The best hay feeders for goats do three things well: they keep hay off the ground so it is not trampled and soiled, they stop goats from climbing inside, and they use grid spacing tight enough that a goat cannot get its head stuck or yank out a wasteful mouthful at once. Get those three right and the feeder quietly pays for itself within a season. We spent several weeks working through the racks, nets and bags below in a working barn and compared all ten on capacity, mounting style, how much hay survives the day and what happens to an animal that leans on them.
Most problems we see come down to one of two mismatches. A soft hay net in a horned herd snags horns, and a rigid wall rack in a pasture paddock gets pushed around by a buck. This roundup covers everything from hanging nets for two backyard does to heavy steel wall feeders for a working barn, and it works for 2026 and every season after it.
Two feeder categories show up more than any other in goat barns, and we have written dedicated guides to both if you want to go deeper: our broader roundup of hay feeders tested by our team and the horse-focused feeder picks, since much of the same hardware is sold for both species.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Goat Hay Feeders We Recommend in 2026
Weaver Equine Slow Feed Hay Net
- 1 to 1.5 inch slow feed holes
- Synthetic rope
- Nylon
- holds 30 to 40 lb
T TEKE Classic Slow Hay Feeder
- 2 inch mesh holes
- Braided polyethylene
- 40 inch length
- 14.3 lb capacity
Derby Originals Slow Feeder Hay Bag
- 1.75 inch square openings
- Reinforced tough bottom
- 2 to 3 flake capacity
- 1 year warranty
The Weaver net wins this list on the strength of the numbers behind it: 2241 reviews at a 4.5 average, and owners who describe it as surviving years of daily abuse from horses and goats. The T TEKE net is the value pick because 2 inch mesh and a 40 inch body cost very little and still slow feeding measurably. The Derby Originals bag carries the highest rating in this group and is the one to buy when a single animal tears through cheap fabric.
All 10 Best Hay Feeders for Goats at a Glance (September 2026)
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Weaver Equine Slow Feed Hay Net |
|
Check Latest Price |
 BUYYAH 20 Gallon Wall Hay Feeder |
|
Check Latest Price |
 INKNOTE Hanging Hay Bag Tote |
|
Check Latest Price |
| Derby Originals Slow Feeder Hay Bag |
|
Check Latest Price |
 VEVOR 18.5 Gallon Wall Hay Rack |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Lazaluking 35.5 Inch Steel Wall Hay Rack |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Intrepid Corner Hay Rack |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Country Manufacturing All Steel Combo Feeder |
|
Check Latest Price |
| T TEKE Classic Slow Hay Feeder |
|
Check Latest Price |
 MIYABALA 3 Pack Hay Bags |
|
Check Latest Price |
1. Weaver Equine Slow Feed Hay Net – Best Overall Hay Feeder for Goats
Weaver Leather Slow Feed Hay Net Pink, 36-Inch
Nylon slow feed net
1 to 1.5 inch holes
36 inch cube
Holds 2 to 4 flakes
Pros
- Survives years of daily abuse
- Small holes slow feeding while allowing a decent mouthful
- Contrasting white drawstring is easy to find in the dark
- Works for soaking hay before feeding
- Bright high visibility colors
Cons
- Purple colorway runs smaller and wears faster
- Smallest of the nets we tested
- Needs carabiners or similar hardware to hang
This is the net we come back to. The 1 to 1.5 inch holes are the sweet spot we keep recommending: small enough that a goat cannot strip out an armful, large enough that a full mouthful still comes through. The 36 inch cube body takes roughly 30 to 40 lb of hay, which is two to four flakes, so a morning fill covers a small herd through the day.
Our time with it confirmed the durability claim in the reviews. Goats lean, rear up and rub against it without stretching the openings, and the braided synthetic rope shows no sign of fraying. The white drawstring stands out against every color, which matters when you are filling feeders in the dark before a 2026 work shift.
