[langdon]

as i was feeding the girls today i was thinking:
should they have a bucket each for feeds, does this have any benefits?
e.g. can it prevent eye infections caused by pointy ears or other ailments of any kind?
thanks for any replys.
langdon

[little blue]

yes.
but like all aniamals, and most children (!) the other bucket will always be more inticing!

if they had a contagious disease, or different dietery needs eg if/when Milly is in milk & Molly isnt, then separate bucket would be great.  but you may have to feed eh one in the shed & one outsude at the same time.

 good habit to get them used to before kidding

[langdon]

thanks little blue, i think i will try and get that into practice.
langdon

[Anke]

I currently feed pairs that are in pens together (eg GG nanny and her goatling duaghter) from only one (washing up) bowl. It is big enough for both of them to get their heads in a the same time. But when they are are in milk and the last 8 weeks before kidding they are fed separately, so I know who gets how much.

If one was ill and had to be separated, then they obviously get their own bowl.

[plumseverywhere]

I've just started feeding savannah on the milking stand where avocet used to feed.  I want to get her used to eating in the stand for when she is milking but also reggie is a greedy little toad and was nipping her ears when they shared a bucket so she didn't get her share and he's got a spare tyre now.

[ballingall]

We always give milkers their own bowl, even if they are sharing a pen with another milker. Kids and goatlings share bowls though- until the goatlings are about 3 months pregnant, then they get their own.


Beth

[katie]

I haven't any goats at the moment but when I had, they had their separate buckets and were tied up to a rail so there was no brawling or stealing food. It became a calm experience instead of the total mayhem it started out as!

[langdon]

tied up to a rail Mmmmmm
that sounds like a good idea
at the mo we only have two, taking one to a billy in a few weeks, so in the future when we have a bigger herd i might
just apply that idea to our own place.
langdon
p.s. why no goats now?

[jinglejoys]

I stopped feeding my goats during milking.Think about it have you ever seen a goat eating while suckling her kid?

[katie]

No goats now because we took on a smallholding a distance away and I was reluctant to be 6 miles away at night. Now we have planning to live on the land  (hooray, hooray!) I will definitely be getting some kids in the Spring.
I can definitely recommend the tying up at feeding time. I had dog leads permanently in position (out of goat reach when not in use) and after a short while they went into position by themselves. I don't know if you know the Fiascofarm website but it has loads of useful tips about goat management and lots of other stuff