# Tree hay



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

I am looking in to making my own tree hay, at least some to experiment with over the winter. I’ll have their stocked supply of orchard grass hay as the staple and use tree hay supplementally. @Caileigh Jane Smith introduced me to this idea in another thread and it caught my interest. 

Do any of you make tree hay? Or have any experience with it? Do you have any helpful links to instructional/informative articles or videos you could share? Any storage tips? I don’t have a ton of room once their hay is stacked for winter, so this so far is my only hang up.


----------



## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

Check out Barakah Heritage Farm. They have a website, and some YouTube videos about tree hay.
I know a guy who works for a tree service. I haven't asked him yet, so no idea if he'd work with me, but I thought I could maybe take the truck out to pick up tree trimmings from their jobs. The trimmings have to be disposed of, anyway, so they might be happy to have me come and do it. Only issue would be making sure they're not from an area where nasty chemicals are being sprayed. Also, I don't have a great storage space set up yet. I was thinking something along the lines of a corn crib, with slatted sides to allow for good airflow.


----------



## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

@goathiker has lots of experience and info. I am hoping she will help us out.
We are also trying it out for the first time this year. 
We are just going with the Willow trees that the beaver have cut, they sent out tons of thin branches. Once they were fully leafed out, we cut and hung them to dry in bundles (in the greenhouse).
We are planning on storing them in paper bags, so they won’t catch so much dust in the hayloft.
We are storing the ones that are thumb width or less. The thicker ones the goats get now. 😊


----------



## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

This year, as an experiment and to see how the goats do with it, I may try hanging smaller branches from the rafters of the barn, up in the hay loft. When it comes time to feed, I could take them down and hang them from the trees out in the goat pen.


----------



## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

@MadHouse and I posted at the same time! Looks like we're thinking along the same lines.


----------



## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Caileigh Jane Smith said:


> @MadHouse and I posted at the same time! Looks like we're thinking along the same lines.


Yes! Especially when it comes to using what is readily available! 👍


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

I’ll check that out for sure. I bet the tree trimmers would love if you take their trimmings. And I bet they know the areas and if chemicals have been used. 

I have a huge pile of elm, white oak, and gum tree branches just waiting to go in the chipper, and more won’t be far behind it. We’re tying to get down damaged, leaning, or other trees endangering buildings, fences, or power lines, so there will more where this came from. And my acreage is heavily wooded. This is just form the five fenced (mostly cleared acres) and we still have almost 35 acres of thick woods on our property that we haven’t touched. And for the forest’s own health, it needs a bit of thinning. Though I could likely make tree hay for a decade and not make much of a dent. 

A corn crib isn’t a bad idea at all. I was thinking of hanging bundles from the very tall rafters in my husband’s shop as a temporary solution. I just honestly can’t think of another place to put them right now. He doesn’t seemed thrilled.


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

So I’m super slow or you both are super speedy. Lol. I was just slowly replying (admittedly while I was wrangling a few goats who are mad I dared let them get a raindrop on them).



MadHouse said:


> @goathiker has lots of experience and info. I am hoping she will help us out.
> We are also trying it out for the first time this year.
> We are just going with the Willow trees that the beaver have cut, they sent out tons of thin branches. Once they were fully leafed out, we cut and hung them to dry in bundles (in the greenhouse).
> We are planning on storing them in paper bags, so they won’t catch so much dust in the hayloft.
> We are storing the ones that are thumb width or less. The thicker ones the goats get now.


Oh gosh, yeah, I have a big greenhouse I could use. Didn’t even think of that. And how nice of the beavers to help.  And the thumb width rule is what I’ll have to watch. A lot of mine are thick, so I’ll have to figure it out. And I’m worried more about moisture than dust (though both could be an issue). I may have to try some each way and see which does better, with or without a paper bag. 



Caileigh Jane Smith said:


> This year, as an experiment and to see how the goats do with it, I may try hanging smaller branches from the rafters of the barn, up in the hay loft. When it comes time to feed, I could take them down and hang them from the trees out in the goat pen.


That’s a great idea!


