# Hay nets?



## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

As my goats stomped on and generally wasted the last bale of expensive hay I bought (we're at $9 a bale!) I was wondering if a hay net would work? Being new to wasteful goat ways, I thought a trough would suffice, boy was I wrong! I sure learned that lesson quick.

So, hay nets? Or any other options?

Thank you!


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

hay nets are very dangerous, they get their heads and legs tangled in them, they can strangle themselves and break limbs.
my hay feeder is made out of cattle panels with large six by six squares (known as a handy panel, i got at the feed store) i cut it to the size i wanted and put it on an angle with a wood box on the back side.
beth


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Don't use hay nets!! We used them for awhile, some would stick their head through, if they get wrapped in them, they can get suffocated! That didn't happen to ours, but it's VERY possible if we had hay nets any longer they might have. Also, they're pretty hard to fill and refill and it's a big hassle!! Our local Big R has Equine brand hay bags, these are way better to use, better quality, but more $$$ and they can't get their heads stuck. These are way safer. Or we also use kiddy pools, they're like $7 at toys R us, those work great!! Keeps most of the hay in. :thumb:


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

There is a lady on here, sewitall I think was her screen name, anyway she makes horse feeder bags that are WAY cheaper then the ones you buy in the store - and they are CUTE! She made me some kid coats for my kids that were born in Jan/March!

I have a wood feeder that has slats in the front, but I need to make a top as they pull it from there and waste a bit - however - get a horse - they clean up every scrap that the goats waste - LOL!


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## enjoytheride (Oct 5, 2007)

I used hay bags for awhile when I was moving goats around and they worked well- however the goats were really hard on them- the bags had lasted years for the horses but the goats did them in within a couple of weeks with pushing at them.
A feeder where the goats can only get their noses into the hay will minimize the waste.


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## heavenlyhaven (Apr 17, 2008)

i have a hay feeder that i bought on clearance at TSC
it is "Y" shaped at either end (the legs) and there is wire panels inbetween that form a large "V" to hold the hay
we put some heavey plastic over top of it and it works great
there is still waste but we use that for bedding for the chickens/goats/rabbits/etc
also
in my barns i have pieces of fencing nailed katty korner and put hay in behind that
works great
stil some waste but it gets used as bedding


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## Cinder (Mar 3, 2008)

Would you all be willing to post pictures of what you use to feed your hay with? I'd love some ideas as I'm not happy with what I'm using right now (which is a metal horse feeder). They jump into the tray and poo and pee and then won't (obviously) eat the hay that has fallen into the trough.


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## heavenlyhaven (Apr 17, 2008)

on another note
fair is this coming sunday
they are putting all 6 of my goats in one stall
ok - it's a big stall - but still...
anyway
i have redbarn woven field fence for my goat pasture
i had a 6 foot or so section just laying around
i cut it in half vertically and then put the 2 cut ends together and used the wires sticking out to wire it to it self so i have 2 - 4' cylinders
i will put one in each of the front corners of my stall at fair and stuff hay into them from the top
will take pics later today and post of what i have up for hay and the waste that is around them


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

OH!

Thank you for all the warnings! I most certainly wouldn't want to put them at risk. Perhaps I could buy a bit of cheap fencing and bend it into a box shape and hang it on the fence? That way they could pull out the hay through the wire?

Yes, please post pictures of your own hay feeders.

Thank you again


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## goatiegurl*Oh (Nov 11, 2007)

Are metal horse hay racks ok? I was thinking about using one for fair next week.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

I have a few different hay feeders...I have used kiddie pools, they work well but my goats like to pee and poo in them. I have used hay nets and had heads stuck in the and horns too. I have made my own hay feeders out of goat panels, they also work pretty well. I have used hay bags, they have just one hole and they dont/havent gotten their heads stuck in it. I now use a horse hay feeder that i moddified, it has 2"x4" squares on the outside so they can just get their noses in the feeder....

I know of someone that uses a plastic barrel with a hole cut in it..they hang them up....they work really well for polled or disbudded/dehorned goats.


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## heavenlyhaven (Apr 17, 2008)

goat hay feeder we bought on clearance at TSC
















bit of field fence nailed to tree for a 'quick' hay feeder








piece of fence nailed katty korner in barn for a hay feeder









(don't know if anyone remembers the quick barn idea from the coffee shop
cattle panels bent in an upside down "U" with a tarp over it
well it worked great for over a year but Pig thought he was still a baby and could climb on it
he made the cattle panels look like "M's" instead of "U's" so we had to build a new barn(not finished))


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

Thank you for the pictures!

The idea I have should work, hopefully. I'm glad I asked about hay nets before going out and getting some.

On a side note, that goat with the brown and white spots on the black coat is gorgeous!!!


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## goatiegurl*Oh (Nov 11, 2007)

I was thinking the same thing. :wink: Is that a Nigerian in there to,on the right of the second pic?


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## heavenlyhaven (Apr 17, 2008)

that's Arthur
he was just shipped in from Wisconsin from Eliya
he was born black with chocolate moon spots
when i clipped my show goats i tried to clip him but he still has a lot of baby fuzz and my clippers wouldn't work on him 
anyway
i did manage to get a strip down his back and underneath his black he is, of course, black but under those chocolate spots he is white :shocked: :thumb: :clap: 
i can't wait to see what he matures into  :shades:


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## goatiegurl*Oh (Nov 11, 2007)

He's cute.  Thats an interesting color change. Eliya has some really pretty goats,I liked Cowkid and several others. :wink: I think I want a Nigi though. lol

Just went to your website,I like Ivy and Louise alot to. :wink: I like the minis but dont think theres any shows for them around here.


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