Saving fallen leaves for the goats

[Bubblingbrooks]

I have noticed that my goats love to munch on fallen leaves.
Plan is to fill a few trash bags to store for the winter, and offer as a treat in winter.

Anyone else done this?

 

[Javamama]

Well right now they are gobbling them right out of the air But yeah, I think I'm going to try to save some, providing we have a dry fall.

 

[freemotion]

I've done it and strangely, they weren't interested later. I wonder if some unseen fungus grew on them or something. Instead, I fill the barn with fallen leaves and use them as bedding.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

I've done it and strangely, they weren't interested later. I wonder if some unseen fungus grew on them or something. Instead, I fill the barn with fallen leaves and use them as bedding.

I wonder if its because they are super crunchy and have lost all the sugar content...
Hmmmm, I need a freezer to fill with freshly fallen leaves!

 

[freemotion]

But they will go through their hay, searching for any leaves in the flakes, eating them first. I suspect it has to do a bit with the curing process....hay is carefully cured. They will eat fallen leaves in second and third cut hay, even obviously brown, fallen oak leaves.

Goats are weird. Love 'em anyways!

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

But they will go through their hay, searching for any leaves in the flakes, eating them first. I suspect it has to do a bit with the curing process....hay is carefully cured. They will eat fallen leaves in second and third cut hay, even obviously brown, fallen oak leaves.

Goats are weird. Love 'em anyways!

Me too!

Maybe I will put some in boxes and tubs without lids as well, and see what happens.

 

[lorihadams]

My kids gather them up out of the yard and run at the goats yelling "here goatie goaties...we got tater chips!!!"

 

[BirdBrain]

I'm gathering up the leaves that fall and putting them down for bedding for the geese and ducks. We care for the yard of our elderly neighbor and he has 2 huge cotton wood trees out front. They are a huge source of leaves. I had more than I needed last year for all my flower beds and garden beds. I hope they geese and ducks like them.

 

[BarredBuff]

Im going to gather them for bedding later as well............but a nice to note for goat feed thanks BBrooks!

 

[savingdogs]

My leaves get too wet here to save, but my goats do love to eat them. They only eat them in certain stages of drying however, I have bazillion alder trees and they munch the leaves as they fall all year. But they don't like them too fresh or too dry, they like them in-between dryness. Half-dried.