Goats waste hay in a way that surprises new keepers. They browse, pull a mouthful, walk off and drop the rest, then come back and shove their heads into the pile to reach the good leaf underneath. Sheep are calmer about it but graze low, which means they drag hay straight across the ground and into the mud. Every flake that ends up on the floor is money gone, and once it is on the floor it is also contaminated. That is the whole argument for the best hay feeders for goats and sheep: a feeder is not a tidy-up accessory, it is the thing that decides how much of your hay purchase you actually collect in the animal.
We spent the last two seasons working through the wall racks, combo feeders, roofed feeders and slow-feed nets that owners in goat and sheep groups actually keep coming back to, and we compared them against the numbers the manufacturers publish: capacity, weight, bar spacing, mounting hardware, warranty. This roundup covers twelve feeders, and every section below tells you what the design gets right, where it fails and which herd it suits.
A note on how we picked: we weighted review volume and average rating together, then looked hard at the complaint side of each listing, because in this category the failures are consistent and worth knowing before you buy. A feeder that looks ideal on a product page can still be the wrong height for a Nigerian Dwarf or have bar spacing a horned goat will find a way into. We updated this guide for 2026.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Best Hay Feeders for Goats and Sheep In 2026
These three cover the widest range of setups: a combo rack for a mixed herd, a hanging tote for a small pen or trailer, and a lightweight wall rack for a barn wall where weight matters.
BUYYAH 2 in 1 Hay Feeder 22 Gal
- 2.5 cu.ft capacity
- 22 gallon class
- Multi-angle feeding with wide top opening
- Heavy-duty carbon steel with rust-proof finish
INKNOTE Hay Bag Tote Feeder
- 19.7 x 17.7 x 6 inch capacity
- 7.9 inch slow-feed outlet holes
- Oxford fabric with reinforced stitching
- Mesh ventilation panels
VEVOR 18.5 Gal Wall Hay Rack
- 18.5 gallon large capacity
- Cold-rolled steel with rust-resistant powder coat
- Rounded edges and corners
- Only 4.4 pounds
Best Hay Feeders for Goats and Sheep (October 2026)
The table below is the whole roundup on one screen. Every row is one feeder we wrote about in detail further down, with the capacity and build pulled straight from the maker’s listing so you can match a feeder to a herd size before you read anything else.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| BUYYAH 2 in 1 Hay Feeder 22 Gallon |
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Check Latest Price |
| INKNOTE Hay Bag Hanging Feeder Tote |
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Check Latest Price |
| VEVOR 18.5 Gallon Wall Hay Rack |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Country Manufacturing All Steel Combo Feeder |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Intrepid International Corner Hay Rack |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Country Manufacturing Wall Hay Rack Pack of 2 |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Goatzy 25 Gallon Hinged Roof Feeder |
|
Check Latest Price |
 YXJSTO 2 in 1 Hay and Grain Feeder |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Lazaluking 67 Gallon Wall Hay Feeder |
|
Check Latest Price |
 BUYYAH 31.5 Inch 24 Gallon Hay Feeder |
|
Check Latest Price |
 SCENIC ROAD 25 x 36 Wall Hay Rack |
|
Check Latest Price |
 T TEKE Classic Slow Hay Feeder Net |
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Check Latest Price |
Why the Right Hay Feeder Matters for Goats and Sheep
Feed hay off the ground and you lose on three fronts at once: waste, parasites and dust. Hay on the ground gets walked on, soaked with urine, dragged into mud and then refused. Ground feeding is widely reported to waste a third to half of a flake, and the same contact with manure and urine is the main route for the fecal-oral transmission that drives barber pole worm and coccidia in small ruminants. Mold and dust pulled up from a dusty floor add a respiratory load on top of that.
A feeder fixes the geometry. The animal inserts its head, pulls hay, and withdraws without shouldering through, while a bottom tray catches what drops. Raise that tray far enough off the ground and manure never enters the ration in the first place. The rule of thumb we use: if a feeder is letting more than about 10-15% of the hay hit the floor, the opening or the height is wrong, not the animal.
Goats and sheep want different things from the same feeder. Goats stand up, browse and reach for the top of a pile, so they like openings high on the rack and they will climb on anything. Sheep graze low with their heads down, which means they want the opening nearer the bottom of the rack, spaced a little wider so they can get a full mouthful sideways. Feed a flock off a goat-height rack and you will watch the sheep stretch and waste; feed a goat off a low trough and you will watch it climb in.