----------



## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

@goathiker is obviously who you want to talk to - but personally I've taken an interest in it and done some studying. Check this out first: Goat Gardens: What to Plant, Forage, and Feed to your Goats


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> @goathiker is obviously who you want to talk to - but personally I've taken an interest in it and done some studying. Check this out first: Goat Gardens: What to Plant, Forage, and Feed to your Goats


Thank you! It’s so funny because I just saved this in my Goat Files after seeing it on FB last night. Great information.


----------



## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

So @FizzyGoats @MadHouse have either of you started on tree hay yet? I cut down some sassafras saplings and I'm working on drying those out. I've been eyeing the autumn olives and redbuds, but haven't gotten started on those yet.
This year, in addition to kale, collards, and spinach, I experimented with growing orach. It grew really well, and was delicious! When it bolted, I left a few plants standing in the garden to hopefully reseed themselves for next year, and cut the rest down for the goats. I fed it over the course of a few days, and started with just a few stalks at first, to let their rumens get accustomed to the new food. They loved it, and it's very nutritious, so it's something I might grow more of and harvest to save for winter next year.
Here they are, chowing down on their evening orach feast. It was almost dark, so the picture quality isn't great.









Aren't the seed heads pretty?








If you're interested, you can read more about orach here: Orach: An Ancient Vegetable That’s New Again


----------



## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

That’s great that the goats are helping you clean up and getting good nutrition at the same time!
That is a beautiful plant. I tried growing it, but it bolted immediately. Our summers are usually too hot for it.

I have been feeding some of the tree hay we have made. It is great on wet days when I don’t let the goats go out to browse. And it is great when the fuss budget milker doesn’t want grain or alfalfa pellets.


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Here's a thread I started on it a few years ago. Goat hiker's expertise is on there. 🙂 Tree Hay? Why not?
I never did try any of these tactics, I realized that I didn't really have anywhere to accomplish drying. But it's something I would love to do some day!


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

@Caileigh Jane Smith I have not done anything on it yet and keep kicking myself for it. I really want to try it. I’ve never even heard of orach. I’ll definitely check it out. Looks like your goats love it!

@MadHouse, where do you dry and store your tree hay? (I apologize if you already told me and I forgot). 

@MellonFriend Thanks for that link. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot reading it. The space for drying and storing is a bit of a hiccup for me too. 

For those who do make it, how many bundles do you like to have stored up for winter?


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

You guys are thinking about the drying stage too much. It's not like green forage, it doesn't need all that much.
You cut the branches, bundle them into manageable bundles, tie them off, throw them into your truck, and take them to your storage area.
Inside your storage space there should be racks that are basically 8 foot 2x4s about 4 feet off the ground with whatever supports you come up with. Tie 2 bundles together and throw them over the 2x4. They should hang top down on either side of the board. Fill the board up all down it's length. The next bunch goes over top of this one. When you have about 4 layers, start on the next rack. Leave plenty of room between racks, 4 or 5 feet.
You don't dry it, just make sure that there's plenty of ventilation to wick moisture away. It will cure and still be green during the winter.

It's a bit late to be starting now. You should be cutting in June and July when the leaves are the most nutritious.


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Thank you for this. I do overthink things and make them more complicated than they need to be. And yeah, I feel like I missed the boat for doing it this year. I do have some saplings that might work. I might do a bit anyway, just so I have the feel for it and it’ll be more entertainment for them than a nutritional boost. But maybe then I’ll feel more comfortable with it next year and get on it at the right time. I just need to find a storage space now.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Are you going to coppice or Pollard?


----------



## NigerianNewbie (Jun 6, 2018)

goathiker said:


> Inside your storage space there should be racks that are basically 8 foot 2x4s about 4 feet off the ground with whatever supports you come up with. Tie 2 bundles together and throw them over the 2x4. They should hang top down on either side of the board. Fill the board up all down it's length. The next bunch goes over top of this one. When you have about 4 layers, start on the next rack. Leave plenty of room between racks, 4 or 5 feet.


This description reminds me of the old wooden tobacco barns and the way my grandparents sort of put in the tobacco leaves.


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

goathiker said:


> Are you going to coppice or Pollard?


I have the option to do either. I think I might try a little of both. Do you have a preference?


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Coppice works really well on saplings. Pollarding is better for older trees. 
If you do any ever greens leave the bottom ring of branches. They will grow up and form 2 or 3 more trees. You always have to leave a few branches on ever greens or they will die.


