Types of feeders for goats and how to make them yourself, instructions and drawings

A well-designed feeder for goats will make life easier for the owners and allow them to properly organize food intake. And it will be easier to clean up after the goats if the feeding conditions are met in the same place. There are several standard solutions and options for implementation at home. All of them will be considered and studied in detail with video and drawings attached.

Purpose

A feeder is a special device designed for controlled delivery, safe consumption of feed and, preferably, simple in design. Experienced goat breeders know that animals can be picky about food.

The feeder streamlines the feeding process itself. A goat is not a person. She doesn’t understand why she can’t spread grass around the paddock and then walk on it before eating. Having a special compartment will reduce the worries of goat owners, and the animals will be more organized.

Basic requirements for feeders of any type

Whatever the design of the feeder, it must meet certain requirements. Especially if we are talking about a homemade device, rather than a factory-made one. These include:

1. Safety. The design must exclude the possibility of injury to animals, including young animals.
2. Simplicity. Home craftsmen do not have sophisticated machines or equipment. Therefore, the manufacturing option must be tied to a minimum of costs for the purchase of equipment, special tools, and materials.
3. Safety of feed. This is one of the main tasks for which a feeder is created. It is important that it is easy to place fodder, silage, grass in it and just as easy to clean from the remnants of the “meal”.

These are, in brief, the main conditions for the implementation of the project. All you have to do is choose the option you like and start making.

Safety

Domestic goats often begin to behave unpredictably: dividing the territory, arranging fights, or jumping and climbing on some structures, just like their wild fellow tribesmen.The essence of a safe feeder is to eliminate the possibility of injury to animals and to prevent elders from oppressing young animals.

Simplicity of design

It is known from practice that simple solutions are not always the worst. The livestock breeder does not have time for complex calculations or making feeders using modern materials and technologies. And usually there is no extra money for this either. We need a simple design for a goat feeder that can be easily implemented in most situations. Preferably collected by one person and in a minimum period of time (day, weekend).

Food safety

Feed supplied in the usual way can be found anywhere. And in this case, goats do not have a specific place to eat. Another thing is the feeder. This way the goats will get used to eating in a strictly established corner of the pen and forage, and much less liquid feeding will be required. If only because it will become more difficult for the goat to get it out of the feeder.

Typical designs for feeding goat herd

Depending on the type of feed, there are several types of structures. It is very important to understand this fact. Bulk feeders are not like liquid feeding devices for goats. Therefore, they differ in their implementation methods. Accordingly, you need to know in advance which option will be preferable for you. So, typical types of feeders:

• for bulk food;
• for liquid mixture;
• for plant foods.

And then we will consider each design separately with its pros and cons.

Bulk feed

Popular among goat owners: feed, bran, grain mixtures. They are classified as a loose category. This choice is justified because it allows the animals to gain weight and gain fat.As for the design of the feeder, it must meet 2 criteria: safety of feed and maximum consumption by goats.

Liquid feed

Liquid fraction mixtures are popular because various components can be added to them. Including silos, stillage, grains, diluted with water to the required consistency. In this case, the feeder should consist of a pipe system and a special trough. The dry mix design will not work here.

Edible material of plant origin

A separate category consists of feeders for hay and other plant food for goats. It is necessary to ensure that the goats do not take away the fodder or scatter it over the entire area of ​​the paddock. The best solution to these conditions is a canopy made from wooden sheathing, gradually tapering downwards. Other options are also possible.

Required Tools

Before starting to implement the plan, it is necessary to take care of the required equipment. Despite the choice of the simplest, easily assembled structures, it is impossible to do without tools and devices. It is recommended to use common wood, bars, boards and slats as the main material. They are easy to buy at any sawmill or warehouse.

Tools for working with them include:

• hacksaw or electric jigsaw, hand-held circular saw;
• electric drill, screwdriver;
• plumber's hammer;
• meter, ruler or tape measure.

Additional equipment includes: marker (pencil), drill bits, fasteners (screws, nails, steel angles), drills. If necessary, the set is adjusted to specific needs.

Recommendations for making different feeders

The design is influenced by the type of feed with which the animals are supposed to be fed. This will affect the drawings, the cost of making the feeder, the choice of material and tools.You should also consider the location of the feeding area. So that it is comfortable for both animals and owners.