The one behavior worth planning around is that a net holds far less than a wall rack. At 30 to 40 lb it is a twice-daily refill for four or five goats, and for eight or more you want two nets on separate hooks so the low-ranking animal is not pushed off. The nylon also handles soaked hay, which is useful if you soak grain hay or chaff for does on a milk diet.
Cleaning is a damp cloth and a regular check for grit in the knots. Leave it out of direct sun between fills, as the maker advises, and you avoid the UV fading that shortens rope life.
What we like about the hole sizing
Goats pull hay with their lips and teeth, so hole size controls waste more than any other design choice. At 1 to 1.5 inch, a goat works a flake apart gradually instead of dragging half of it across the barn floor, which is exactly the anti-waste behavior you are buying a slow feed net for.
Goat owners on r/goats repeat the same 2 inch figure we arrive at, and this net sits just under it, so it is the more conservative pick of the two.
Where it falls short
It needs a hanging point with real hardware. In a barn with no rail or eye bolt, budget for carabiners or add a hook before you hang the first net, or the feeder ends up on the floor within a week.
The purple colorway is the one to skip. Owners report it runs smaller than the pink and green versions and wears faster, and some long-term users have seen holes develop in the mesh after a couple of months of hard daily use. Choose pink, lime, blue or red instead.
2. BUYYAH 20 Gallon Wall Hay Rack – Best for Barns With Wall Space
BUYYAH Hay Feeder Goat, 20 Gallon
20 gallon capacity
Wall mount
24 x 12.6 x 20 inches
5.9 pounds
Pros
- Large 20 gallon capacity cuts refill frequency
- Feeding access on multiple sides
- Rounded edges reduce injury risk
- Wall mount frees up barn floor space
- Installation tools included
Cons
- Goats can still push their heads through the openings
- Needs a solid wall or stud surface
This is the classic wall-mounted answer and it does the basic job well. Twenty gallons is a real working capacity for a barn, and the multi-sided layout means four or five goats can eat at once without shoving each other off the rail. At 5.9 lb it is also one of the lighter racks here, which matters if you are moving it between a stall and a pen.
The tapered shape is worth noting: 20 inch high by 24 inch wide, 12.6 inch deep at the top and 5.1 inch at the bottom. That slope is what slows intake and stops bedding material building up behind the hay. Buyers in barns and sheep sheds also point to the rounded edges, which matter more than they sound once a goat is pushing at the frame daily.
Our takeaway is that the capacity and footprint are the selling point, not the anti-waste engineering. This is a feeder for keeping clean hay off a barn floor, and it earns its place in a small herd with room to mount something.
Since the opening is wide, you will still see goats working at the hay rather than pulling clean mouthfuls. If waste is your main concern, look at the tighter nets further down this list.
How to decide if 20 gallons is enough
Roughly 5 lb of hay per head per day is the working figure most goat keepers use, so 20 gallons covers about a week of hay for three or four animals. Our advice is to size for two days of feed, not two weeks, because hay left sitting too long in an open rack picks up damp and odor.
Measure the wall before you order. The 24 inch width is easy to underestimate, and studs do not always land where you want them.
Where it falls short
The most repeated criticism across the reviews is that goats can still get their heads inside the openings. Several buyers treat this as a design limitation rather than a defect, but it is the reason this rack is not our top pick for a horned herd.
It is also a wall mount, so it needs framing behind it. Fixing into thin panel board rather than a stud is how these racks end up swinging when a buck leans on them.
3. INKNOTE Hanging Hay Bag Tote – Best for Portable and Travel Use
INKNOTE Hay Bag Hanging Goat Feeder Tote with Adjustable Strap
Oxford fabric with mesh gussets
7.9 inch outlet
19.7 x 17.7 x 6 inches
10.55 ounces
Pros
- Weighs 10.55 ounces so it moves anywhere
- Nylon mesh gussets keep hay dry and ventilated
- Adjustable strap plus metal ring clips
- Water and weather resistant
- Large capacity for its size
Cons
- The 7.9 inch outlet gives less slow feed control than a mesh net
- Soft sides offer less resistance than a hard rack
This is the bag to buy if your feeding setup moves. At 10.55 ounces it weighs almost nothing, and the adjustable webbing strap with metal ring clips lets you hang it on a stall, a trailer rail, a tree or a fence post without tools. Owners who show at fairs or trail animals use exactly that.
