# Is this the Hay Feeder of my dreams?



## catharina

I have 4 goats & a very small pen. I've been wanting a feeder that holds a whole bale because in winter I have no good storage for hay. So I love this vertical design, & one side opens like a door to slide the bale in. I would not use pressure treated wood, & would use wooden slats instead of chicken wire. This seems so ideal to me, but there must be some drawbacks I'm not seeing or everyone would have one.

I'd appreciate everyone's feedback before we start building.


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## Jessica84

First as long as you are strong enough to huff it in there I don’t see a issue there. I think with the tray being so close to the bottom your going to have dirty feet in there. I like your idea of slates not chicken wire. The chicken wire I think would last all of 3 days lol
My dream feeder is where they have to put their whole head threw either a key hole or slates........basically picture a wooden fence that only their head can fit threw and all the hay on the other side. Everyone I have talked to has sworn by this idea. No dirty feet, they can dig threw it all they want but you know it’s still clean and good and don’t have to add more till it’s gone or you take petty on them lol


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## Kath G.

I used to love the idea of keyhole feeders, too... until I talked with some people (note plural) who had them and loved them, until they lost babies or had injured goats because when a goat is using one, they can't either see or react in time to the normal herd-order stuff that goes on. Maybe it's still worthwhile, but it was enough for me to give up on that idea entirely.


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## catharina

Thanks! I was thinking it should be higher too, as otherwise rats will like hiding under it. I agree, I bet they took that picture before they let the goats in & the chicken wire is history already! I use a hand truck to move bales around & then tip them onto the edge of where they need to go, then just have to lift the other end so not all the weight...though having it higher would make that harder....

Keyhole feeders look awesome but my goats have horns, so I'm thinking of making the slats just far enough apart than they can just get most of their faces in....


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## mariarose

How about something along these lines?

https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/dieren...aarden-slowfeeder-dieren-toebehoren-hooi.html


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## Jessica84

You know what though you could always make it taller and then open the bales and lay the flakes in. That might work out better anyways on their idea. From the looks of it they are trying to make it where they can’t eat where the wire is so they are forced to eat what’s at the bottom and then slowly it keeps going down. If the bale is cut open it’s not so compacted
In there. But with that idea they would have to be able to get to the middle as well or you might have to keep going out there and shoving the hay down on the sides. 
I agree on the key hole idea. I think I like the fence idea better, at least that way they have room to go off to the side. Even then it’s still something I’m thinking of. My dad has some livestock panels that should work for this idea and I was going to use those at first and see how it goes before I actually spend the money and make it.


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## Redbarngoatfarm

Oh I like that bin Mariarose! I wouldn’t cut it so close to the bottom though...


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## mariarose

I agree with you completely about no putting it all the way at the bottom. I don't have any of these. I like the idea of the top protecting the bale. I also liked the 3rd picture, with the circular holes? There is a drill attachement that does that. I could see doing that and keeping more of the structural integrity of the trash can.


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## Jessica84

mariarose said:


> How about something along these lines?
> 
> https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/dieren...aarden-slowfeeder-dieren-toebehoren-hooi.html


I can't see it!! Something comes up that talks in a foreign language with a button you can click on
So I was thinking (scary I know just hang with me) so this guy that is friends with my parents has a cattle feeder, I'm not 100% sure how it works but basically the more the cows eat the large bale it keeps squeezing up. So what if you made this, up high, cut the bale and put flakes in so that you don't kill yourself. Where the chicken wire area is have it totally solid with the gap at the bottom. At first I was thinking bungie cords on the inside but if they get a lip hooked that might not be good but what about a solid piece of wood on top with bricks or rocks on top of it.....something heavy. That way as they eat the weight will keep pushing the hay down?? Or something along those lines


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## mariarose

The language is Dutch, and the button is just asking if you accept the cookies.

I can't picture what you mean from your description. I don't translate words into mental pictures well at all. But it sounds like you have a very firm grasp and will probably make it work with ease.


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## catharina

I can read Dutch a little but hubby does not allow cookies on our computer... actually I like to leave the strings on the bale till they come loose because it almost totally stops hay wasting. Once they've gnawed off enough that the strings get loose I cut them off so nobody strangles. Right now my feeder is a dog house with a couple slats on the bottom of the door but it can only hold the small compressed bales from Tractor Supply. It's nice hay but super expensive so I only buy it in winter. You can see the lower part of the current dog house














feeder here. It keeps the hay dry & gives the goats a nice spot to nap, but I am spending at least twice as much for hay with such a small feeder that they can pull loose hay from in huge mouthfulls & drop most of it.


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## catharina

Sorry about the 2 extra pictures, I can't figure out how to delete them once it's posted. Still.


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## catharina

Here is a picture of the whole thing.


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## mariarose

I found a way to save the pictures, and that was all that is important to my question, @catharina


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## catharina

Very cool!


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## Jessica84

mariarose said:


> The language is Dutch, and the button is just asking if you accept the cookies.
> 
> I can't picture what you mean from your description. I don't translate words into mental pictures well at all. But it sounds like you have a very firm grasp and will probably make it work with ease.


I went to it twice and thought you know no one said anything about this I better not lol. And I know I don't explain things very well :/ picture something like this 








And instead of pushing down on a handle there are things that are heavy on top of it that way on its own it keeps pushing down as they eat.
If you go with that idea of the first feeder with the chicken side and put the panels up like on the garbage can those small holes do stop them from getting huge bites. I think you are still going to run into a issue of it being all stacked up in the middle and nothing falling down on the sides unless you cut the bale. I've had them get into the hay lot before and eat the bottom bale under a whole harrow and instead of the whole stack coming down they just tuned right threw it. 
My feeders right now are made out of panels that have 4"X4" squares and it made a HUGE difference then going with the ones that they could get most of their nose between the bars.....like a horse feeder. My feeders are also not square they are a V so that as they eat it keeps coming down, but again not in a whole bale.


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## catharina

Here it is! We just made it out of pallet wood & scraps. They are enjoying the novelty of it I think. We stuck the whole bale in & leaving the strings on for now. Once they can't reach anymore I'll cut them & take them off. Waiting to see if they knock it over or Sam decides to tear it apart with his horns, to see if it needs modification or reinforcement. We also need to get a latch for the door on the side where Sam is eating.


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## mariarose

Does that side with the hinge just completely open up? Is that how you fill this?

Your goats are so pretty, Catharina.


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## catharina

Yes, that whole side opens so we can slide the bale in. The top is just open so I can put the dropped hay back in. We'll see how it goes--nothing's ever certain with these guys!

Thank you for the compliment! I think they're pretty too--I like their quirky conformation which apparently served the well on the island & continues to do so.


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## TeyluFarm

That is really awesome!


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## Jessica84

Awesome job!!!!


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## ALBoerGoats

Looks great!


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## catharina

Thanks everyone! It's been 24 hours now & with 3 goats there were only a few handfuls of hay on the floor! I scooped everything out of the tray & put it back in the top. They've gnawed grooves in the bale through every gap in the slats now, so pretty soon the bale strings will come loose & I'll have to cut & remove them. Hay wasting will increase then...waiting to see how it goes, but so far I'm very happy that I can buy a large bale every week or so & not have to store any hay.


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## Kath G.

That looks just about perfect for what you needed! Good job!


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## catharina

I really think this IS the hay feeder of my dreams!!!! Check out how little hay is on the floor after all these days! Once a day I scoop the loose hay out of the tray & put it back in the top. They are eating notches into the bale & the strings are getting looser but they still can't pull big globs of hay out.







my dreams!!


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## mariarose




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## goat girls

That's awesome! I'm thinking about doing something like this.
://www.pinterest.com/pin/619033911253647770


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## catharina

goat girls said:


> That's awesome! I'm thinking about doing something like this.
> ://www.pinterest.com/pin/619033911253647770


Wow! So nice & clean & simple! Mine would wreck something like that but they get pretty wild some times. Let us know how it works out!


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## catharina

Update on my "dream" feeder! The 4 adults & 2 kids who are now eating hay are still working on the bale we put in when we first built the feeder about 10 days ago! The hay that has ended up on the floor might be less than one flake's worth. Sam has not wrecked it or knocked it over. Every day I stuff the hay from the tray back in the gaps between the slats or put it back into the top. The only drawback so far is that the kids & one of the small does can stand in the tray & have pooped there a couple times, ruining some of the dropped hay in the tray. I'm not sure what I can do about that except wait for them to grow.


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## mariarose

"And my plan would have worked, if not for those darn kids."

Very old Scooby Doo reference


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## goathiker

It's already been established that I can't draw lol but


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## Jessica84

goathiker said:


> It's already been established that I can't draw lol but
> View attachment 127936


Yes!!! That's basically what I was trying to explain but trust me your drawing is way better then if I attempted it lol by the way where is your glitter pen?! I was going to tell you I'm happy to see I'm not the only one with glitter pens on the hoof trimming post but figured that was a serious post and not a time for my sense of humor lol


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## goathiker

That one is metallic... I need a new set soon.


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## catharina

I like the rock idea & I think I'll add one. The block & tackle idea is cute but since one side opens like a door on ours it's easy to get the bale in. I don't know if I'll bother making the tray narrower because we'd have to empty it & take the legs off to do that. I'll just see how annoying the occasional pooping gets.


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## goathiker

I added the block and tackle because the legs are longer on this one and I can't lift a hundred and fifty pounds three feet in the air anymore lol. There was a time I could load them three bales high in my pick-up, no more...


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## Idahogoats

Wow, I am going to try this. My 4 waste SO MUCH HAy.


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## Goat town

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## Goat town

Here is my feeder my husband made after I showed him yours. Thanks


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## #nubiantrouble

The part where they can get feed is a bit low. The goats also might try to tip it over. Otherwise it looks great! I want a hay feeder that fits a bale to, because my chickens in the barn keep spreading it all over the floor, then it becomes unusable.


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## Creekbird

mariarose said:


> How about something along these lines?
> 
> Mariarose, for some reason, the link about the slow feeder is not working for me. It is saying the page cannot be found. Any idea as to why I'm not able to get in?


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## mariarose

@Creekbird Other people had issues, too. Comment number 14 in this thread has the photos from the link you can't open. I hope that helps.


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## Canadian Goat Mom

catharina said:


> Here it is! We just made it out of pallet wood & scraps. They are enjoying the novelty of it I think. We stuck the whole bale in & leaving the strings on for now. Once they can't reach anymore I'll cut them & take them off. Waiting to see if they knock it over or Sam decides to tear it apart with his horns, to see if it needs modification or reinforcement. We also need to get a latch for the door on the side where Sam is eating.
> View attachment 127274
> View attachment 127275


I know this is an old thread. I just wanted to say we are building your hay feeder tomorrow. What an awesome feeder. We will be putting a roof over it because it will be outside. :goodjob:


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