----------



## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

I eventually want to have a setup like goathiker mentioned. Since I don't, and since the hay loft is completely full, I am looking at putting up a temporary 'shed' made out of livestock panels and tarps, and stacking the partially cured branches on pallets to keep them off the ground. Mold could be an issue with our humidity, so that's why I'm partially drying branches before stacking, and I've been formulating ideas for keeping good airflow. I am not coppicing or polarding. Just lopping the leafy bits off of trees that are coming down anyway. So no real science here. Just some experimenting.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

What types of trees?
My permanent set up isn't elaborate, just a hoop house with wooden ends. 
Right now I'm using a small cement block building that was here. I lined it with pallets to keep the leaves away from the walls and stuff the bundles in cut sides down.


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

I don’t have a lot of evergreens, so that’s a great tip on cutting them. 

I have a lot of oak, hickory, elm, ash, gum trees and the like. 

It’s really humid here too. The only open storage space I have is a hoop greenhouse (well, it’s half occupied) and I’m thinking that’s not the best option with condensation and extreme heat. I guess I could try it and see. I might try to carve out some space in my husband’s shop. He wouldn’t be thrilled, but he also wouldn’t have a fit or anything. I’m just worried about exhaust fumes from the tractor and stored gas/diesel and all the sawdust and such in there. Though my goats try to eat sawdust, so that particular worry is likely unfounded. As long as the tree hay wouldn’t combust, the hoop greenhouse would probably be the better option. Though it isn’t abnormal for it to get over 120F in there on sunny days.


----------



## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

I only have Willow tree hay.
We dried it in the greenhouse, then wrapped the bundles in cut-open paper bags (from bedding) and slid them on top of the hay in the hay loft, wherever there were gaps under the ceiling.
Last year I collected leaves from all the kids of trees the goats ate, dried them on screens and saved them in rubbermaid containers (I didn’t put the lid on tightly). It came in handy when a goat was having bloat and was off feed. And for safe Christmas presents.


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

That’s a great idea too!


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Do you ever feel like more of a novice after researching something than before you started researching at all? 

That’s what’s happening to me. I went back and read the thread @MellonFriend linked to and went on little research dives from there too. Now the only thing I know is I don’t know anything about pollarding or tree hay in general. 

The good news. I did find I’m good to harvest until late September around here (still would have been better nutrition earlier). And reading about making leaves into bedding was really interesting. We were planning on mulching up a bunch of branches we have (too big for tree hay but useless as firewood) and using that as bedding this winter but the leaves idea gives me extra if I need it. Plus, what great compost when you’re done with it. 

I’ve decided I want to keep my feet on the ground for harvesting. So true pollarding is out. I was thinking I could use the tractor to get me up there, but the land is too rough and trees too thick. 

I was hoping to walk around lopping off branches and cutting some saplings out of my forest. Or taking off the right size branches from trees we cut down for wood or lumber. Is this an acceptable way to harvest tree hay also?

I don’t have a planned out orchard or forest. I have a wild, dense forest all around me. Seems a waste not to use this huge natural resource on my land.


----------



## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

Working on tree/forb hay today. 
















Lots of redbud, some elm, mulberry, and giant ragweed, goldenrod, and queen ann's lace that needed to be trimmed back, anyway. So I'm hanging it from the rafters of the chicken house loft. My only concern is that it may get too dusty up there. But I figure it's worth a shot. I can fit quite a bit up there! The space is less than half full. I'm excited to experiment more with this. 
I put some up last year, but it was too exposed to the elements. Many of the branches lost their leaves, and a lot of leaves lost their green color. The goats still enjoyed going through it, but I'm hoping this batch will be better.


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

That looks awesome! I hope it works out well for you! I'm sure the goats do too. 😋


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

That looks wonderful! I bet it will work out great. I hope you keep us updated. 

I had tree hay hanging in a hoop house that we lost in a storm. I am not sure if I’ll find another spot to hang it. So I doubt I’ll get to cut and store any this year. They really loved it in the winter. It was more of a treat and bordem buster than a diet staple because I didn’t have enough to sustain them, but they loved it.