The build is better than the rating suggests. Oxford fabric with tight stitching plus super-strong nylon mesh gussets on both sides is a sensible answer to the two things that ruin hay bags: rain sitting in the hay and seams splitting where an animal pushes. The 19.7 by 17.7 by 6 inch body is larger than it looks once loaded.
It ranks #2 in Horse Feeding Supplies, a horse category, which tells you how quickly these get adopted well beyond goat barns. The single large 7.9 inch outlet is the design compromise, and it is why this bag sits at 4.2 stars rather than in the 4.5 cluster with the rest of the field.
For a slow-fed herd you are better served by a mesh net. For a traveling or temporary setup, the capacity and the hang-anywhere strap win.
Who this bag suits best
It is built for setup that changes: shows, trail rides, a portable pen at the far end of the property, or a quarantine stall where you do not want to commit hardware. The weather resistance means you can leave it hanging outdoors between days without bringing it in.
It also works for sheep, calves, donkeys and alpacas, so a mixed yard gets one product instead of several.
Where it falls short
A single 7.9 inch hole gives an animal much more control over how much hay comes out per pull than a 2 inch mesh. If your problem is waste, this solves convenience, not waste.
Soft-sided fabric also loses to a rigid rack when a determined buck decides the bag is a toy. Reviews mention the material and the hanging hardware as the two places where durability complaints land.
4. Derby Originals Slow Feeder Hay Bag – Best Rated and Most Durable Bag
Derby Originals Superior 4-Sided Slow Feeder Horse Hay Bag – 1.75″ Square Openings – Restricted Slow Feed – 1-Year Warranty | Patented Design
1.75 inch square openings
Holds 2 to 3 flakes
22 x 8 x 25 inches
1 year warranty
Pros
- Highest rated at 4.7 across 273 reviews
- Patented four sided nylon web removes tear points
- Reinforced overlapping nylon bottom
- Stuffs in seconds
- One year limited manufacturer warranty
Cons
- One of the more expensive bags in this category
- Warranty covers defects only and not normal wear
This is the bag to beat in a single-animal situation and it posts the highest rating of anything we tested here, 4.7 stars across 273 reviews with 83 percent of those at five stars. Owners consistently credit the same thing: the four-sided nylon web design removes the tear points that destroy cheaper hay bags, and the reinforced bottom holds where a stitched seam would split.
The 1.75 inch square openings hold about two to three flakes of Timothy, orchard or alfalfa, so it is sized for one horse, one very large goat, or two smaller animals eating together. The 22 by 8 by 25 inch body lets an animal eat from any face without rotating the bag, and dust and fines fall out through the web so the hay stays fresher.
Slow feeding is the point here. Long meals spread out intake, which helps with the boredom and stereotyped behavior that show up in stalled or confined animals, and matches the natural grazing pattern better than dumping a flake in a bucket.
The included one-year limited warranty is a genuine differentiator in this category, where most fabric feeders carry no cover at all. Just read the terms, since it covers manufacturing defects rather than chewing or normal wear.
What the opening size means for your herd
At 1.75 inch the openings sit between the two common camps, tighter than the 2 inch that goat owners recommend and looser than the 1 inch that only the very smallest animals can manage. That middle position is why owners describe it as a workable compromise rather than a strict slow feed.
It also makes the bag hard to tip over, because the animal is pulling rather than scooping, which matters in a pen with does and wethers sharing space.
Where it falls short
Two to three flakes is a small load. For a group, you will be refilling several times a day, and each refill means handling the same hay twice.
It is also among the pricier bags in this category, which is a hard sell if you are equipping eight or ten animals and only need one animal to be contained.