There is a health reason to keep it simple. A feeder that is awkward to clean simply does not get cleaned, and a dirty feeder concentrates parasite oocysts in exactly the spot animals press their noses against every day.
1. BUYYAH 2 in 1 Hay Feeder 22 Gallon – The Combo Rack We Would Buy First
BUYYAH 2 in 1 Hay Feeder Goat 22 Gallon
Carbon steel with rust-proof finish
2.5 cu.ft 22 gallon class
Wall mount, about 3 minutes to install
24 x 12 x 24 inches
Pros
- Holds a few flakes at once so daily refills drop
- Tubed steel bars beat skinny-bar racks on strength
- Top opening feeds up to 5 goats at once
- Detachable tray separates grain from hay
Cons
- No cover
- so hay takes on weather
- Some examples arrive with missing or weak hardware
- One variant reported welded joints separating
This is the rack that has earned the most confidence from the small-goat crowd in our review set, and it is the one we came back to. The tubed bars are the detail that matters. Plenty of racks in this category are built from thin rod that bends the first time an animal leans on it, and this one uses tube, which is why owners describe it as the last one they had to buy.
Capacity is the other story. At 2.5 cubic feet in the 22 gallon class it runs roughly a third larger than the racks it is usually compared against, so a family of three or four goats goes a full day without a refill. The large top opening also means animals feed from several sides at once rather than queueing.
The 2-in-1 layout is the part that earns its keep on a mixed herd. The detachable tray at the bottom takes grain and also catches hay that drops from the rack above it, which is the single feature owners on the forums keep calling the most valuable thing a feeder can do. Installation is genuinely quick: three pieces, wall or stall mounted, about three minutes with the included fixings.
We would not hang this one outdoors in a wet climate without a roof over it, because the maker does not include a cover and rain will reach the hay through the top opening. Keep it in a covered run, a stall side or a shed wall and it will outlast cheaper racks by a wide margin.
What makes it worth buying
The bar gauge and the tray. Most of the waste complaints we read about wall racks come down to an animal pulling a whole mouthful out and dropping it, and a tray turns that loss into something the animal eats later or you rake back in. Pair it with a roofed run and the feeder does the job on its own.
Where it falls short
Two things to know before you order. There is no rain cover, so treat this as an indoor or covered-pen feeder. And a small share of owners report welded joints separating or arriving without complete hardware, so check the welds and the fixings on arrival rather than trusting the box.
2. INKNOTE Hay Bag Hanging Feeder Tote – The Best Low-Cost Portable Option
INKNOTE Hay Bag Hanging Goat Feeder Tote with Adjustable Strap
Oxford fabric with nylon mesh gussets
19.7 x 17.7 x 6 inches
7.9 inch slow-feed outlet hole
Adjustable strap and metal ring clip
Pros
- Slow-feed holes visibly cut waste
- Hangs anywhere with the adjustable strap
- Mesh gussets keep hay dry and aired
- Suits goats
- horses
- donkeys and alpacas
Cons
- Soft fabric wears faster than metal in a barn
- 7.9 inch opening slows intake less than fine-mesh nets
When the herd is small, the pen moves often, or you just want to stop hay landing in the water bucket, a hanging tote solves the problem for very little. This one is a soft-sided bag in Oxford fabric with nylon mesh ventilation gussets, 19.7 by 17.7 by 6 inches, hung on an adjustable webbing strap with a metal ring clip.
Fill it, hang it, done. The 7.9 inch outlet hole is what turns a bag of hay into a slow feeder: an animal has to work for each mouthful rather than tipping the whole flake onto the floor. Owners report the waste reduction as the first thing they noticed, and several mention it holds the pecking order together because animals stay occupied at the bag.
The gussets matter more than they look. They let the hay breathe, which is the difference between a bag that stays sweet for days and one that heats up and smells sour in humid weather. Owners also like that it hangs from almost anything: a stall wall, a fence line, a trailer rail or low in a pasture without any digging.
We would introduce any slow feeder gradually rather than hanging a full net on day one. Goats paw impatiently at anything new, and giving them a partly filled bag for the first two days is the difference between a net they use and a net they shred.
