15 Free DIY Goat Hay Feeder Plans You Can Build Today (with Pictures)

If you have had goats for a while, you know what a mess they make when eating. Even worse than the mess is the fact that the hay all over the ground gets wasted. Spending money on feed to have it tossed on the ground and wasted doesn’t seem like a very efficient system. Using a goat hay feeder can help keep the hay from falling on the ground and, in doing so, will save you money on hay. With some of these low-cost plans, learning how to build a goat hay feeder can be easy and you can recoup your costs in no time. We tried to pick a variety of difficulty levels for these hay feeders. If you are new to DIY projects or consider yourself an expert, we found a goat hay feeder for you.

The 15 Free DIY Goat Hay Feeder Plans

1. Hay Feeder for Smaller Livestock from Grit

This small Hay Feeder from Grit is a great way to take care of both sheep and goats. The DIY’er that came up with this design was looking for the right solution to feed his smaller livestock without spending a ton of money. He created this plan and was kind enough to share the full details on this website. The project goes through the supplies and tools necessary to complete this hay feeder. In addition to the supplies, you will also get a step by step breakdown with measurements as to how to build a goat hay feeder like this. This goat hay feeder cost about $80 to build, but if you had some scrap wood around, you could absolutely work with it to make this model work for you and your animals.

2. Goat Hay Feeder Plan from Dummies.com

This Goat Hay Feeder plan may not be what you traditionally think of but we think it’s a quick and simple option to try. If you have a larger farm and have some new goats coming to join your pack you will need to set up new feeders quickly. Some goats will drive other goats away so setting up a few feeders with lots of access points like this one came make a lot of sense. This model is made using a cattle panel, some bolt cutters and some zip ties. You can have this feeder done in a matter of minutes. Just be sure to follow the guidelines as to the size of the holes on the cattle panel. If you use something too small the goats will not be able to get their heads in and eat food.

3. The Best Hay Feeder For Goats from The Challenged Survival

These Hay Feeders from the Challenged Survival are some of the absolute best we could find. In addition to the size of these, they function so much better than other options on the market. This design, like most great designs, was born after the builder was tired of seeing hay all over the ground. Once the hay is on the ground, the goats won’t eat it, and it just becomes wasted money, money that can be used elsewhere. This particular model does an excellent job of distributing hay to a large number of goats at the same time while keeping most of it from falling to the ground. You will quickly recoup some of your costs on this build by using less hay. You could easily modify this plan to make it the size that you need but still follow the same Instructionss on the overall design.

4. Jerrys DIY Goat Feeder Plans from My Simple Country Living

This DIY Goat Feeder Plan from My Simple Country Living is an excellent design that has some great features. One of the things we love most about this feeder is the covering on the top. The cover will keep hay dry, and the box under this feeder will keep too much hay from falling on the ground. This is a real DIY type of project with a sketch plan, some measurements, and a few necessary steps. If this is your first time attempting to build a feeder, we suggest choosing a slightly more straightforward option. You should have this particular hay feeder for quite some time, and the overall cost of the build is not very high. If you were to purchase a feeder like this as opposed to building one, you would spend several hundred dollars.

5. Do It Yourself Goat Feeder from Goat World

This Do It Yourself Goat Feeder from Goat World is a great way to stop wasting all of that hay that gets to the ground. Goat World did a great job of explaining this build, all that is involved as far as cutting and measuring and making sure that you can put this feeder together in a short period. The Do It Yourself Goat Feeder is one of the less expensive builds we have found and from the looks of it, you may have some of the supplies lying around already. This step by step guide is clearly laid out with pictures and clear directions. Regardless of your woodworking or building ability this is a goat hay feeder that you can do yourself.

6. Easy DIY Goat Hay Feeder from Boots and Hooves Homestead

We are all about low cost and recycling. This Easy DIY Goat Hay Feeder by Boots and Hooves Homestead does both. This feeder was again born from the idea that goats waste too much hay dropping it on the ground. Each of these feeders takes about four pallets and maybe a few scrap pieces of wood. These are easy to put together and this guide comes with very clear Instructionss to walk you through every step of the way. If you are a new builder this is a great first build and could have you saving money on hay in a matter of minutes.

7. Homemade Hay Feeder from Free Materials by Weed Em And Reap

If you are done having babies, we have found the perfect goat hay feeder for you. Weed Em And Reap came up with this amazing idea to repurpose a crib as a hay feeder. This goat hay feeder will take you a matter of minutes to put together and actually does a decent job in helping to keep some of that hay off the ground. If you are feeding a large group of animals, this feeder will be too small, but if you have an extra crib lying around, this is a great option to consider. They did find that the crib has enough space between the slats to feed several other animals as well, so if it’s cows or sheep, you are looking to feed you will be okay with this crib hay feeder.