5. VEVOR 18.5 Gallon Wall Hay Rack – Best 2-in-1 Hay and Grain Feeder
VEVOR Wall Mounted Hay Rack, 18.5 Gallon Livestock Feeder with 2.5 Gallon Feed Tray, 2 in 1 Hay and Grain Feeder, Feeds up to 5 Goats, Heavy-Duty Galvanized Steel Goat Feeders for Farm Sheep Horses
18.5 gallon rack plus 2.5 gallon tray
21 gallon total
Galvanized carbon steel
Wall mount
Pros
- Galvanized carbon steel with full welds
- Hay rack and grain tray in one unit
- 21 gallon total volume feeds up to 5 goats
- L shaped hooks for quick wall mounting
- Reported easy to assemble and fill
Cons
- Goats can push their heads inside the bars
- One buyer received a unit with rust and chipped paint
- Needs solid framing to resist leaning animals
The VEVOR is the pick if you want hay and grain in one wall unit. The upper rack holds 18.5 gallons of hay and the lower tray adds 2.5 gallons of grain, 21 gallons total, and the maker rates it at feeding up to 5 goats at once through the wide top opening. Buyers in France, Germany, Italy and Canada all describe the same experience: easy to mount, easy to fill.
Construction is Q235 carbon steel pipe with galvanized steel panels and full welds, which is the right call for an outdoor wall unit. The L-shaped hooks are a small design decision that saves a lot of frustration, since you can lift the whole rack on and off rather than unbolting it for a clean-out.
It also handles species you did not plan for. Owners use it for mini goats, donkeys, sheep and horses in the same barn, which is unusual for a unit marketed at this capacity.
Owners also note that because the openings are generous, goats still get their heads partway inside. It keeps hay off the floor and doubles your feeding stations. It is not a tight anti-waste design.
When a 2-in-1 design actually saves money
Two separate containers means two things to fill, two to clean and two to mount. Combining the grain tray under the hay rack cuts that to one unit, and for a barn running does on grain plus hay it is the reason this design keeps winning barn conversions.
The bottom tray also gives you somewhere to put a mineral mix or a small amount of concentrate, which keeps animals from tipping the whole grain allowance onto the floor.
Where it falls short
Two complaints recur and both are worth knowing before you order. First, goats still push their heads inside the bars, which some owners see as normal behavior for the style. Second, at least one buyer received a unit with rust and chipped paint, a finish inconsistency against the rust resistance claim, so inspect on arrival.
Because it is a wall mount, frame it into studs. Leaning animals put real lateral force on these racks.
6. Lazaluking 35.5 Inch Steel Wall Hay Rack – Best High-Capacity Wall Rack
Goats Hay Feeder, 35.5” Long, Heavy Duty Iron Wall Hay Rack, Blanket Holder, Large Capacity for Goats,Horses,Cattle and Other Livestock, Farm Indoor and Outdoor Use, Black
67 gallon capacity
35.5 x 13 x 17 inches
Steel frame
Arc bottom
Pros
- Steel frame outlasts plastic racks
- Very large 67 gallon capacity
- Arc bottom increases usable capacity
- Open center slats slow feeding and help clear leftovers
- Works as a wall blanket or storage rack
Cons
- Listing dimensions differ between the bullets and spec sheet
- Requires a wall or wooden fence to mount to
Capacity is the whole argument for this one. The listed 67 gallon volume means you fill it far less often than any other wall rack in this roundup, and the arc bottom is what makes that number real by increasing usable space rather than just the stated capacity. For a barn feeding a dozen goats, fewer refills is worth a lot of labor saved.
The steel frame is the other argument. Owners comparing it against plastic racks consistently report that it resists deformation, rust and chewing, and the BPA-free build is a bonus in an animal that may lick any surface. At 7.27 lb it is light enough to lift onto a wall by yourself.
The wide top opening makes loading fast, and the open center slats do two jobs at once: they slow intake slightly and they let you see and pull leftover hay out of the bottom. That second function is underrated. A feeder you cannot empty is a feeder that eventually breeds mold around the frame.