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Ooh…. I should cut stacks of the cottonwood branches that we currently have in abundance! So far, I’ve only raked up fallen leaves that are dry. So I know they aren’t nutritious… but the goats do love them in the winter. They’ll go for the leaves over their grain when I do it. But I never have enough to make it more than a weekly treat 😊


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)




----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I don't know what insighted it, but I have suddenly become obsessed with this idea. 😆 I'm going to try hanging up some bundles in our garage even though the conditions for storing aren't exactly ideal. This article really put me over the edge: Tree Leaf Fodder for Livestock - Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners

Feeding it is going to be a situation I would think. My hay feeders aren't exactly made for branches. How do you guys who do this feed the branches or plan on feeding them?


----------



## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

I break of the twigs with the leaves, and stick them in the hay feeders. The thicker sticks go to the wood stove.


----------



## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

I am planning to hang the bundles from trees or maybe on the fence for the goats to eat. Then I will have to go back in and pick up the sticks at some point.


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I love this idea. We always rake up tons of leaves from oak and various trees and I read you can store them and portion it put through winter. But found the storage part difficult as the chickens made a mess of my piles lol.


----------



## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

My stash is increasing!


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

That looks great! My storage space from last year collapsed after an ice storm left inches of ice on it. I need to find another space because I’m in prime cutting time for so many of the trees around here. I just have no where to hang them. 

To feed the goats, I just kept the twine I use to hang them to dry attached to them and hung them in the barn for the goats to enjoy. Then I took down the twine and twigs when they were done. The loved it. It was more of a treat and boredom buster as I hadn’t stashed enough to make it a staple of their winter diet.


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

I’ve got quite a few bundles stored in the barn. But not enough for substantial feed thru the winter. I don’t plan on starting to feed it tho until after the wethers are sold end of November. This fall, I also plan on raking up the loose leaves. As long as I get to them while they are dry, I am able to store them in the brown paper lawn bags or even my empty feed bags. These I dump into tire feeders (the side wall is cut off) mounted on a wood bench.
I’ve never actually fed the tree hay before, but will probably separate the bundles and put branches thru the fence spaced out so all the goats can get some. They’ll probably eat a good amount of the branches as well, but what they don’t eat I can use for fire kindling.


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

@Cedarwinds Farm what kind of weed browse do you have hung up with the branches?


----------



## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

Boer Mama said:


> @Cedarwinds Farm what kind of weed browse do you have hung up with the branches?


The fresh stuff in the front is asparagus. I also have sweet potato vines, orach, ragweed, and a few other things that I've either pruned out of the garden or cut back from overgrown areas.


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Cedarwinds Farm said:


> The fresh stuff in the front is asparagus. I also have sweet potato vines, orach, ragweed, and a few other things that I've either pruned out of the garden or cut back from overgrown areas.


It looked familiar but I wasn’t placing it! 🤣
That’s a good idea… I usually wait and let my asparagus die off and dry before I cut it. But my goats do love to reach thru the fence and get what they can, so I’m sure they’d go crazy for in winter time 😊


----------



## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

Boer Mama said:


> It looked familiar but I wasn’t placing it! 🤣
> That’s a good idea… I usually wait and let my asparagus die off and dry before I cut it. But my goats do love to reach thru the fence and get what they can, so I’m sure they’d go crazy for in winter time 😊


I don't grow asparagus, but was helping a friend with her garden. She wanted the asparagus cut back, so I loaded it all in the truck and brought it home for my goats.


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

@Cedarwinds Farm your stash is so awesome! 😍 How much air flow would you say your stash gets? Our garage is pretty closed in, but we can leave the door open on dry days (more often they are damp). We have our hay stored in there, so we keep it closed up when it's really humid.


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I'm probably overthinking how to feed it. I just hate to see the waste that comes even from feeding live branches and also I know my herd queen's going to need to be kept in check so that everyone can get their fill. 🤔 I have an idea in my brain, but I don't know if I can really pull it off. . . .

Edit to bring my thoughts to life:
It I don't end up using it at least it gave me an excuse to play around with microsoft paint. 😋 They could stick their heads in, but not jump in the feeder. Hinged top. Two sides as anti-bulling measures.


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

That’s a really neat idea for a tree hay feeder.


