why wont they eat hay?

[agnes_day]

ok..they have this really nice hay rack in their pen..very sturdy and off the floor. they will on occasion nibble at the hay, but thats it! why?? i thought this was what they lived off of..they are eating all the dead leaves , old grass, and bits of chicken feed they find on the ground but thats it.

 

[agnes_day]

they also arent eating a lot of the goat chow either.

 

[redhen]

how old are they again?

 

[agnes_day]

the boy is 2 months old and the girls are about 10 weeks older...3 and a half months i would say.they seem happy though, and are drinking ok and everything else but i read that the hay was a big deal to them.

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

If they arent losing weight, and acting puny they are fine. They maybe getting enough to eat from weed and leaves and such.

 

[redhen]

maybe your hay is differant then the hay they are used to eating, and it may take them a bit to get used to it...i dont know...some goat Guru's will chime in and know....good luck! and the babies are ADORABLE!...

 

[Indiana hens]

Our goats hate clover and alfalfa hay. Prefer grass hay, leaves bark, weeds(not stems), wood chips. Sweet feed, and the paper part of the sack is their favorite, also whole wheet bread.

 

[agnes_day]

thank you! i just love them!

maybe thats it..i dont know..i just dont want them to die from only eating leaves. they also love tree bark..which is fine with me, i definitely dont have a manicured yard so they can eat whatever they want!

 

[farmgirlie1031]

When I got my sheep it took them about a week to learn what the feed was and to eat it. They might not be used to what you are offering them and it will take awhile to get used to it.

 

[jvls1942]

I must have missed a previous post.. I assume you are talking about goats..

they are hardly old enough to be "used to" a different kind of hay. Young goats have the same eating habbits of a 5 year old girl. nibble here and there on this and that.. they are not hay pounders like a cow.. If the hay hits the ground, it becomes bedding..

if they look fat and healthy, they should be fine..