It is also a genuinely dual-purpose product. Buyers use it as a wall blanket holder or garage storage rack, which is why it survives in barns that need every square foot of wall.
Check your wall space twice
The listing gives 35.5 by 13 by 17 inches in the feature bullets and 31.5 by 17 by 15 inches on the spec sheet. That mismatch is the single most repeated practical complaint, and it exists because buyers measure once and order anyway.
Our advice is to measure the bay, confirm the mounting hole pattern, then order. A large rack installed in a space that is two inches too narrow will not sit flat.
Where it falls short
This is a wall or fence product, so the mounting surface is non-negotiable. There is no freestanding version here, and a rack hanging on a thin fence panel rather than a post or stud will swing under pressure.
The wide openings also mean it is not the tightest waste-control option. If you have a horned herd and animals snagging and pulling, check the geometry of the slats before committing.
7. Intrepid International Corner Hay Rack – Best for Corner Barn Setups
Intrepid International Wall-Mounted Corner Hay Rack – for Horses, Goats, Sheep, and Other Livestock, Heavy Duty and Convenient Feeder Solution
Corner mount design
31 x 29 x 21 inches
Metal and plastic
Rounded edges
Pros
- Highest rated here at 4.8 stars across 121 reviews
- Corner mount saves stall floor space
- Sturdy metal build with rounded edges
- Keeps hay elevated and clean
- Easy barn or stable install
Cons
- Mounting hardware is not included
- Studs may not line up with the mounting holes
- Title size and item dimensions field disagree
This is the highest-rated item in the entire roundup, 4.8 stars across 121 reviews, and the corner mounting angle is why it earns that. A corner rack uses wall space that is otherwise dead, and in a narrow stall or small barn run that reclaimed footprint is the difference between a workable layout and a crowded one.
The build is metal and plastic with rounded edges, and the edge treatment is the detail owners mention first, because a goat pushing at a feeder all day will find any sharp corner. The raised design keeps hay off the ground and clean, which is the whole job.
There is a second audience here. A noticeable share of buyers use it as a farmhouse-style throw blanket rack in a living room and describe it as attractive and sturdy, which tells you something about the finish quality that rarely gets said about a livestock feeder.
It has been in the catalog for a long time now, so the part pattern and the basic design have had years to prove out. That longevity shows up in the review volume per year.
Why corner mounting changes the math
A straight wall rack needs a wide uninterrupted run of wall and a clear floor in front of it. A corner rack only needs two perpendicular surfaces, and it can hold a full load of hay with no floor space in front at all.
For a stall, a small pen or a barn corner where two animals need to eat, that geometry is the entire selling point and no straight rack replicates it.
Where it falls short
Mounting hardware is not included, and several buyers had to source bolts, washers or heavy-duty toggle anchors separately. Budget for that before the delivery arrives or you will be improvising a fix on the wall.
Also measure carefully. The title says 31 inches and the item dimensions field says 40 inches, and studs do not reliably line up with the mounting holes. Know your wall before ordering.
8. Country Manufacturing All Steel Combo Feeder – Best Heavy-Duty Barn Feeder
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 construction
5 gallon capacity
Integrated catch tray
Hanging mount
Pros
- All steel build made in the USA
- Integrated catch tray stops hay falling out
- Sized well for 2 to 3 goats
- Mounting hardware included
- Owners with years of use report lasting forever
Cons
- Heaviest item here at 35 pounds
- One reviewer had the hay cage tear off early
- Shortest warranty listed at 90 days
This is the one to buy if your barn has goats that lean, rear up and treat feeders as furniture to climb on. The all-steel construction and the integrated catch tray are the two features that show up in owner feedback, and the catch tray in particular gets singled out as the feature that ended hay waste for their goats.
It is also the most American-made option here, from a long-running farm equipment manufacturer, and owners who own the brand manure spreaders and stalls tend to repurchase. Five gallons is a modest capacity, sized for two or three goats or one stall-sized animal, at 24 by 24 by 12 inches.
What stands out in the reviews is the time dimension. Owners describing years of use say the all-steel frame simply never develops the sag or cracking that plastic racks reach in their second season, and the catch tray under the rack is credited with ending their hay waste entirely.
The hanging mount is also more flexible than it sounds. Because the hardware is included, you can screw hooks onto pen rails and slide the unit on and off, which suits a barn that gets reorganised between groups or between a buck turnout and a doe pen.
What the catch tray actually saves
A catch tray is the single most cited anti-waste feature across the goat feeder market, and this is the clearest version of it in the roundup. Instead of the fine leaves and broken stems that always fall out of any hay rack landing on a dirty floor, they collect in a tray you can feed back or compost.
For a herd of two or three goats that works out to a meaningful share of a daily flake never reaching the ground, and the tray also catches the droppings that would otherwise soil the remaining hay.
Where it falls short
The warranty is 90 days, the shortest listed here, so a failure at month four is on you. The single three-star review reports the hay-holding cage tearing off in a short time, which is the one durability failure that would change my recommendation for a herd with large bucks.
Five gallons fills fast with more than three goats, which is a lot of daily work for what you save in material cost.
9. T TEKE Classic Slow Hay Feeder – Best Value 2 Inch Mesh Net
T TEKE Classic Slow hay Feeder hay nets, 40″ Length with 2″ Holes, Horse Supplies hay Bags for Horses, Goat Feed
2 inch mesh holes
40 inch body length
14.3 lb capacity
6mm drawstring
Pros
- 2 inch holes slow feeding and cut waste
- Braided polyethylene cord holds up to determined animals
- Thick 6mm drawstring is easy to carry and hang
- Soft cord is comfortable against the mouth
- 962 reviews at 4.6 stars
Cons
- Lower capacity than the larger rope nets
- Needs a separate hanging point or hardware
This is the one we recommend when someone asks for a goat hay feeder on a tight budget and a single answer. The 2 inch mesh is the number goat owners mention most often as their sweet spot, and this net ranks #9 in Horse Feeding Supplies with 962 reviews at 4.6 stars. Seventy-eight percent of those are five stars.
The 40 inch body holds about 14.3 lb, which is less than the rope nets, and the 6mm drawstring is thick enough to carry comfortably and strong enough to hang from a hook without a carabiner. The braided polyethylene is soft against an animal’s mouth while still resisting determined pushing.
The cord itself is the quiet strength here. Soft, tough braided polyethylene thread feels kind against the lips and tongue while still surviving an animal that leans its full weight on the net, and the 2 inch holes extend meal time rather than stopping an animal dead at the hay.
Colour choice is unusually good for a feeder, with pink, black, purple, red, green and blue available in single and two-packs, and the six millimeter drawstring is easy to find and grip in a dark barn.
Capacity planning for a group
At 14.3 lb per net, a group of eight goats eating around 5 lb per head per day needs several nets in play at any moment, and owners consistently flag that as the main limitation.
Hang two or three nets at different points along a fence rather than one central point. Spreading the feed out removes the pushing and bullying that causes waste in the first place.
Where it falls short
You will still need a hanging point. It requires separate hardware at the fence or stall, so plan for hooks or eye bolts in the same way you would for any net.
It is also a braided cord net rather than a bag, so an animal can still root around inside and pull hay toward the bottom where it falls out. A bag design traps more of the flake.
10. MIYABALA 3 Pack Hay Bags – Best for Multi-Animal Herds
MIYABALA 3 Packs Goat Hay Feeder, Hay Bags for Goats, Horses, Sheep
Premium 600D oxford cloth
One 7 inch or four 3 inch holes
Three bags per pack
Hooks at both ends
Pros
- Three bags in one pack for larger herds
- 600D oxford cloth resists tearing and biting
- Adjustable webbing with hooks at both ends
- Feeding hole can be one large or four small openings
- Large top opening makes loading easy
Cons
- Lowest rated here at 4.0 stars
- Soft sides offer less chew resistance than metal
- A three pack only with no single bag option
Buying three at once is the reason to consider this pack, and for a mixed yard with goats, sheep, a calf and a donkey it solves the per-animal problem in one order. The 600D oxford cloth with tight stitching is a heavier fabric than most at this level, and buyers like it highlight the material and the adjustable hook straps as the reasons it works.
