Bullet~Proof Goat Feeder

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Goats are a little rough on feeders. The have horns that they use as pry bars and they can climb near about anything.  In 3 months they demolished two hang on horse feeders.The problems>  1.  Goats need room for the horns not to catch or hang up.                             2.  Goats like to argue about food,  It is good to make it difficult to be bullies.                            3.  Goats like to climb on the feeder.                             4.  The feeder must be EASY to clean out.                            5.  The feeder must be easy to move.                            6.  The feeder must be BULLETPROOF, My goats weigh 150-250#.Here is my solution: Tractor Rim  40" in diameter and 12" deep.36" diameter  circle of 1/8*' sheet metal.    About 7 feet of  2 7/8" pipe6 pieces of  2" pipe  bent  to 90 degrees5-6 feet of  2 3/8*  lighter pipe (irrigation pipe for me. Should fit inside the 2 7/.8")2-3 square feet of   expanded mesh.A big heavy 22" farm discAbout 16 hours of fabricating and welding for me. The build:   Build the Support T, lay in the 3' circle of 1/8" sheet you cut out with your nifty Plasma Cutter.. Depth from the edge to the bottom sheet / bowl  for me was 5" deep.  I didn't want it too deep to build up waste, but not too shallow that they would throw it out on the ground.   Bend the  2" pipe  90 degrees with a pipe bender and make the dividers. I used 6 on this one and they ended up about 18" apart.   Weld all that in and then lay the expanded down over the post and weld it to the divider pipe and bend/roll the edges over so we get a safe rounded edge.  Weld in the tall lighter pipe.  Mine eded up about 8' tall.  Weld a few links of chain at the top and tie on a rope.  When you need ot clean it or move it grab the rope and lean the entire contraption over and ROLL it wherever  and use gravity in your favor to clean out the bowl area.   Finally cut a  2 3/8" +  circle in the middle of your heavy 22"  disc. Slip it over the pole and  Notch so you can use your rope to hold it up while loading the thing with hay. Attached ImagesLast edited by PapaLion; 03-12-2011 at 05:34 PM.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:It holds a full bale if needed and the disc weighs the hay  down ito help keep it in place. I'm going to add two bungie cords to contain the hay a little and probably a  small pulley at the top and a link of chain on the disc, a rope and then just pull the disc up.   Moved to the corral with my Ford 1700 and the goats seem to like it. I'll give it a few days and see if we need mods, then some Paint???  ??? What paint won't bother the goats... water base ok? I dunno? Attached ImagesLast edited by PapaLion; 03-12-2011 at 05:11 PM.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:this project is lookin good- Ralph
Reply:Why paint?  They will just scrape it off.If you insist, water based paint would be best.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Did you shoot at it yet?  From the pictures so far, it looks like it is doing the job.  I especially like how you recycled an old tractor rim.  Nicely done!
Reply:Looks good. I'm sure the goats are happy. Maybe make one with a spear sticking up. Pierce a couple of wafers on there, drop the disc."The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:Great Work!Lincoln 305GUnion Carbide TorchDon't Worry About the Mule~Load the Wagon!
Reply:Where do ya get "bullet proof goats"?  Sorry, couldn't resist.  You obviously know goats and it looks like your project should be a real success.  Nice job.(Retired) Professional firefighter, amateur everything else I try to do...Oh yeah:  Go Big Red!   (You know: one of the 12 members of the Big 10 cuz we left the 10 members of the Big 12...)
Reply:Originally Posted by strube1369Where do ya get "bullet proof goats"?  .
Reply:Those who make sport of my mediocre welding skills and  lack of clarity on the build description will NOT,I repeat, not be invited to the Cabrito  BBQ.   Fair warningLincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:The pictures of the goats really don't do them justice.  They are some fine looking critters, well fed & cared for.  Friendly too.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Put some tennis balls on the end of their horns.
Reply:Mark will be welcome at the BBq of course. We'll robably use HIS cool new smoker when finished actually. Truth be told, I went  today and they had managed to clean out all that bale of hay, mostly they ate the small leaves and left the stems... like kids. The remainder did stay in the bottom bowl, so no biggie, it's clean and they will eventually have to eat that.    SOoooo   Goats 1  PL 0  I will have to secure the bale better and make it more difficult for them to get at the whole thing and pull it down. These girls are strong and smart... Me, I'm older and not so smart... BUT,  I got FIRE and they don'tWe only decorate the goats at Christmas.ps: the Feeder itself is just fine thank you, no bends, tears or breaks.Last edited by PapaLion; 03-13-2011 at 10:23 PM.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:Originally Posted by PapaLionWe only decorate the goats at Christmas.
Reply:Wow those are some mighty stout goats!!  Nothin better than makin something good out of stuff ya got layin around, doesn't get much better than that.. Nice work
Reply:I was also thinking the goats looked a bit "portly", I guess since they are she goats, the better term would be "stout".The feeder looks pretty slick IMHO.Matt
Reply:Goats They're taking over the World!!  "Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by PapaLionThose who make sport of my mediocre welding skills and  lack of clarity on the build description will NOT,I repeat, not be invited to the Cabrito  BBQ.   Fair warning
Reply:U will be welcome Rhyno... next spring maybe?   I got no li'l bucks last year... so got none in the freezer till maybe next year this time... I have two due around Easter. Goat Wrangler would be what most of us use. Current score on the feeder> Goats 3 PL 0   Tying in the bale up  does not work... gonna have to build a metal basket/rack  or similar... Crafty li'l devils.The feeder itself is still intact with no damage, can I call it a feeder when they can defeat it and remove ALL the hay overnite?Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:Sorry, I will add "Goat Wrangler" to my vocabulary. Maybe if you change the round weight/lid to a square with some inverted forks, it might stop them from emptying it so fast.Meaning, the forks and square fitting the bale's perimeter.  You might even be able to add some scrap re-bar to create the square appearance, to the round piece.  Maybe, the spacing of the forks/re-bar be equivalent to the width of the goat skull.  You might even have to create an internal "Stop", so that they can clean it all the way out.I don't know the dimensions, yet.  I am just an Apprentice Goat Wrangler.-Rhyno07 Fowler 200D65 RedFace04 Miller TB 302, 22hpMiller 12RCMiller HF 251-1Lincoln SP135HyperTherm PM 380and a few others... Originally Posted by RhynoBut, if I "all of a sudden disappear....  ...." hopefully I didn't suffer too much....
Reply:The goats are probably makin bets everyday on what the new modification will be. "The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:Yes, blunt ended  fork idea possibly shaped to the bale would be good... pointed down into the bale is a good one.  I think a retaining rail or screen wil have to be there.  I'm just pondering it for now, load it and watch to see how they defeat it .  Goats think this is very funny, they do have a sense of humor and seem content to eat quietly while I'm there, as soon as I leave... they go at it  and it mostly ends up in the bowl.   Goats 4 CL still 0.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools