# Ned almost died in his hay feeder



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

UGh..when will we ever find a safe hay feeder...we have a slatted feeder..bars are up and down...far enough where kids can stick their head in..we had this feeder in the young bucks pen...I went out to check on everyone and there was Ned..my Saanen/nubian buck...head through one slat then pulled through the other looking toward his bum!! How in the heck did he do that!! He looked to me already dead...body was limp...eye wide..he wasn't fighting..I rushed in and got his head through the first slat ..I heard a gurgle...Popped his head through the other slat...he fell...stood shook it off and acted like nothing happened...Me on the other hand was shaking like a leaf!!!! needless to say...my son removed the hay feeder and gave it to the donkeys...now my boys will have to eat hay out of a manger I know they will lay in ...spill and waste hay...but at least safe.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Boy, you sure are getting the scares lately! Glad he is ok.


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## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

Wow O.O Glad he is ok! It's a wonder what goats can do when they want to freak us out...or just be weirdos  My doe loves to get her head stuck in her pen bars at shows...one time it was like, 20 mins to show and she got stuck and we couldn't get her out! Eventually though someone experienced with this problem simply pushed her head to the floor(where the bars were wider apparently) and popped her head out. Little brat goat was screaming because she couldn't see me. At least your bucks will be safe now!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I know Karen...dont know how much more scares I can take...I have to be out of town most the day tomorrow...after today I'm nervous to leave lol...I just have to leave them in Gods hands..lol

Kaneel: I know what you mean...they keep us on our toes!


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## goatgirl132 (Oct 18, 2012)

Id get a hay bag with a hole in the center. 
Thats what i make and use.

So sorry that happened!!

show goat/lamb equipment
www.Facebook.com/wickedshowchains


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

With my luck they would get tangled in the bag lol....Im thinking with goat kids a pile of hay in the middle of their pen is safest lol..but then the waste and dirt lol...


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

I have ideas for a hayfeeder that they can't get their head stuck in. it's kind of like those ones people build on the wall but you use a wire shelf to hold the hay back (like fridge shelves) and there's nowhere for them to get their head stuck.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Sheesh Cathy what a scare! They like to keep us jumping & sometimes it's NOT fun.
Almost 2 mo Cierra has gotten her head stuck in hay rack twice.
Years ago a disbudded Nub got stuck a few times in the V part of the rack.
It never ends. They will always think of ways to make us nuts.


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## usamagoat (May 2, 2013)

Glad you saw him and helped before he died. Great work

Never anything happened to my goats except my lovely nubian/saanen doe once lost a teat anyone who can tell me what it is that caused that.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

usamagoat: When you say lost..do you mean non functioning or rotten off? did she have mastisis?..When left too long a doe can loose he udder or teat...what all accured before her loosing the teat..and what does it look like now?


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Oh no....how scary! Glad it worked out well for you


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

happybleats said:


> UGh..when will we ever find a safe hay feeder...


I have an idea about that, and I'm going to make one and give it a try. If you like, you are welcome to try it. I got this idea during the storm a couple of weeks ago when I needed to feed the girls under the shed so they wouldn't get so wet. I took a 3X3X8 flake of hay, split it in two, set it against the interior fence and wired a hog panel over it so the flake of hay was between the fence and the hog panel. They could eat, didn't waste it, and there was not enough room for anyone to get their heads stuck.

Materials:
1 sheet of 1/2 to 3/4" plywood cut to fit your needs.
1 cattle or hog panel cut to fit the plywood.
2 2X4's or 2X6's cut to fit the height of the plywood less roughly 2".
1 2X12 cut to fit the length of the plywood.
1 1X2 cut to fit the length of the 2X12 plus 2 pieces 1' long.

To Assemble:
Attach the 2X4's or 2X6's to either end of the plywood so they are flush with the edges using screws.

Attach the 2X12 to the bottom edge of the plywood flush with the edge using screws.

Attach the 1X2 to all 3 edges of the 2X12.

Attach the cattle/hog panel to the 2X4's or 2X6's.

Attach hooks to hang it on the fence, insert hay, and watch them eat!

I'm glad your little guy is ok. It is truly amazing the predicaments the little dingbats can get themselves in!


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

What type of feeder was it? Same thing happened to my monkey of a goat, only once she got her head though the second bar, the feeder fell on her!!! Goats will do the darndest things sometimes!!!!!!  Happy your Ned survived. He must have been terrified...


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

I'm sorry that happened. Can you post a picture of the feeder? I just kinda want to visualize what happened better. In case it's like one if my feeders.