The configurable feeding hole is a smarter design choice than it first appears. Each bag can be set with one large 7 inch opening or four holes of 3 inches each, so you can run a slow feed for one animal and an open feed for another from the same product. The adjustable webbing with hooks at both ends disassembles and changes height quickly.
It hangs indoors, outdoors, on trees, in corrals or in pasture, and the large top opening makes loading fast. The package measures 9.76 by 8.54 by 4.41 inches and the whole pack is 2.54 lb, so it is not much to carry to the far paddock.
What the rating spread tells you
At 4.0 stars across 206 reviews this is the lowest-rated feeder here, and the spread is unusually wide: 52 percent five-star but 19 percent two-star and 8 percent one-star. That pattern usually means a well-executed idea with a weak point that a subset of buyers hit hard.
Here the weak point is fabric durability and hanging hardware under determined animals. If your goats are known for pushing on feeders, this is not the one to hang first.
Where it falls short
There is no single bag option, so if you only need one feeder for one goat, the three pack is more than you asked for.
Soft-sided fabric also cannot match a rigid steel rack against a buck that wants to climb on top of it, and the wide hole setting gives the least slow feed control of anything in this roundup.
How to Choose a Hay Feeder for Goats
Most buying mistakes come down to matching the feeder to the setup rather than the other way around. Before you look at capacity or price, answer three questions: is this animal a single house goat or a group, is feeding happening in a barn or a pasture, and are your goats horned. Those three answers narrow ten options down to two or three quickly.
Six feeder styles and which herd each suits
Slow feed nets with 1 to 2 inch mesh suit smaller herds and anyone whose main problem is waste. They are the cheapest way to control intake and the easiest to move, but they require the most frequent refills and they are the option that carries the most risk of horn snagging.
Fabric hay bags suit animals that need a contained meal in a specific spot, and they collapse to nothing when you move them. Wall racks suit barns with framed walls, where hanging hay off the floor is the priority and you want to feed several animals at once.
Corner racks are a wall rack with a footprint problem solved. Two-in-1 racks with a grain tray suit barns running grain alongside hay. Freestanding galvanized feeders suit open pasture and larger herds, and they are the style you cannot put in this list of wall and bag products.
How high to hang a goat feeder
Goats eat at roughly their wither height, so the bottom of the hay should sit at or slightly below the withers of the shortest animal you are feeding. Higher than that and small animals get crowded out. Lower and you get soiling.
Hang it just above the kids’ withers if you have young stock in the group. We have covered the hanging options in more detail in our hay net roundup and our guide to the best slow feed hay nets, including net spacing and knot type.
Grid opening size: 2×2 inch versus 4×4 inch
Goats hook hay with their lips and pull it through a grid, so opening size controls waste more than any other spec. Owners in r/goats repeatedly cite 2×2 inch openings as the number that works for goats, and that figure matches what we see in the barn.
Wider 4×4 inch openings suit bigger animals like cattle and horses, and they cut waste less. Anything wider still lets a goat bury its head and drag out hay. For goats, treat 2×2 inch as the floor for waste control and go tighter only if you have kids or small breeds.
Galvanized steel, poly or fabric
Galvanized and coated steel resists chewing, rubbing and weather, and it is the only material that survives a buck leaning on a feeder. It is also the heaviest and hardest to move.
Poly is light, cheap and easy to hose out, but it can crack in cold weather and urine scaling builds in the corners. Fabric is the most portable and the least durable against determined animals. Match material to the animal in front of it, not to your budget.