8. Cheap Effective Goat Feeder from Mother Earth News

Mother Earth News came up with a simple way to feed their goats using materials already found around the farm. This is simply a barrel with a few holes cut in it. Cut the gaps about the correct size so the goats can get their heads in to feed. This model has a board with some bungees on it to keep the goats out of the top. On the bottom are just a few cement blocks to keep the hay off the ground. This project can be completed in just a few minutes and shouldn’t cost you anything.

9. A New Goat Feeder from Lucky Penny Acres

With this goat hay feeder from Lucky Penny Acres, you have all the quality features in a goat feeder that you could ask for. There is a fold-out top to keep the hay dry, a bottom pan to catch all of the hay that would otherwise be wasted, and they even thought to put a few wheels on this model. Moving this goat hay feeder from one location to another will not be difficult. The only thing we don’t love about this plan is that it is not all that detailed. For the more experienced woodworkers, you will have not problems figuring out how to put this goat hay feeder together. If this is your first project, you will be better off with a step by step version like the Easy DIY Goat Hay Feeder by Boots and Hooves Homestead.

10. Free Steel 8 Foot Hay Feeder Plans from Kurraglen Industries

All of the other plans we have found for you so far have been rather easy to build, feeders you can put together mostly from objects you may already have around the farm. This plan is a little different, but we wanted to include it for those that may want a detailed plan for a steel hay feeder that will last for years to come. This is a complete step by step plan to build a sturdy and large goat hay feeder. If you have no experience working with steel, this is not a DIY project we recommend taking on this weekend. Go back to one of our other options or pull your kid’s old crib out of the basement. If, however, you want a steel goat hay feeder without paying the price for one, this plan will absolutely get you there and save you a ton of money.

11. Pallet Goat Feeder by Rough and Tumble

This pallet goat feeder attaches to the side of a wall or barn and holds quite a bit of hay for your goats. Compared to many other DIY goat feeders, this one by Rough and Tumble is pretty easy to build, and if you already have a pallet on hand, it doesn’t cost much to build one.

Overall, it’s a great DIY goat hay feeder that you can build yourself, and you likely already have everything you need to quickly assemble it.

12. Rolling Trashcan Goat Hay Feeder by DIY Danielle

If you’re moving your feeder around for your goats quite a bit or if you’re not quite sure where you want it in the long term, this rolling trashcan goat hay feeder by DIY Danielle is an outstanding option. It’s super easy to make, and if you use a trashcan with wheels, it’s easy to move from place to place.

Other than a few holes you need to cut on the side, there isn’t much work to do, but the quality of your feeder all comes down to the quality of the trashcan you purchase.

13. DIY Storage Container Goat Feeder by Homestead Lifestyle

https://homesteadlifestyle.com/diy-storage-container-goat-feeder/

If you’re like us, you already have some extra storage containers floating around in your basement or attic. If so, you can build this DIY storage container goat feeder by Homestead Lifestyle without spending a dime.

Even if you don’t have a few storage containers lying around, it’s all you need to pick up to build these versatile goat feeders. You’ll need to find somewhere to put them, but with a bit of creativity, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

14. DIY Bucket Hay Feeder by Pet DIYs

These DIY bucket hay feeders by Pet DIYs are as simple as it gets. If you have a chain fence of some sort to hang them on, you can build and install these hay feeders in about 20 minutes each. The biggest complaint we have with these feeders is that they don’t hold a lot of food. This means you’ll find yourself constantly refilling them, but it does allow you to control just how much food your goats are going through.

15. Mixing Tub Hay Feeder by Homestead Lifestyle

This mixing tub hay feeder by Homestead Lifestyle is another super easy-to-build DIY hay feeder for goats. Once you own the mixing tubs, all you need is the right fence and a few bungee cords to set them up and use them.

Like the bucket hay feeders, they don’t hold a ton of food, but since they’re super affordable, easy to build, and easy to fill, it’s not a huge deal.

Conclusion

Each of the goat hay feeders above has its positives and negatives to it. Only you know what you need for the number of goats you have and the individual goat personalities you are dealing with. The best takeaway from this roundup is that you don’t need to worry about spending hundreds of dollars on a goat feeder. Taking the time to build one will keep some money in your account to keep buying feed for those goats!

You might also be interested in: 11 Free DIY Chicken Feeder Plans You Can Make Today

Featured Image Credit: Greg70, Pixabay