It is undesirable to use plastic, any polymers, or metal. Goats are somewhat capricious; they will easily refuse to eat from a feeder that smells “wrong” somehow. Affects the design and size of animals. For young animals and babies, a nursery is more suitable, from where they can get food without any problems.

One of the manufacturing options is shown in the video:

Nursery type

For small kids, a nursery feeder can be easily built in half a day, even without the skills of a professional carpenter. That is, with your own hands, without complex equipment and mechanisms. Assembly is carried out in several stages. Let's look at it step by step:

1. Bottom frame. Its size is determined by the number of animals simultaneously kept in the pen. There should be enough food for everyone so that no one goes hungry. Legs are placed in the corners: they connect the structure, provide rigidity and serve as a base for installation on the floor.
2. Bottom. Assembled from tightly fitted boards. It is acceptable to use a sheet of thick plywood, chipboard, OSB board. There are no holes in this element, otherwise the food will spill out and be scattered across the floor of the pen.
3. Upper frame. Consists of longitudinal bars. Crossbars, short sections of boards, and planks are attached to it. The step should not be too frequent - the animals will not be able to stick their heads through and eat normally.

The stages of assembling the feeder are shown in detail in the video:

Wooden

You can make a corner feeder from 2 wooden panels or pallets. They are used when delivering goods, and then thrown away as unnecessary. So there shouldn't be any problems with the material.It turns out to be another manger, but in a different version.

Or you can do this:

From reinforcement

If you have access to scraps of reinforcing bars, as well as an electric welding installation, the feeding unit can be created from metal. The labor intensity of this version of the feeder is higher than that of a wooden one. But it is much stronger, which means it will last longer. Goats will not be able to move such a manger or turn it over. But there are also disadvantages: there remains a risk of injury to animals. Sharp, protruding parts should be kept to a minimum. Or hide them under the overlays, clean them, and recess them into the base.

For ease of perception, a drawing of the feeder with dimensions is provided.

There is also a compact metal feeder option:

And street:

French feeders

France has enormous experience in goat breeding, which is not a sin to borrow. Local devices for feeding small livestock are similar to, but still different from, nurseries.

The design is a box with holes cut in the walls according to the size of the animal's muzzle. In fact, it is a version of a universal feeder: both bulk feed and roughage can be placed here. Feeding occurs inside the device. This minimizes losses. Also, the French feeder allows goats to eat almost everything that is inside.

From pipes

From the materials remaining after replacing the sewerage system and drainage device at the dacha, ready-made feed dispensers are obtained. Plastic pipes with a diameter of 10 centimeters or more will be required.It is undesirable to use used structures that have come into contact with waste products: this puts goats at risk of contracting infections.

The height of the feeder structure is up to 1.5 meters. The pipe is cut into 3 sections - 700, 200 and 100 millimeters. You will also need an outlet, a tee. Next, the segments are joined together, as shown in the figure. Sharp edges and roughness must be sanded and eliminated. A lid is placed on top, the finished dispenser is attached to the wall goat pen plumbing clamps.

From a plastic barrel

Excellent feeders for goats are made from abandoned plastic containers. You can use the container only after thorough cleaning, repeated washing with soap, and drying. An indispensable condition: the barrel must not contain residues of toxic liquids or materials (fuels, solvents, paints). All these substances will lead to illness and death of animals.

Containers that are damaged, with cracks, chips, cavities or holes will not be suitable. Next, choose 1 of 2 possible options for organizing the feeder - horizontal or vertical.

Horizontal

To begin, a clean, dry barrel is placed on its side. Then sequentially mark 5-15 centimeters from the edge at the ends, so as to remove the “lid” from above. Food will be placed into the resulting window. And holes for feeding should be made in the side walls (of such a size that the goat can stick its head through).

It is advisable to drill several holes in the bottom with a thin drill: this will ensure liquid drainage and make cleaning the feeder easier. All that remains is to clean the sharp edges, make the structure heavier or install it in a wooden holder box. The cut piece can be turned into a lid by attaching it to the barrel with hinges or rope.

Vertical

The design is more complicated than the previous one in the sense that you will need to carefully mark the barrel. Conventionally, the feeder blank looks like the letter “G”. There should be 2 such figures. The height of the cut to the edge of the container should be 20 centimeters. A vertical seam divides the barrel exactly in half. Next, you can close the resulting window with fine mesh, leaving the goats an opening at the bottom. The structure is attached to a strong base or weighted down.