into the wood or just marker? Looks really good.


Well, I got the wood burner out and then decided that was too permanent so I just used sharpie. I figured then I can paint over it or wood burn in a couple of months when placements are done.


GoofyGoat said:


> Are you going to raise it up?


Nope. I'm picking out mineral covered goat berries now since it's not covered. We'll use this for sheep too, and drag it around, so we wanted to keep it low. I'm a little concerned the minerals will spill and make a mess dragging but it's not too heavy for two to carry, or we can strap on a couple wheels on the back end and pull it like a rickshaw. It would be pretty easy to add wheels to.


Boer Mama said:


> I’m assuming a long raised top that covers all of the containers but allows them to reach in under it?


More like a heavy flap like the big round cattle minerals have. Similar to this: Mineral Feeders | Free Choice Enterprises, Ltd.
That one is 8'x4' and just insanely heavy- designed for cattle. What we plan to do is use 3 recycled rubber floor mats- like entry mats. They were $6-7 each and fit perfectly width wise. They are heavy enough to not squish into the feeders when it gets stepped on nor catch in the wind. They are light enough for the animals to lift to eat.


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## BrookeCHope (7 mo ago)

Wow! That looks great!


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

I figured if it’s down they will be jumping up on top of it, hopefully having some overhang does work to make sure the mats don’t get squished in. Sounds like it’ll be great!
I wonder what kind of learning curve the animals will have in lifting the flaps? 
And since having the separate minerals, you do t need to worry about the sheep getting into the copper, right? Since they won’t be craving a mineral they require that’s only available in a premix that they don’t need extra of other stuff… 
You’ll have to keep us updated on it all. 😁

I know others have the buffet style out, but idk if with mixed animals or with your rubber mats. Lol


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

Right, @Boer Mama. Sheep need some copper, just low. Some folks will actually copper bolus lambs raised for slaughter to help with parasites...I've never been so bold. So, like any of the other minerals, they should know when they have enough and stop. The cool thing is, too, that they replenish the missing minerals in the soils they are grazing on. I'm really jazzed about that piece in particular.


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

That’s really cool- I hope it works exactly as planned 🍀🍀🍀


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## BrookeCHope (7 mo ago)

What do you put in your feeder? Also what kind of goats do you have?


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

We put the FCE minerals in them. We have mini nubian and nigerian dwarf goats and katahdin sheep.


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## Feira426 (Dec 11, 2019)

I'm building one too! I'm afraid to have mine on the ground - I think my goats would destroy it haha. So I'm planning to mount mine to the wall in the barn.

It looks really good!


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

Our goats are smaller breeds and I"m sure lambs will get on it but probably not our very civilized sheep.  We put the skids under the bins to offer support to them and we used framing components (like joist hangers) and L braces for add'l strength. If it's not sturdy enough, it could be easily built with 4x4 instead of 2x4.


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

Boer Mama said:


> I hope it works exactly as planned


Does anything, ever?!  I'm sure it will get modified- that's the game with goats.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Nice.


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## Doe C Doe boers! (6 mo ago)

Love this idea! I’m thinking about doing the mineral buffet!


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