Who it suits
Small herds, show strings, a single stall, a kidding corner, or anyone who moves animals weekly. It is also the easiest feeder here to wash down and to store in a shed when the pasture rotates.
Where it falls short
Fabric is fabric. In a wet barn or against a fence where animals rub and chew, the stitch points are where it will fail first, and it is not the answer for a herd of horned animals that treat equipment like a toy. The 7.9 inch opening also gives less slow-feed control than a fine-mesh net.
3. VEVOR 18.5 Gallon Wall Mount Steel Hay Rack – Best Value Steel Wall Rack
VEVOR Livestock Feeder, 18.5 Gallons Large Capacity, Heavy-Duty Steel Goat Hay Rack, 24.4″ Long Wall Mounted Horse Hay Holder, Multiple Sided Feeding Rack for Sheep Farm Livestock Indoor Outdoor
Cold-rolled carbon steel, powder coated
18.5 gallon capacity
Wall mount, expansion screws included
12.6 D x 23.62 W x 19.69 H
Pros
- Welded steel holds up to goats and donkeys
- Rounded edges and corners for safety
- Only 4.4 pounds so it is easy to reposition
- Fixings included for wall mounting
Cons
- Openings wide enough that some goats push heads inside
- Light gauge beside heavier steel racks
- One buyer reported rust and chipped paint
This rack is the value pick of the roundup: fully welded cold-rolled steel in a powder-coated finish, 18.5 gallons of capacity, and it weighs only 4.4 pounds. That weight is the underrated part. A rack you can lift with one arm can move between pens as your herd splits for rotational grazing, and most of the steel racks here are two or three times as heavy.
It is a multi-sided rack, so animals can feed from more than one direction, which suits a pen where the animals crowd at one point. Reviewers with mini goats and small sheep call the size right for their stock, and several use it as a blanket holder once the hay season is done.
Assembly is quick and the expansion screws for wall mounting are in the box, which removes the most common install complaint in this category. Owners with donkeys as well as goats report it holding its shape, and the rounded edges and corners are a real safety detail when animals push their faces into the grid.
The multi-sided access is also the reason for the main complaint: with openings on several faces and a fairly wide grid, some goats can get their heads well inside. Test it with a cardboard template of the opening before you commit if you run horned animals or animals that push.
Why it earns the value badge
Steel construction, real capacity, included fixings and a weight you can actually lift, in a package that suits a backyard herd of two to five goats. Few racks at this level give you all four.
Where it falls short
Light gauge and wide openings are the trade. It is not the rack for a herd that climbs, chews or leans its full weight on the front, and one buyer reported a unit arriving with surface rust, so inspect the coating before you mount it.
4. Country Manufacturing All Steel Combo Feeder – Built to Outlast the Others
Country Manufacturing Heavy Duty Metal Combo Horse Feeder Also Great for Goats Or Sheep with The All Steel Construction This Hay Rack Should Last A Lifetime Made in USA
All-steel alloy construction
Combo hay and grain rack
24 x 24 x 12 inches, 35 pounds
Wall hanging on hooks or fully mounted
Pros
- Very heavy build that owners report outlasting cheaper racks
- Catch tray underneath cuts trampled hay waste
- Integrated bottom grain feeder
- Backed by a 90 day manufacturer warranty
Cons
- Heaviest feeder in the group at 35 pounds
- One reviewer reported the hay cage tearing loose
This is the one you buy when you want a feeder that is still there in ten years. It is an all-steel combo unit with a hay cage on top and a grain feeder below, finished in black, made in the USA, and backed by a 90 day manufacturer warranty. At 35 pounds it is by far the heaviest feeder we looked at, and that weight is the product.
The catch tray underneath is the feature that shows up again and again in owner reports as the thing that reduces waste. Hay that falls out of the cage lands in the tray instead of on the floor, and an animal can come back and clean it up. Two or three goats fit comfortably at the front, and the same unit works in a mini horse stall.
It hangs on hooks, so if you have a pen side rather than a stud wall you can slide it into place without fully mounting it. That flexibility is genuinely useful when you divide a barn into kidding stalls in spring.
Where it earns its place
Permanent barn installations, small horse stalls and anyone who is tired of replacing racks. The all-steel cage and the tray together handle the two failure modes we hear about most: wasting and chewing.
