# Goats chewing bark



## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

How do you all stop your goats from chewing the bark off of the trees. The landlord is TICKED! If I can't figure out a way to stop them, we will have to get rid of them. I got rid of the sheep - so it has "slowed down" but the landlord is concerned about the goats killing the trees ----

Thanks


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## Zelda (May 2, 2009)

Fence the trees off or the goats in... My goats LOVE tree bark.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I wrap the trees with chicken wire. 

The goats will EASILY kill the trees by eating the bark


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Uhhggg, I hate when they do that. My old pen had several trees in there and over a 5 month period the trees were stripped and a couple were dying. I would get wire and fence around the trees or use chicken wire on them like Stacey said. The trees die really easily once the bark is stripped on the base.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Thanks - the trees are in the pen - and no way to fence them out of it.... however, I can't chicken wire all of them (about 50 in the big pen - but I will start with the ones that they are really going after and go from there...... 

Thanks


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I wonder if there is some type of paint you could use on them. I know when horses chew on wood fences they have a certain paint/liquid stuff that tastes really nasty and they don't chew on the wood. I have also heard that used motor oil works, but I don't know if I would want my goats accidentally swallowing it. And then I guess if you have to many trees even a paint on the trees would cost quite a bit. Maybe try googling it and see if you come up with something.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I have used berlap on the trees. Also I used Bitter apples (I think that is the name).


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## Zelda (May 2, 2009)

Maybe you could give them some tree limbs to chew on? We give them fallen limbs and branches to satisfy their daily bark stripping requirements. 

Oh, hey, I did a quick search - this is a cool study on repelling goat cousins (deer!).

http://www.walnutcouncil.org/deer_repellent_study.htm

Try some Dial Soap! I'd mix some up in a spray and apply it and also hang some bars. It might just work!


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

I have heard (and i dont know if its true or not) that goatschew on trees because they are lacking minerals of some kind. They could just be bored. I dont know about your area but here it has been so dry this summer there is nothing left for them to eat. Do they have toys to chew and play on? Do they have food in front of them all day long?

beth


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## Thanatos (Mar 16, 2009)

Mine were eatin the bark off my BIG pecan tree so I took a 1x2 stapled chicken wire to it wrapped the tree with the 1x2 on the inside as a spacer and they never really bothered it again. even with like 50 trees it should only cost about 20-40 bucks to wrap em. its the time involved that is the booger. Good luck.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Thanks for the ideas all - I think the chicken wire is going to be the best bet.

Mine do not get free choice hay because they waste so much of it.... so it probobly is boredom. They have toys and what not - but when you say chew toys... can you please tell me of what these are because I would LOVE to get some!!! thanks so much!


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## Gumtree (Aug 15, 2009)

sparks879 said:


> I have heard (and i dont know if its true or not) that goatschew on trees because they are lacking minerals of some kind. They could just be bored. I dont know about your area but here it has been so dry this summer there is nothing left for them to eat. Do they have toys to chew and play on? Do they have food in front of them all day long?
> 
> beth


I'm pretty sure, that i have read in a natural vet book, that goats eat bark cos there lacking copper,,,,an thats not good cos it means that they could get worms.......


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

bark is part of their natural diet. Mine eat it all the time when I put branches in there for them. Their diet is more browse then graze so to me its a natural thing to eat bark -- they are closer related to deer then to sheep in their eating habits.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Oh...I hate... when they strip the trees....I also have chicken wire on the tree's ....it works... :wink:


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## Crissa (Oct 7, 2007)

I hope you can get them to stop soon. I've found that the more bored they are is what causes them to chew bark. (at least mine do anyways) And my sheep don't chew on it at all. I used to have a ball for dogs that you could put treats in and I would put grain, carrots, etc. in it and my goats and sheep would actually play with it quite often, even if there wasn't anything in it. You could try a couple of those to give them something to do. :shrug:


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I don't think chewing bark is due to any deficiencies, but like Stacey said, it is a natural part of their diet. They just like the taste and I think when they're bored of their hay they like to browse for weeds, leaves, bark etc.


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## Zelda (May 2, 2009)

Ohs noes, you are all wrong KW, all wrong.

When they are bored of weeds and tree bark and every leaf has been eaten, THEN they will browse on the hay. Maybe.

:ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL:

(DH is out of town and there's no one here to keep me in line.  )


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

hahaha - that is SOOOO true Zelda


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