# PVC feeder



## trob1

Here are some pictures of some pvc feeders I have made.

This one is great for lots of goats if you have alot of space. It is a 10 foot long pvc pipe cut in half to make a feeder that is 20 foot long. I have it set on some pieces of wood to get it off the ground and stable.










Here is a smaller one alot like the above one. Great if you have less goats.










This one is attached to the stall wall and can be cut to fit any size wall. You can set it at any hight and I screw it to the wall with wood pieces as legs on each end and if you need put one in the middle.


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## kelebek

Cool!!! Thank you for the ideas!!! 

I am wanting to get the hay feeders that you put up on the wall that are more like a half moon.and you put them kind of high - I saw them in a pic a while back. Anyway I was thinking those on either side of a grain feeder like yours would work great! I have 9 goats now and lots of babies on the way


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## liz

I really like that idea....and seems to be VERY easy to clean the raisins out of too! Mine have that habit...no matter what level the feed pans are at..they seem to leave me "presents"


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## alyssa_romine

I have friends that use those feeders and they are very durable and easy to get those berries out!!!


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## MissMM

I found the idea for my PVC feeder at the following page and it works like a dream:

http://www.boergoat.net/Feeders.htm

The only modification I would do if I had it to do again is to not put the hay feeder right above the grain feeder... I think it causes more hay to congomerate in their fleece when the goaties are constantly under it to see if they missed any grain specs.....

mmm


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## goat fever

The feeder is nice, but I am impressed with the size of that hay rack. WOW it is huge compared to the goats and the person in the picture. Very inventive.


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## sweetgoats

I tell you, you are so lucky that your goats get along well enough to share. I guess I have not taught my goats manors, because they would NEVER ever get along to share. I have to feed the m all separate, but I guess that is ok because I feed them all different.
I have PVC mineral feeders that I made, I have them all over the barn.


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## trob1

LOL goats share, what is that. Mine don't share either but if the feeder is long enough then they can each gobble up some. I used to hook each up to eat but with more goats now that is just too much.


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## sweetgoats

I have a few does that are sure *******, ok sweet hearts, that some of the others will not even go in the same area of the barn as them. So I am not sure if they would even try to eat from the feeders. I don't know, maybe I could put one in a area where the snots are and one in a area where the more passive ones will go. It looks like a great idea for the weaning pen.


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## MissMM

I'm very lucky to have a carpenter as my other half.... He can build whatever I want (as long as I pay for the materials). The feeder isn't full of hay like that very often 'cause they waste a LOT of it. 

I probably have myself snowed that this will work forever, but I taught them to share by removing a goat from the feeder if he/she got nasty towards one of the other kids that was trying to eat. I only give them a small amount of grain twice a day (long enough to clean off the bench & give fresh water before they start climbing on me) so they learned quickly that if they were going to get any grain, they had to share. I haven't gotten brave enough yet to try that theory with my horses......


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## Nupine

I have one in my barn and I love it! [other than when the chickens poop in it!]


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## goathappy

Those are really nice feeders!


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## rkalgren

Cool idea. I made something like that to water my birds. I am thinking about making a constant flow version to water the goats in the winter. Since we have a spring that gravity feeds the house and barn, no electric used.
Bob


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## kelebek

This is a picture of the feeder that my hubby built me. They work great and others that have come to the ranch have paid for hubby to make them some also.










We have 4 of these and it accomedates all 20 goaties if I have all the doors open to all the stall areas. There is 1 in the horse stall / kidding stall, 1 in the cover area next to the mineral feeder and water trough, and 2 out under the awning.


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## sweetgoats

They are such a great idea. I just wish my goats would learn how to share. I guess I never tough them that. (oops). 
can I ask, How on earth do you monitor how much one is getting verses another? I think I would have some that get a lot of the grain and others none.

I have the PVC Mineral feeders. I thing I have like 18 or so, full of loose mineral, baking soda and Sea Kelp. I am starting to believe that you can not have a farm with out PVC pipe and Duct Tape. Those two I have around all the time. :ROFL:


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## kelebek

That is the down side - there is no way to regulate feed with an open feeder like what is shown.

I don't grain mine out on a regular basis. It is more of a treat. In winter I put a protein mix grain in there for them, and then what ever "left overs" from the house go in there. I only grain on the milk stand, or if one is needing extra I will bring them out and feed them pellets and what not on the milk stand even though they are not milking.

This summer, I put minerals and baking soda in one of them because I had a quarentine in the other area where the minerals were.


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## ArcticGoats

Nice! I think I'll try it - so far I've been using bowls to feed a little grain - but its like a madhouse to distribute them - thanks for the suggestion re: where to put them - i was thinking right under the hay but sounds like a better idea to move it away - of course, mine are all covered with hay anyway - i put in a trough that they climb in - perhaps i should take it out?

[attachment=0:1aa9sq9u]willifeeder.jpg[/attachment:1aa9sq9u]


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## kelebek

I have a wood hay feeder somewhat like that - and I am busting it out. They climb on it and then into the hay, or they lay on it and poo there. Not sure if I will take the hay feeder off and leave a place for the babies to hide underneith and the 6 month olds to lay on - or leave just the hay feeder. We will see.

PS What a CUTIE!!!


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## Nancy_in_GA

kelebek said:


> I have a wood hay feeder somewhat like that - and I am busting it out. They climb on it and then into the hay, or they lay on it and poo there. ...


We have a similar type feeder and also had the "climbing in" problem, so we added a horizontal board across the front and it seems to work. Add a 2x4 to each of the two front corners extending up, maybe all the way to the rafters of the barn, then attach the 2x4 across these two boards. Best to try to make the board removeable so you can clean it out easier. And you'll have to experiment with the height because they will figure out some way to climb in if it isn't just right.


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## ArcticGoats

Great idea! I think I'll try the bar across before I remove the trough - right now the trough is a 'bed' and collects goat berries etc - so it just becomes a holding station for hay destined for the floor. So, its not exactly a no waste feeder - as it was intended - the hay in the rack is up out of the poo but my little devils love to pull down as much as possible (makes a comfy bed y'know) - and then they won't eat that hay! :hair:


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## ArcticGoats

Well, we looked at putting a bar up yesterday across the feeder - we're just Hemorraghing Hay!!!! so have to do something - but these little goaties being cashmeres and having horns on, I got worried they'd stick their heads under and get stuck. So, its snowing, its winter, we're looking at feeding hay for the next nine months - HAVE to stop/slow the waste - so we added some partitions. Since I moved the water bucket inside to keep it from freezing and it was getting too much hay in it (small barn) - I added straight sides instead of the angled plywood - this helps block the hay from falling into the water, then took the angled plywood that was on the side and it fit in the trough part (upright, perpendicular to the rack) - so its divided into thirds. All four can still get in to eat - they just can't get up in there to lay in it and poo in it now. They still put their front feet up - hopefully they won't reject that hay when we recycle it up into the feeder...

Sorry this is so off topic from the pvc feeder...


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## jordan

For my grain feeder, I bought 8 foot lengths of metal barn gutters (cheaper than PVC). 
They come with caps for each end and the thingies to attach to a roof, which I fold 
over and hang on the outside of their cattle panel fence. The goats stick their 
heads through the 4" squares on the panel and chow down without getting their poop 
or dirty feet in it. I take them off the fence when they are done. I don't allow my 
goats to get their feet in anything that they will eat out of.
Lois
http://www.fallcreekfarm.net


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