Where it falls short
Weight, and only weight, plus the fact that a small share of owners report the welded hay cage loosening or tearing away from the frame after a while. If you need to move the feeder regularly, this is not the one, and the capacity of 5 gallons is on the small side for a big flock.
5. Intrepid International Corner Hay Rack – The Top-Rated Corner Mount
Intrepid International Wall-Mounted Corner Hay Rack – for Horses, Goats, Sheep, and Other Livestock, Heavy Duty and Convenient Feeder Solution
Sturdy metal with rounded edges
31 x 29 x 21 inches
Wall-mounted corner rack
10.9 pounds
Pros
- Highest average rating in the group
- Corner mount keeps hay elevated and frees stall floor
- Rounded edges protect muzzles and horns
- Doubles as a blanket holder
Cons
- Arrives without mounting hardware
- Supplied wall anchors perform poorly in drywall
- Awkward in drywall unless you locate studs or toggle bolts
On rating alone this is the strongest feeder in the roundup, and the reviews back up the number. Owners describe it as sturdy and well made, with hay that stays clean and off the ground and noticeably less mess in the pen. The rounded edges are called out as the reason nothing has ever got hurt on it.
The corner mount is the clever part. In a stall or shed corner the rack sits diagonally, so you lose no wall space and no floor space, and animals can approach from either side. At 31 by 29 by 21 inches and 10.9 pounds, it holds a decent amount without needing a structural wall to carry it.
It also converts. Several owners use it as a blanket holder between hay seasons, which is a fair test of how well a rack is actually built, since a blanket is heavier and more awkward than a flake of hay.
The installation is where you need to plan. Mounting hardware is not included, and the anchors that come with some examples are reported to hold poorly and be hard to pull out of finished drywall. Find studs, or use toggle bolts rated for the load.
Who should buy it
Anyone with a stall corner or a shed corner and a stud to hang it from. It is the best-looking option here and the least likely to injure an animal, which matters in a pen with a mix of horned adults and young stock.
Where it falls short
You are buying the rack, not the fixings. Budget for bolts, washers and proper anchors, and expect a slower install than the racks that include their hardware. It is a corner unit, so it will not sit flat against a straight wall run.
6. Country Manufacturing Wall Mount Hay Rack Pack of 2 – Two Racks for Two Pens
Country Manufacturing Wall Mount Hay Rack for Horses and Goat Feeder -Pack of 2: This Versatile Hay Feeder Can Also Be Used As Wall Blanket Holder Made in The USA
Heavy gauge metal, pack of two
10 x 24 x 24 inches
Wall mount or corner mount
Made in the USA
Pros
- Heavy gauge steel that outlasts cheaper racks
- Two racks cover two pens or two walls
- Doubles as a wall blanket holder
- Screws can be driven at a slight angle
Cons
- No printed directions included
- One buyer received bent metal from a damaged box
- Needs studs or appropriate anchors for solid mounting
Two racks for the price of one plus a bit is the practical argument here, and the build backs it up. These are heavy gauge steel, made in the USA, and owners consistently say they came out heavier than expected, which is exactly what you want against animals that lean, climb and chew.
Each rack is 10 by 24 by 24 inches and can be mounted on a wall or fitted into a corner. The pack format solves a problem most single racks create: you end up wanting a second feeding point, because a dominant animal will hold one opening while the rest of the herd stands around it. Two racks means two places to eat, which takes the pressure off the hierarchy.
Installers like that the screw holes are forgiving. A short bit driving screws at a slight angle is all it takes, and that matters on older barn walls where nothing lines up cleanly. The blanket-holder conversion gets the same praise as the corner rack.
Two complaints repeat. There are no printed directions, so plan to work from the shape of the rack itself, and one buyer received scratched and bent metal that had been damaged in transit. Check the piece over on arrival.
Where it works best
A barn with two pens, a goat shed and a sheep barn, or a single pen where you want to double the feeding points. For mixed goat and sheep herds this is the one we would pick, because you can set one rack at goat height and one lower for the flock.
Where it falls short
You still need studs or proper anchors, and you get no instructions in the box. At 20 pounds for the pair it is portable enough to reposition but not something you want to carry between paddocks every week.
7. Goatzy 25 Gallon Hinged Roof Feeder – Best Rain Protection in a Wall Mount
Goatzy Wall Mount Hay Rack And Hay Feeder For Goats Sheep And Horses, Covered Galvanized Steel Goat Hay Feeder With Hinged Roof, 25 Gallon 2-In-1 No Waste Hanging Holder Grain Bin with hook For Cattle
Hot-dipped galvanized steel
25 gallon 2-in-1 capacity
Hinged roof and dual hanging hooks
21.5 x 13.1 x 23.6 inches
Pros
- Hinged roof keeps rain and snow off the hay
- Grain tray doubles as a drop tray for loose hay
- Hot-dipped galvanized steel resists rust
- Hangs on panels and fences so it moves easily
Cons
- Tight bar spacing suits kids and minis better than adults
- Hinge screws loosen over time
- Hardware bags sometimes arrive with missing nuts
The roof is the whole idea. It opens for loading and closes to keep rain, snow and sun off the hay, which solves the problem that ruins hay in a wet climate. Mold that starts in a soaked feeder is what leads to the respiratory complaints and listeriosis risk that feeders are supposed to prevent in the first place.
Under the rack is an integrated grain tray that also acts as a drop tray for hay scraps, so one unit handles both halves of the ration. At 25 gallons it holds roughly three to four flakes of compacted hay, which is a full day for a couple of animals without a refill.
The build is heavy hot-dipped galvanized steel at 24.8 pounds, and owners with goats, horses and mares report it stands up to all three. The dual hooks are genuinely useful: you can screw it to a barn wall or hang it off a livestock panel and carry it to a new paddock when you rotate.
Two things temper the enthusiasm. The bar spacing is tight, which works well for mini goats and kids but can be hard work for full-size adults. And hinge screws do loosen over time, so keep a longer driver bit nearby.
Where it earns its place
Wet climates, uncovered runs, and anyone who has lost a season of hay to rain. If mold and soaked hay are your recurring problem, a hinged roof solves more than any other feature in this list.
Where it falls short
It is not a full-size-animal feeder. The grate spacing suits small stock and it sits at 4.1 stars, the lowest average in the roundup, with recurring complaints about incomplete hardware and assembly instructions that do not clearly show which bolt goes where. One owner also reported a newborn kid’s leg caught in the lid handle, which is worth thinking about if you kid indoors.
8. YXJSTO 2 in 1 Hay and Grain Feeder – The Tightest Mesh for Waste Control
YXJSTO Wall Mount Hay Rack, Metal 2 in 1 Hay and Grain Feeder
Galvanized sheet steel with 304 stainless screws
4 x 4 inch hay mesh
Adjustable double L-hook mounting
21.5 x 13.1 x 23.6 inches
Pros
- 4 x 4 inch mesh meaningfully reduces overflow
- Galvanized sheet with stainless hardware for outdoor use
- Raised bottom groove adds capacity and keeps hay dry
- Double L-hooks fit several wall and fence sites
Cons
- Mesh still lets smaller goats reach deeper inside
- 29.1 pounds is awkward to hold while mounting
If your waste problem is hay coming out of the rack rather than hay going round the feeder, mesh spacing is the answer. This rack uses 4 by 4 inch hay mesh, and owners credit it with visibly reducing overflow compared with wide-bar racks of the same shape. Hay is still easy to pull through, so the animals are not working for it.
Everything else about it is aimed at outdoor use. The sheet steel is galvanized and finished with high-temperature paint, and the fasteners are 304 stainless steel rather than the zinc-plated hardware common on cheaper racks. That combination is what you want on a wall that gets rained on.
The raised bottom groove does two jobs: it adds capacity and it holds the hay off damp ground. The adjustable double L-hooks let you mount the rack on a wall, on the side of a shed, or on a fence line without hunting for exactly the right hole.
We would plan the install with two people. At 29.1 pounds this is one of the heavier racks here, and holding it level while starting bolts is the part that annoys owners.
Why the mesh matters
Wide openings let an animal pull a big clump and drop most of it. A 4 by 4 inch grid keeps the clump smaller and keeps heads from going deep into the rack, which reduces both waste and the risk of an animal getting wedged in.
Where it falls short
It is heavy, and even at 4 by 4 inches smaller goats can still reach further inside than you would like. If your herd is all full-size animals with horns, run the cardboard test before you commit.
9. Lazaluking 67 Gallon Wall Hay Feeder – The Highest Capacity Wall Rack
Wall Mounted Hay Feeder & Blanket Holder, 63″ 67 Gal Heavy Duty Steel Hay Rack for Horse Stall, Goat Shed, Sheep Barn, Organizer for Feeding and Storage
Heavy duty rust-resistant metal
67 gallon capacity
Universal wall mount
63 x 17 x 15 inches
Pros
- 67 gallon capacity means refilling every few days
- Also works as a stall organizer for blankets and tack
- Quick secure wall installation
- Rated highly in goat sheds and sheep barns
Cons
- 63 inch span needs a solid wall and several anchor points
- Rigid bars are unforgiving if an animal pushes through
Capacity is the argument. At 67 gallons this holds several weeks of hay for a small flock, which removes the daily refill completely. If you buy hay by the bale and store it dry, filling a rack less often means fewer reasons for hay to sit around getting damp and dusty.
It is a 2-in-1 design, so the same unit organises horse blankets, saddle pads and tack above the hay. Buyers running goat sheds and sheep barns like the way it turns a blank wall into organized storage, and the universal mounting system goes up quickly once you have located solid fixings.
Keeping the hay elevated does more than save hay. A rack at chest height keeps manure and urine out of the ration, which is exactly the fecal contamination route that drives barber pole worm and coccidia through a herd.
Note there is a smaller 35 inch version of the same design if 63 inches is more than your wall can take, and for most backyard pens that is the one that fits.
Where it works best
Sheep barns and goat sheds with a long uninterrupted wall, and any setup where you would rather fill the feeder twice a week than every morning. Two feeding points also help if you have a flock with a clear dominance order.
Where it falls short
The 63 inch span needs a solid wall with multiple anchor points, and the rigid bars are not forgiving of an animal that decides to push its head and shoulders through a gap.
10. BUYYAH 31.5 Inch 24 Gallon Hay Feeder – A Dual-Purpose Stall Rack
BUYYAH 31.5” Horse Hay Feeder 24 Gallon
Carbon steel with rust-proof BPA-free finish
24 gallon capacity
Wall mounted, tools included
31.5 x 15.5 x 22.5 inches
Pros
- Easy two-piece assembly and wall mounting
- Multi-sided access feeds up to 5 goats
- Rated highly as a blanket and stall storage rack
- Rust-proof carbon steel finish
Cons
- Thin gauge metal bends and bars detach in livestock use
- Bar spacing lets small goats pull out extra hay
- One buyer reported joints not lining up
This rack splits cleanly into two camps, and it helps to know which one you are in before buying. Used as a hay feeder, owners report that the thin-gauge metal bends and bars can detach within a few months of livestock use, and that the wide bar spacing lets smaller goats pull out more hay than you would like.
Used as a stall organizer and blanket rack, it gets nothing but praise. The 24 gallon body, the multi-sided access and the rust-proof carbon steel finish make it a solid wall rack for blankets, tack and gear, and that is how most owners use it once hay season is over.
Assembly is a simple two-piece build and tools are included, which is nice. Multi-sided access means several animals can reach the hay at once, and the maker states it feeds up to five goats, so the physical capacity is not the limitation here.
There is also a 63 inch version of the same design, which is worth a look if your wall is long and your animals are not determined chewers.
Where it earns its place
Stalls, tack rooms and anywhere a rack has to do double duty as storage. It suits households that want one wall unit for hay in winter and blankets in summer.
Where it falls short
It is not the feeder for heavy chewing or leaning animals. Buy the thicker-gauge rack instead if goats are going to be pushing on it daily, and expect some hay on the floor from the bar spacing.
11. SCENIC ROAD 25 x 36 Wall Hay Rack – The Long Wall Rack for Barns and Arenas
SCENIC ROAD Wall Hay Rack, 25″ x 36″ x 12″
Welded half inch American steel rod, powder coated
25 H x 36 W x 12 D
Wall mount for stalls and arenas
Large wall format
Pros
- Heavy welded rod build owners call very sturdy
- Large capacity suits a morning or evening feeding
- Round edges reduce injury risk
- Widely repurposed as a wall blanket rack
Cons
- Mounting holes rarely match 16 or 24 inch stud spacing
- Examples can arrive scratched or bent with uneven welds
- One buyer reported the coating flaking in the box
At 25 by 36 by 12 inches this is the widest rack in the roundup, and long-time owners describe it as a solid, large wall rack that works well in arenas and barns. The build is welded half inch American steel rod in a powder-coated finish, which is the kind of heavy fabrication that keeps its shape when an animal leans into it.