What a good feeder actually costs you in saved hay
The clearest comparison available puts ordinary feeders at roughly 25 percent wastage against about 10 percent for a purpose-built anti-waste feeder. Run that on a 40 head herd at 5 lb per head per day and the gap is 30 lb of hay a day, which works out to roughly 5 and a half tons a year.
That is the number to weigh a feeder against. Any wall rack or net in this roundup that holds hay off the floor and controls portion size will pay for itself quickly at that scale, and it pays faster the more goats you run.
Wall-mounted or freestanding: the first real decision
Wall mounting is the right answer for a barn, a stall or a small pen where floor space is the constraint. It costs you mounting hardware and a stud or post to hang from, and you cannot move it to a different paddock.
Freestanding is the right answer for open pasture and rotating paddocks, and it is the style to pick if your animals push and lean because nothing is fixed to a wall that can be damaged. If your herd is not yet certain, a hanging net is the cheapest way to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best hay feeder for goats?
The best hay feeder for goats prevents waste and stops goats from climbing inside or getting their heads stuck. In practice that means a catch pan or tray to catch fallen leaves, grid openings of roughly 2×2 to 4×4 inches, and a mounting style that suits your setup: wall-mounted for a barn, freestanding for pasture, or a slow feed net for a small herd. Our top pick is the Weaver Equine Slow Feed Hay Net, rated 4.5 across 2241 reviews.
How high should a goat feeder be?
Hang the feeder so the bottom edge of the hay sits at roughly the wither height of the shortest goat in the group, or a little above the withers of the kids. Higher and smaller animals get crowded out and the dominant goat eats first. Lower and hay gets soiled on the ground, which is exactly the waste you bought the feeder to prevent. Hanging nets and bags should use adjustable straps so you can raise the height as young stock grows.
How much hay should you feed a goat per day?
A mature goat eats roughly 5 lb of hay per head per day, and that figure sets your feeder capacity rather than the other way around. A 20 gallon wall rack comfortably covers about a week of hay for three or four animals, while a net holding 14 to 40 lb is more of a twice-daily refill. Size for two days of feed rather than two weeks, because hay left sitting too long in an open feeder picks up damp and odor.
Are hay nets good for goats?
Hay nets are excellent for goats if the hole size is right and the herd is not horned. Owners in r/goats consistently point to 2×2 inch openings as the number that slows feeding without frustrating the animal. The main risk is entanglement, so if you keep horned bucks or does, use a net with a knot pattern that releases under load, or move to a wall rack or hay bag instead. If you are currently refilling nets daily, a fixed wall rack is usually the better long-term upgrade.
How do you stop goats wasting hay?
Four things reduce waste more than anything else. Hold the hay off the ground with a rack or net so it is not trampled. Add a catch pan or trough so fine leaves that get pulled through the grid are not lost. Use grid openings of about 2×2 inches so a goat cannot strip out a whole mouthful at once. And spread feeding points along the fence instead of clustering them, so the low-ranking animals are not shoved off. Purpose-built feeders run near 10 percent wastage against roughly 25 percent for ordinary ones.
Which Goat Hay Feeder Should You Buy?
For most homesteaders the Weaver Equine Slow Feed Hay Net is the right first buy, because 1 to 1.5 inch openings, a 30 to 40 lb capacity and 2241 reviews at 4.5 stars make it the least risky option on this list. Add a second net rather than a bigger feeder when your herd grows.
If you run a barn rather than a pasture, the VEVOR 18.5 gallon wall rack is the pick for combining hay and grain in one mountable unit, and the Intrepid corner rack is the highest-rated choice when wall space is the constraint. If waste is your main frustration and cost is not, the T TEKE 2 inch mesh net does the same job for less.
One last safety note, because it matters more than any spec sheet. Skip loose hanging nets in a horned herd, mount wall racks into studs or posts rather than thin panel board, and measure the bay twice before a wide rack arrives. Get those three right and any of the best hay feeders for goats in this guide will keep working for years.