----------



## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

MellonFriend said:


> @Cedarwinds Farm your stash is so awesome! 😍 How much air flow would you say your stash gets? Our garage is pretty closed in, but we can leave the door open on dry days (more often they are damp). We have our hay stored in there, so we keep it closed up when it's really humid.


It gets some air flow, but not a lot. It's in the loft of the chicken house. I kept the loft door to the outside open for a while, but now have it closed since the majority of the tree hay is fairly dry at this point. It gets really hot up there, so that helps with drying. The only other airflow is coming up from the trapdoor and the gaps in the floor boards.
Your feeder design looks nice! If you build it, I hope you'll let us know how it works out!


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Cedarwinds Farm said:


> It gets some air flow, but not a lot. It's in the loft of the chicken house. I kept the loft door to the outside open for a while, but now have it closed since the majority of the tree hay is fairly dry at this point. It gets really hot up there, so that helps with drying. The only other airflow is coming up from the trapdoor and the gaps in the floor boards.
> Your feeder design looks nice! If you build it, I hope you'll let us know how it works out!


Well that sounds a lot like the conditions in my garage. It gets really hot in there too. Good to know, thanks! I'm planning on bundling up as much as I can manage today and seeing how it goes. 🙂


----------



## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

MellonFriend said:


> I'm probably overthinking how to feed it. I just hate to see the waste that comes even from feeding live branches and also I know my herd queen's going to need to be kept in check so that everyone can get their fill. 🤔 I have an idea in my brain, but I don't know if I can really pull it off. . . .
> 
> Edit to bring my thoughts to life:
> It I don't end up using it at least it gave me an excuse to play around with microsoft paint. 😋 They could stick their heads in, but not jump in the feeder. Hinged top. Two sides as anti-bulling measures.


That looks like a great design!
If you make it and use it, I would like to know how it worked.


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

MadHouse said:


> That looks like a great design!
> If you make it and use it, I would like to know how it worked.


I'm thinking I just might have to make it. I think it would be great for feeding other things too like root vegetables and herbs, even hay. Baby goats would probably think it's a great place to sleep too. 😄


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I got four bundles put up today. I feel like a legit farmer "putting up hay". 😄 I did a bundle each of oak, tupelo, silver berry, and tulip poplar. The oak and the poplar are really big, so I incidentally discovered the limit of bundle size. 😬 I had a lot of fun doing it. I can't wait to see how it turns out!


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Nice work @MellonFriend ! 😁🍀🤩


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

This is so neat! Every time I get a goat that isn’t feeling well in the winter I always say I’m going to collect leaves and store them for ones that don’t feel good but never find the time. If I have a goat totally off feed the one thing I can always get them to eat is oak leaves! 
My sons wether doesn’t feel great right now, I think just too much heat and grain so he is getting leaves right now and has already perked back up in just a few days. So good for you doing this! Can I hire you?


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Jessica84 said:


> So good for you doing this! Can I hire you?


Might be a bit of a commute. 😂


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

I really want to try and bundle up some cattails to have for winter hay now. I need to get going on them before they start turning tho!
We are having a continued heat wave still… usually it breaks mid august but we are still having 100°+ days this week. So I only have a few hours in the morning to work on things, and I still have my feed trough projects going on. Lol

I think spring cattail shoots would probably be a little more tender, but my goats still like them now. They just don’t like getting their feet wet. So if I do the work of cutting them, I’m gonna wait and give it to them in the winter 😅


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Well my adventures in tree hay so far have only taught me what not to do. In the beginning of September I put up probably around ten bundles of various different types of trees. I tied my bundles very tightly because I figured the tighter I get my bundles, the more I could fit in the limited space I had, and I had heard that mold wasn't really a problem with tree hay. I wrapped the bundles like a Christmas tree and put them in the rafters of our garage which doesn't have much ventilation.









Well, a few weeks ago I noticed that a few of my bundles were starting to mold. At least from what I can tell at this point, it was only my poplar bundles that were molding, so I got them down and sure enough, all of the poplar bundles are black and moldy in the center of them.









Not only that but also they were infested in caterpillars.😐 Here's some of the caterpillar damage.