I got tired of my old feeders and I built one that I'm super proud of. Just haven't shown it off to the forum yet. Do you mind if I post a picture later or tomorrow?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

..it has four half barrel feeders...two on either side and rods forming a v shape feeder on top...not too tall..perfect for mini donkeys...not so much for goats! Ill post pix tomorrow...unless I find one I have already lol


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## mtmom75 (May 19, 2011)

Oh wow. I'm so glad he was okay! I hear ya on trying to find a safe hay feeder. I've yet to find one that they can't hurt themselves on. One of my bucks got his head stuck in the hay feeder last week too, but not at a precarious angle like yours. Mine was just stuck straight in with his head in the middle of a bunch of hay. Luckily I was home and heard him screaming and went out and rescued him.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

wow..I have tons of pictures with just a tiny bit of the feeder showing...lol..hope these help..a few different views..


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Its hard to imagine seeing Neds little head stuck through one slat..then back through another...still freaks me out


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

OMG ! Cathy :hug: glad you were there to get poor Ned out of his predicament ! Thank goodness he's OK , but poor you !!
You aint kidding when you say they keep us on our toes . 
I swear mine are trying to see how high they can get my blood pressure !
I dont drink , but I just might have to start having these animals !!


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

What a lovely place you have there Cathy ! 
Your goats all look so happy and content


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Thank you trickyroo...
Crazygoat when you get that build I would love to see pix...a friend told me she buys baby gates from walmart...takes them apart...then sandwhiches hay between the baby gate panel and the fence...she uses a bit of wire to make hooks to hold it tight against the goat panel fence..she said its strong but if any one get stuck the plastic breaks away easy enough..she said since its baby proof it should be baby goat proof..lol.. the baby gate is on the outside of the pen holding the hay up against the panel...babies eat the hay by pulling it through the goat panel...nothing for them to stand on...nothing to get stuck in..I might try that..I have a few old baby gates : )


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## phugueley (Apr 21, 2013)

You can take a cattle panel what ever size you want. Staple it about 1-2 feet off the ground and use a chain to connect it to the wall. You will have to use smaller bales or even hand pull it but its a very safe and effective way to keep the hay off the ground and keep from them wasting it.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

phugueley: we do that for our adult goats..we make a basket of sorts from cut panels...works great..but the kids will run and jump in them, get their feet stuck though the panels...such a pain those little boogers...


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

So far my favorite homemade feeder was build using a left over piece of horse panel. The holes are big enough for their noses, but they can't get their heads in! And the waste has been drastically cut down. Our other feeders were made out of combo panel and we have awful waste.


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## oxhilldairy (Mar 24, 2013)

Sorry for your scary experience! Mine wasn't to scary it was quite funny I walked into the barn to this! Gotta love them goatiess


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

oxhilldairy...she is a cutie...I tell mine they better be glad they are cute....or I would eat them!!!


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## usamagoat (May 2, 2013)

happy bleats 

Its healed up now :stars:

But blocked


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

usamagoat: Maybe scar tissue?...Was it injured or did she have mastitis? How long has it been healed? Has she freshened since?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Ebony gave me a scare a few days ago. We have a feeder under their playground, it is open at the top -- made of chicken wire around two tree-poles. Well, Ebony was trying to escape all the kids she has mothered. She was on the playscape where they couldn't reach her. I turned my back for a minute and when I looked back she had jumped INTO the tiny feeder. Her whole body was somehow squashed in there, and she was merrily chewing cud and looking at me like "Look! I found a hideout! I'm so clever, they can't get me here."

I'm just glad she didn't panic or she would have broken her legs. Needless to say, a rescue mission was launched that had to do with some wire clippers and a hammer. Mr. Feeder is no more :laugh:


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

I just put my hay in plastic tubs and bath tubs on the ground. Im too paranoid about things like this happening.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Oh wow , Danielle , that was a scary moment to say the least 
Its amazing what these goats will do !!!! :GAAH:
Glad she is OK , sorry about Mr Feeder though


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Oxhilldairy , she is adorable  Love that face of hers , sooo sweet !
Bless her little heart , lolol


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

keren said:


> I just put my hay in plastic tubs and bath tubs on the ground. Im too paranoid about things like this happening.


That idea is looking better and better to me Keren !