The format is designed around feeding times rather than refills. It holds enough hay for a morning or an evening in one go, so for a flock that is fed twice a day you are filling it twice a day rather than every few hours. Round edges are there to eliminate injury risk at the feeding face.
It has the second-highest review count of any feeder here, and the long-term picture is good. Buyers with arena setups and barn walls report it staying put and staying straight, and many repurpose it as a wall-mounted blanket rack.
The recurring frustration is installation. Mounting holes often do not line up with standard 16 or 24 inch stud spacing, so you may need longer bolts or a bridging batten behind the rack.
Where it works best
Long barn walls, arenas, and any setup where you want one wide feeding face that several animals can share. The wide format also spreads a flock out instead of stacking them at one point.
Where it falls short
Check it over on arrival. A small share of buyers report examples arriving scratched, bent, or with uneven welds and flaking coating, and the hole spacing rarely matches your studs without a little adaptation.
12. T TEKE Classic Slow Hay Feeder Net – The Most Proven Slow Feeder Here
T TEKE Classic Slow hay Feeder hay nets, 40″ Length with 2″ Holes, Horse Supplies hay Bags for Horses, Goat Feed
40 inch body with 2 inch mesh holes
Soft braided polyethylene cord
6mm drawstring
Holds up to two to three years of daily use
Pros
- Most reviews of any feeder in the roundup
- Stretches a small bale two to three weeks
- Soft cord is gentle on muzzles and horns
- Washable and cheap to replace
Cons
- 40 inch size suits minis and pygmy goats better than full horses
- Horned goats can catch heads in the mesh
- Filling a full net takes upper body strength
With 966 reviews, this net has more real-world history behind it than anything else in the roundup, and the feedback is unusually consistent. Owners report the soft braided polyethylene cord lasting two to three years of daily use, and the 6mm drawstring being thick enough to carry a filled net and hang it without complaint.
The waste reduction is the headline number. A small bale that would normally be eaten in about ten days stretches to two or three weeks in a 40 inch net with 2 inch mesh holes, because an animal has to work through the holes for every mouthful instead of pulling a whole clump out at once.
Hang it at chest height so animals eat downward rather than reaching up, and introduce it with a partly filled net for the first few days. That advice comes straight from owners: goats paw impatiently at anything unfamiliar, and a half-full net on day one is the difference between a net they learn to use and a net they pull apart.
It washes, folds flat and stores in a tack trunk, which makes it the easiest feeder here to move between pens. It also works well as a second feeding point so dominant animals are not blocking a single rack.
Where it works best
Horses, donkeys, pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf goats, and any herd where slow feeding and low cost matter more than a rigid structure.
Where it falls short
The 40 inch size is better matched to minis, ponies and small goats than to full-size horses. More importantly, horned goats can catch their heads in the mesh, so if your herd is horned, use a net with a smaller aperture or supervise the first few days.
How to Choose a Hay Feeder for Goats and Sheep
Start with herd size and behaviour, then work down the list. A feeder for six goats and a feeder for two are different problems, and a feeder for a flock of sheep and a feeder for a herd of horned goats are different problems again. Here is the order we would work in.
Match the opening to the animal, not the other way round
For adult goats, aim for head slots roughly 5 to 7 inches wide and 8 to 10 inches tall. Vertical bar spacing on a rack should be 6 to 8 inches. Sheep graze lower and take a wider mouthful, so they want the opening nearer the bottom of the rack and spaced a little wider than the goat setting.
Allow 12 to 18 inches of feeder space per adult goat, and give each animal its own opening. More openings than animals means a dominant goat cannot hold the only one, which is one of the most common complaints we read about single-hole racks.
Set mounting height by breed
Nigerian Dwarf and Pygmy goats feed comfortably from 16 to 18 inches. Standard breeds do well from 20 to 24 inches. Boer and other large goats need 24 to 28 inches. Too low and animals step into the feed; too high and small breeds stretch and waste hay.
Pick the material for the location
Galvanized steel wins for outdoor and wet locations because the zinc coating resists rust. Powder-coated steel is good under cover. Food-grade plastic and HDPE are light and rust-free but get chewed and UV-degraded faster. Treated lumber is fine for a DIY build if you use galvanized screws, which will not streak the hay.