And what's that all over the driveway where I opened the bundles? It's caterpillar poop. 😐 Tons and tons of caterpillar poop.
















So, I've got about five or six bundles left in the rafters. Some oak, black gum, silverberry, and black walnut. I don't see any mold on the outside of those bundles, but I don't have a lot of hope. So clearly next year I'll have to tie my bundles a different way to help the moisture from the center leaves escape, but this caterpillar issue? I really don't know how that's not going to be a problem again. 🤔 We'll see if they are in the other types of leaves too.

Here's what's left of my stash. I'll open them up once I actually would want to start feeding them.


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

I didn’t even think about caterpillars. Dang it! Sorry for the frustration… did you lay them out for a day before bundling? I know we dont want them completely crispy dry before bundling, but so it’s not fresh either…
Also, do you have much humidity where you are?
That may have factored in as well.
I hope the rest are still good! 🍀


----------



## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Aw, dang it!
I hate when stuff like that happens!


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is a shame.


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Thanks everyone. It's a shame, but I'm learning, so that's all that matters. 👍



Boer Mama said:


> I didn’t even think about caterpillars. Dang it! Sorry for the frustration… did you lay them out for a day before bundling? I know we dont want them completely crispy dry before bundling, but so it’s not fresh either…
> Also, do you have much humidity where you are?
> That may have factored in as well.
> I hope the rest are still good! 🍀


I didn't lay them out because all the research I did said that that wasn't necessary, but it is humid where I live and the poplar leaves are really juicy, so I'll have to try some different stuff next year. I hadn't thought about only partially drying them before bundling, so thanks for that idea.

This caterpillar thing though, I can't think of a solution for. Maybe it was just a freak thing.🤷‍♀️ They sure were going to town in there. 😅


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Some of my cottonwood branches were dried a cpl of days before I got to bundling them. Some still attached to the felled tree, but still dying. Lol
Anyway, the leaves still appear to be attached and haven’t all fallen off my bundles even tho they did dry some prior to bundling.
I’ve also got a very arid climate so that’s a difference too.
I’ll let you know if I open a bundle and the leaves all crumble or something 😅


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

What a bummer. Even with your mold and caterpillar issues, you did better than me this year. I didn’t get any cut. I lost the hoop greenhouse I used to hang them last year to a freak ice storm and could never figure out where to hang them. With the humidity where I live, I knew I’d need to tie them by the branch ends and hang them where they have lots of room for air to move through the branches. Not sure there’s much you can do about a caterpillar getting in there though. And it sounds like some did just fine bundled the way you had them. So at least now you know.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

🤗


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

I mentioned before that our trees still have leaves currently. They are dropping a lot more rapidly this week tho!
When I was in town Monday afternoon and yesterday, I cut a bunch of suckers growing from 2 empty lots. Mostly cottonwood, some elm.
Monday night I put my branches in the barn when I got home in the dark, kept it dry. Last night I had pulled my bed cover over the branches to hopefully keep them dry. (My cover isn’t in great shape, it I’d hoped if it wasn’t a downpour, it would work ok.) they did get a little wet. I shook them off this morning and I have them stood up, not bundled.
I’m planning on feeding them first, before my dried bundles from June. Mainly to free up my stall for kidding time. Lol
























☝ I have a hose stretched across the stall to hold the damp branches up so they are away from the ones against the wall. Hopefully they’ll dry ok even tho we don’t have warm temps anymore.
My piles of green leaves are drying ok. I just turned them over to expose the middle ones to air.








there’s no dampness in the pile so I think they’ll be fine.
I’ve got some leaves that had fallen off the felled trees and dried, which I raked up and bagged since they were dry.











my dried bundles look like they’re ok. But once I open the bundles we will see if they leaves are nothing but crumbles. Lol








The bundles are cottonwood. The fresh ones in front are my elm cuttings from this week, so just layed out and not bundled.
I think I’d read, in one of these threads on tree hay, that it’s best to cut your tree hay in June when still in growth mode. That there’s more nutrition in them at that time… I wonder if the dried ones from early in the year will still be more nutritional than the more recently cut ones, even tho they’ve had more time sitting around?
I’m sure the goats will enjoy them all anyway. Lol


----------



## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

@Boer Mama , those look so delicious, I would love some ! 😋


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

MadHouse said:


> @Boer Mama , those look so delicious, I would love some ! 😋


You know you hang out with your goats too much when… 😆
Thank you! I’m sure the goats will all eat an extra leaf or two for you 😜


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Your stash looks amazing! My first thought too was that it looked delicious. 😂 

Neato skull you got there too. 💀


----------



## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

MellonFriend said:


> Your stash looks amazing! My first thought too was that it looked delicious. 😂
> 
> Neato skull you got there too. 💀


Sometimes I take a whiff of their hay and think 🤤


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

MellonFriend said:


> Your stash looks amazing! My first thought too was that it looked delicious. 😂
> 
> Neato skull you got there too. 💀


Thanks! I feel like I doubled my stash this last month with my extended warm weather 😅
I’m in town right now, but opted not to cut more suckers cus it’s super windy and spitting snow and I just don’t want to deal with it 🥶
Maybe, where the nights were getting colder already, there won’t be caterpillars? We will see…


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Opened up some more bundles of my tree hay today. The black walnut and black gum bundles were a complete loss. They both were moldy and the black gum had a little caterpillar damage. Good news though, my bundle of silverberry branches was totally fine inside! I tied that one looser and those leaves are a lot less succulent to begin with, so I think that had a lot to do with the success. Man the goats went nuts for it! The does especially though it was just as good as fresh leaves. I wish I knew the nutrition content of it. As is I think I'll have to see if I can grow some more bushes of that.


----------



## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

This is interesting. I would like to do the opposite and collect all the Douglas fir branches that fall now during wind storm season, for the summer. But I feel like all the needles would just fall off. Is anyone on here doing needle trees? Or is that just pointless?


----------



## NigerianNewbie (Jun 6, 2018)

BloomfieldM said:


> This is interesting. I would like to do the opposite and collect all the Douglas fir branches that fall now during wind storm season, for the summer. But I feel like all the needles would just fall off. Is anyone on here doing needle trees? Or is that just pointless?


Evergreen tree branches do not seem to dry or even keep well. Unless it is freshly cut or no older than 24 hours old, the branches become saggy and drip sap, the needles change color, and their texture becomes hard. Not only do the branches look haggard, I sort of found out the hard way the goats here did choose to go hungry a whole day rather than eat off 2 day old evergreen branches.


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Yeah I agree on the evergreens. We have a white pine that drops green branches occasionally and the goats just do not have any interest in them after they've sat for a few days.


----------



## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

Dang… we just get so many now that they get sick of them and they really crave them in the summer… I just don’t like cutting them when they will fall anyway later!


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

@MellonFriend I’m sorry your stash didn’t hold up better for you! Maybe if you do lay them out in the sun for a day or two it would be better for you next year? That way you could still use some of the trees you have around… I mean, still go ahead and start some new bushes of the ones that worked best for you by all means 😉

@BloomfieldM, I agree the evergreens won’t age well once it starts getting warmer. I think everyone else’s goats turning up their noses at the 2 day old branches might be a little spoiled? 😜
Or maybe they just know they’ll get something better? Lol 
I cut extra pine branches for my goats when we got our Christmas tree and I have one more armful to put out- probably this weekend. I admit they don’t seem as gunho about them as I thought- even the first day I brought them home. But I jut figured maybe they are getting that nutrition from somewhere else? Tannins in the sagebrush maybe? Lol
In January, they always love my old Christmas tree and that’s after it’s been cut for a month!
So who knows… I think there must be other factors at play. 🤷🏼‍♀️


----------



## NigerianNewbie (Jun 6, 2018)

Boer Mama said:


> In January, they always love my old Christmas tree and that’s after it’s been cut for a month!
> So who knows… I think there must be other factors at play. 🤷🏼‍♀️


The water added into the bottom of the holder helps to keep the tree hydrated. It's possible to keep evergreen branches almost a week if left where the branches can submerge into water. (A tall 14 gallon kitchen trash bin) The ends do tend to sap over and stop taking in water, especially if smaller in dimension.

Could be my goats are a little spoiled. They now have their very own evergreen groove (2 types of pine, cedar and cypress) that I planted for them about 3 years ago just to clip branches from without having to leave home to hunt some down for them.


----------



## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

Boer Mama said:


> @MellonFriend I’m sorry your stash didn’t hold up better for you! Maybe if you do lay them out in the sun for a day or two it would be better for you next year? That way you could still use some of the trees you have around… I mean, still go ahead and start some new bushes of the ones that worked best for you by all means 😉
> 
> @BloomfieldM, I agree the evergreens won’t age well once it starts getting warmer. I think everyone else’s goats turning up their noses at the 2 day old branches might be a little spoiled? 😜
> Or maybe they just know they’ll get something better? Lol
> ...


My goats really chow down on the fir branches and other times are just not interested.. I haven’t noticed a pattern yet. I do know that they go for them more in the summer and when I have dried them off rather than feeding them to them still wet from the rain.


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

@NigerianNewbie good point about the water basin. And I suppose when I pick up leftover trees at the lot, the trunk has sealed off and it’s been very cold. And like I said, by January they seem to really want them. Lol
I love that you planted a row of evergreens for them- wish I could get some to grow! When we moved out here I tried to transplant small trees from the mountain down for a windbreak on the west of my house. Too big of a temp change coming down here to the desert. Lol

we’d better stop sidetracking melons thread on tree hay now 😉


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Boer Mama said:


> we’d better stop sidetracking melons thread on tree hay now 😉


Actually this isn't my thread. 😅 Fizzy started it, but I'm sure she doesn't mind any related chit-chat.


----------



## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

That is too bad @MellonFriend , that so much of your tree hay went bad. Since you are in a humid climate, you may need a lot more air space around the leaves.


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Yeah next year I'm going to try leaving my bundles down in the main area of the garage before I put them up in the rafters. Air flow really isn't good up there. I could maybe even hang them in an unused barn to dry first. I'm sure I'll figure something out. I'm just glad this year I at least got one bundle for the goaties to enjoy. 🙂


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

If you can cut some branches with multiple little branches out /forks… you could tie twine going across at intervals and just hang them upside down on the stringers for a few days to dry out. Then tie into bundles and store up out of the way.
Probably, whoever first did the tree hay bundles without any drying ahead of time, didn’t live in a high humidity area.
I’m in a dry climate and I still laid them out for a day or so just because I was worried. I may have lost some nutrients that way tho 🤷🏼‍♀️


----------



## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

In the old days feed sacks were burlap, the sucked up the moisture, and were waffle woven, so air could pass thru. I hung my mix of saplings in a storage barn. Ill take pictures later. But the leaves are still on, and they are drying nicely.


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

MellonFriend said:


> Actually this isn't my thread.  Fizzy started it, but I'm sure she doesn't mind any related chit-chat.


Mind it, I love it! 

I’m sorry about the bundles that didn’t do well. I didn’t even get tree hay cut this year. Last year, I had my tree hay in a hoop greenhouse with the windows and doors open. They were tied with twine by the branch ends and hung over a pole. So they had lots of air flow. Every single one did great (until a freak ice storm collapsed the greenhouse, even then, I could crawl in there and get some tree hay out). I did elm, ash, oak, black gum, and poplar, all with equal success. But it took up a ton of space. I’m still trying to figure out a plan for next year.


----------



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

FizzyGoats said:


> But it took up a ton of space.


Yeah, space does seem to be a downfall of all this. That's why it would have been great for me if tying the bundles as tightly as possible would have worked because I think I could get in a lot more "hay" in the space I have.


----------



## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Oooooops heres the pics


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

I opened up a couple of bundles today so I could verify how it’s held up. Thankfully no issue with it being tied tightly- but again, I did let it dry a cpl of days, and I’m in a dry climate. So my other concern was if all the leaves would just crumble off if they were too dried out 😅
I gave one bundle to my little captives, and the other I spread out on the panels of the hoop house for the goats to find. There was a little bit of leaves that dropped where I opened up the bundle, but most of the branches stayed intact.






















this ☝ shows where I opened up the bundle and dropped leaves. I think a lot of it had to do with me separating the branches to hang up at intervals tho, rather than just leaving together.


----------



## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Happy solstice present for the goat!! 😋


----------



## BloomfieldM (7 mo ago)

Nom nom 🤤


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

😁👍


----------

