Author Topic: what can goats eat?! (Read 12390 times)

gingercloverbramble · « **on:** July 02, 2010, 02:33:54 pm »

My son has neglected to tell me just how low we are running in goat food!!
Am desperately trying to get a hold of someone who might be able to drop us a bag off for us.
If I fail, is there anything else I could come up with to feed him over the weekend until I get to Harbro on Monday?!
(We have plenty of layers pellets, grain and wheat!!!!)
He's just a wee 3 month old pygmy who is in a very large fenced area (with other animals -he is not alone!!) and has access to grass and bushes and trees - so is getting lots of grazing!!

jameslindsay · « **Reply #1 on:** July 02, 2010, 03:02:28 pm »

He will eat layers pellets but they are too high in iron for them, so not recommended.

ballingall · « **Reply #2 on:** July 02, 2010, 06:40:29 pm »

Cornflakes....

little blue · « **Reply #3 on:** July 02, 2010, 08:46:09 pm »

rabbit food
any cereal that isnt sweetened. ours lOVE cornflakes
cooked pasta (not much!)
raisens sultanas
cream crackers
trees, berries, leaves, grass, hay, thistles etc etc etc

Anke · « **Reply #4 on:** July 02, 2010, 09:54:58 pm »

Try and get him some hay though if possible, if not cut some tall grass and let wilt/dry for half a day, branches of anything around, and willowherb if you have got it around. Oats (human ones) are good too.

gingercloverbramble · « **Reply #5 on:** July 02, 2010, 11:51:11 pm »

Thanks everybody! Forgot to mention that he also has access to plenty of hay.
Have oats, cornflakes, crackers, raisins etc so he certainly won't go hungry!!
And he is nibbling away on trees and leaves and grass etc.
Thank you all for putting my mind at rest for the weekend!

langdon · « **Reply #6 on:** July 03, 2010, 08:38:59 pm »

apples
bananas
most veg in reason

lassemista · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2010, 04:52:20 pm »

You will have solved this problem for now, but I have been pulling nettles for mine recently - we have lots of them

, and the goats love them.
Andrea.

little blue · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2010, 06:28:59 pm »

andrea, do you dry the nettles first?
just wondered...
ours wouldn't touch nettles either fresh or dry.... until we got Cesar who likes them dried and the others thought they were missing out!!

langdon · « **Reply #9 on:** July 09, 2010, 10:16:14 pm »

can goats eat potato plants

langdon

little blue · « **Reply #10 on:** July 09, 2010, 10:37:21 pm »

not the leaves, stems or ?? the tubers raw??
I dont feed my goats any part,
the pigs get cooked potato skins if we've had the bbq on - 1) it cant be cooked indoors and 2) It stinks!!

Anke · « **Reply #11 on:** July 09, 2010, 10:40:12 pm »

All member of the solanum family (incl tomoatoes) are poisonous! Do not feed any parts of these plants to goats or any livestock, although the tomatoes themselves are very good and ok for the goats. I wouldn't feed potatoes, you would have to cook them, and the pigs make better use of them!

little blue · « **Reply #12 on:** July 09, 2010, 10:44:49 pm »

Quote from: Anke on July 09, 2010, 10:40:12 pm

the pigs make better use of them!

and have iron bellies!! no sensitivity there...

what can goats eat?! - The Accidental Smallholder