Decide how much hay it must hold
Small square bales and flakes suit wall racks of 18 to 25 gallons. A flock fed twice a day wants a larger rack or two feeding points. Full round bales need a cradle or cone feeder, which is a different category of hardware entirely, and a wall rack will not hold one.
Check the roof and the drainage
Rain-soaked hay is the start of mold, and mold is the start of the respiratory and listeriosis problems feeders are supposed to prevent. A hinged roof, a roofed run or a covered tarp all solve it. Make sure the bottom tray or groove has somewhere for water to go, because a tray that traps water will mold the hay sitting in it.
Do the horn-entrapment test first
Cut a cardboard template of the opening and press it over the rack face. If your goat can get a head and shoulder through it and turn it, a smaller opening or an arched keyhole or tombstone profile will suit better. Straight-bar racks get reported as injury and panic cases far more often than arched designs, and shape matters as much as size.
Look at clean-out access before anything else
A hinged clean-out door, a removable bottom tray or a lift-out slat is worth more than any styling decision. Feeders that are awkward to empty do not get emptied, and a feeder that does not get cleaned is concentrating oocysts exactly where animals press their noses. If you enjoy building, livestock panels clipped with safety spring snaps are a popular route and a tarp or tin roof solves the weather problem for almost nothing. The same clean-out-first thinking shows up in our best chicken feeders roundup, and we apply the identical test to every feeder we cover, from our best bird feeders guide to our best automatic dog feeders roundup.
One last piece of advice from the forums that we agree with: a feeder that is easy to move gets moved. Rotating portable feeders between paddocks breaks the parasite cycle that a permanent feeder in one spot can concentrate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best hay feeder for goats?
The best hay feeder for goats is a wall-mounted rack with a bottom catch tray and bar spacing of 6 to 8 inches, mounted at the right height for the breed: 16 to 18 inches for Nigerian Dwarf and Pygmy goats, 20 to 24 inches for standard breeds, and 24 to 28 inches for Boers. For a mixed herd a 2-in-1 combo rack that holds both hay and grain saves space, and adding a roof or hanging the feeder in a covered run protects hay from mold.
Do goats need a hay feeder?
Goats do not strictly need a feeder, since they will eat hay off the ground, but they waste far more that way. Ground feeding typically loses 30 to 50 percent of the hay to trampling, soiling and spoilage, and it is the main route for fecal contamination that spreads barber pole worm and coccidia. A feeder keeps hay clean and elevated and measurably cuts both waste and parasite exposure.
How high should a goat hay rack be off the ground?
Mount an adult goat hay rack at shoulder height rather than head height: 16 to 18 inches for Nigerian Dwarf and Pygmy goats, 20 to 24 inches for standard breeds, and 24 to 28 inches for Boer and other large goats. Mount a wall rack above this guidance only if the herd includes sheep, which graze lower and prefer openings nearer the bottom of the rack.
What is the best way to feed hay to goats?
Fill the feeder with small amounts rather than dumping a whole flake, place it at the correct height for the breed, and keep the tray clear so dropped hay is eaten rather than soiled. Give each animal its own opening and allow 12 to 18 inches of space per adult so dominant goats cannot block the herd. Add a roof or feed in a covered run to protect hay from rain, mold and dust.
Why are my goats wasting hay?
Goats waste hay for four common reasons: the feeder opening is too wide so they pull a large clump and drop it, the rack is mounted too high and they cannot reach cleanly, the tray is missing so dropped hay hits the floor, or there is only one feeding point and a dominant animal holds it. Tighten the mesh, lower the rack by a few inches and add a catch tray, and waste should drop sharply.
Our Verdict on the Best Hay Feeders for Goats and Sheep
Our pick for the best hay feeders for goats and sheep is the BUYYAH 2 in 1 22 gallon combo rack. It has the tubed steel gauge, the tray that catches dropped flakes and the capacity to cover a small herd without daily refills, which is exactly the combination that survives contact with real goats.
Buy the hinged roof model if rain is your problem, the corner rack if you have a stud wall and want the highest-rated steel on this list, the tight-mesh rack if overflow is what you are losing, and a slow-feed net if you want the cheapest possible waste reduction on a small herd. Whichever you choose, measure the opening with cardboard, set the height for your breeds, and buy one more feeding point than you think you need.