Goat-Proof Chicken Feeders?

[drdoolittle]

Does anyone have any ideas for a goat-proof chicken/duck feeder? With the cold weather and decreased daylight, my hubby and I are trying to come up with some kind of feeding system where I can just pour a 50 lb bags of feed into feeders for the chickens and ducks and not have to worry about the goats eating it----------they are all together in a "community" pen during the day, and then in their own separate night-time pens. The problem is, that I let them out into the big pen around 3:30 a.m., and then put them up at 5:30 p.m. Therefore, they need some kind of feeding system for during the day. I don't think a pop-door is a solution, as I've seen my pygmies squeeze through some very small openings!

 

[Hillsvale]

good luck with that... made me laugh though!

 

[featherbaby]

Anything a chicken can do, a goat can do better.

I know a lost cause when I see one.

 

[drdoolittle]

Guess the chickens will either have to be locked in the coop all day, or I'll have to have locking lids on where the feed comes out for the chickens and just open them when I put everyone in for the night. The only problem with the locking lids, is that the chickens would go all day without feed----unless I continue with what I've been doing.

 

[zazouse]

You could build an pen around the feeder that sits just high enough off the ground for the chickens to crawl under but the goats can not.

Four pallets for the sides and a peice of plywood or wire for the top set up on bricks or small blocks would work if you need something that would be free or almost free depending what ya have around your place.

You can get pallets for free just about anywhere

I use this method when introducing young chicks to the older flocks.

 

[drdoolittle]

zazouse, that's a good idea! That way, I could have a separate feeder out in the community pen and one in the coop with a locking lid! You see, we have a regular storm door on the coop, and I just open that every morning, and the goats can go in the coop-----that's why I need a locking lid for feeders.

 

[lleighmay]

I like the pallet/fencing idea, but I don't know how low you'd have to go to keep the goats out. I've seen a full-grown pigmy crawl under a shed set on blocks about 6 inches off the ground and a full grown spanish billy lay down and squeeze under a gate a medium-sized dog couldn't crawl under. I'll be watching with interest to see possible solutions to this- I have a hard time keeping my goats out of places they don't belong too. Good luck!

 

[drdoolittle]

This is the type of feeder I want to build for inside the coop, with a lid that can lock where the feed comes out.

Hope whoever originally posted this doesn't mind me using their image................

 

[drdoolittle]

Right now, I am moving the chickens feed dishes from the coop into another area of the shed with a half-door that locks with a sliding bolt-----the chickens can fly up and over the door to get to their feed during the day, but the gaots can't get to it! It's just a big pain to deal with at 3:30 in the morning!

 

[Hillsvale]

Quote:
That's the sort of feeders I built... but my dogs get into them all the time!

OP... how about taking 2 PVC pipes with a 90 degree elbow and two end caps... (now you have a big "L"... fix the end cap on the lower piece but not the top of the "L"... drill holes on the horizontal piece big enough for a beak and fill with feed... you could perhaps attach it to the coop and where possible put the bit with the holes under the coop to limit goat access but enough room for a chicken head (or put a cover a few inches higher than the holes) ... you would probably have to angle it down some so the feed would flow...

I can see it in my head... really I can!

This is my brilliant idea of the day!

Shelley