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

I am so glad you got to your baby in time. Here is a style that I have found works best for my babies. I have a kid version that doesn't have the three squares but one long one instead. Here is the link to the post. http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f202/home-made-hay-rack-about-8-a-138440/


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

I know this thread is a little old, but I was just looking for a hay feeder plan, and this is very informative! We've never had a really good one. It seems like we're always making a temporary one out hatever old fencing is lying around, then it'll break after a couple months and we'll build a new one, and so on.
All these stories of them getting stuck is scary, but the worst "getting stuck" incident that happened to us was back when we were still trying to milk wild Nigerians.  Seem we would have such a time milking those things; they would literally LAY on the pail. They did NOT want to be milked, but we were determined to try. You wouldn't believe all the homemade hobbles we made, and techniques we tried. It would often end up that someone would actually hold the little goats' back legs up in the air -yes!- whilesomeone else milked.
Anyway, needless to say, milking was stressful, and one time, someone (not me, thankfully!) forgot to let the last goat out of the milk stand after we were finished. I went out to feed them in the morning, and I heard someone in the barn screaming. So I ran out there, and poor little Sierra was still in there. Somehow she had flipped the stand over sideways, and had her head at a bad angle to where she was slightly choked. I was so scared, I could hardly let her out. She was weak and panting, sweary and scared, but not seriously hurt. I can't believe that happened, but we've never had that happen again.
Sorry to tell such a stressful story, but I thought it might be a good heads-up to some: *Don't leave your goat in the stand!*
Anyway, I like some of the hay feeder ideas here, and I'll see if I can get my bro. to try one.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Yiks..that is scary..poor Sierra!!!

this year we had to move our young buck pen and used a goat panel pull in a side ways arch to complete the fencing because it was already attached to t post, we justuntied it on one end and bent it back..in doing so we had an empty half circle thingy...so we dumped the boys hay in that area nd it has worked like a charm..no sharp edge...to high to jump in ( a huge issue with goats) no open end to get head stuck in and no wire to get caught in...Now we will use the corners of each pen to do a corner hay rack with the same idea.....I'll keep you posted..here is a pic of our quick pen and the panel


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

That look like it works pretty well; we've done it like that before, but it seems to waste more hay than some since the holes are so big. For some situations, I guess that's okay- if you want to bed the barn, they'll do it for you, but ours always spill so much that they're up to their hocks in it. I wouldn't care if it was grass from our field, but w buy our hay, and it's just not cost effective.
I'll post a picture of what we've got right now later. I'd like to improve it.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

the holes on this one are smaler then cattle panels...they still do waste quite a bit..but I dont mind so much as long as they are safe...we also buy our hay...its expensive...we do rake up the cleanish hay and bring it to the pigs...they like to bed down on it as well and nibble the clean parts..


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

You own a lot of bucks, happybleats! Are they all yours, or are they offspring that you will sell?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

These are this seasons kids lol...they all need new homes lol..
we only Have Two Bucks right now that are our Herd Sires...
Amos is our Saanen buck and Thunder is our Lamacha Buck..and soon we will have two more...two Nigerian dwarf bucks to help up start our Mini Saanen herd...


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

happybleats said:


> These are this seasons kids lol...they all need new homes lol..
> we only Have Two Bucks right now that are our Herd Sires...
> Amos is our Saanen buck and Thunder is our Lamacha Buck..and soon we will have two more...two Nigerian dwarf bucks to help up start our Mini Saanen herd...


Ooo how fun! We wouldn't be able to go mini over here. Too many rough Nubis and Boers pushing eachother around. Though I have considered it in the past, we have decided to stick with standards  It seems as if the miniature breeds are getting more popular lately.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

they are popular...and saanen are great to do that with...we have lamancha and nubian too but we will focus on the saanen....it will take time to get there but thats ok...all those cute first and second generations will be worth it : )


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

Okay, hers a few pics of our current hay feeder. My brother and I built it hoping it would be better, but the slats were too far apart, so we lined it with horse fencing, but then the holes were too small, so we cut a few bigger holes, and then they tore it up.... So now it's in need of repair.


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

Here they are? It worked before, I don't understand why it's not working now.


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

Sorry, I'll do it tomorrow I guess.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

lol...its hard to get that figured out..lol..we used a goat panel and put it in a corner...its too high for themto jump in...no sharp edges, holes big enough to pull hay through...I think it will work great...


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

Hey sorry about that! I DID load pics on here several days ago, then I look again, and they're not here! I think I logged out too quickly, and they didn't take.

I guess I didn't need to show y'all our hay feeder, just wanted to share.  my brother and I built it hoping the slats would be enough, but they spilled too much, so we lined it with wire. I want o add a tray under it to catch overflow.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

wow..very nice job : )


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

Thanks, we need to build a couple more, lol. We've got about four separate pens right now. I like the goat panel idea much better, though. Maybe we can get some...


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