The Little Giant Hook Over Feeding Trough is a six-slot, fence-mounted feeder built from high-density polyethylene with a galvanized steel grid, designed for simultaneous feeding of goats, sheep, alpacas, and llamas at a fence line or livestock panel. It mounts to any 2-inch-wide board or standard livestock panel using included hardware and a standard screwdriver.
The feeder has also seen practical use for water, puppies, chickens, and deer, making it more versatile than its primary listing suggests. For use on portable show panels, supplemental securing such as zip ties is recommended to keep it firmly in place.
Specifications
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Primary Material: High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
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Grid Material: Galvanized steel
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Feeding Slots: 6
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Mount Compatibility: 2-inch-wide boards or standard livestock panels
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Hardware: Included, with reinforced end hooks
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Assembly: Light, screwdriver only
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UV Resistance: Yes
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Impact and Stress Crack Resistance: Yes
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Compatible Species: Goats, sheep, alpacas, llamas (also used for chickens, deer, puppies)
Fence-Line Feeding for Small Ruminants and Livestock Panel Setups
If you run goats, sheep, alpacas, or llamas and want to feed along an existing fence line or livestock panel without building a separate feeding structure, this trough hooks directly onto your existing infrastructure using included hardware. The six defined slots keep animals separated enough to reduce competition during feeding, which matters in mixed-size groups or when dominant animals tend to crowd others out of shared feed access.
The galvanized steel grid creates physical dividers between feeding positions rather than relying on an open trough where one animal can move along the length and block others. For show operations that use portable panels, the trough works in that context as well, though supplemental securing with zip ties keeps it from shifting when animals push against it.
The HDPE body resists warping and UV degradation through seasons of outdoor exposure, which is a practical advantage over feeders that become brittle or crack after repeated sun and temperature cycling.
What to Expect from the Little Giant Hook Over Feeding Trough in Real Use
The trough holds up under active goat use, including animals that climb on or jump over the feeder during feeding. Multiple buyers running goats have noted the durability holds through that kind of rough contact without cracking or deforming, which reflects the impact resistance of the HDPE construction.
Beyond its listed purpose, this feeder has been used in several other applications that are worth noting. It functions as a water trough when fitted with a float valve for automatic refilling, and stays stable on the ground with chickens climbing on it during that use.
It has also been used as a whelping box feeder for starting litters of puppies on solid food, where the defined slots keep bedding out and food clean. Deer feeding at a fence line is another reported application.
For portable show panel setups, the hook-over design works but benefits from zip ties or additional fastening to prevent shifting when animals push into the feeder during use.
The hardware kit includes everything needed for installation with a standard screwdriver, and setup takes only a few minutes.
Real-world performance notes sourced in part from verified Amazon customer purchases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Little Giant trough be used on the ground rather than mounted to a fence?
The trough is designed as a hook-over fence mount, but it has been used successfully as a ground-level unit in certain applications, including as a water trough for chickens where it remained stable with birds climbing on it.
For goats and sheep, ground-level placement without securing to a fence increases the likelihood of the trough being flipped or displaced during feeding. Mounting to a fence or panel is the intended and more stable configuration for active livestock use.
Does this trough work for hay or only grain and pelleted feed?
The product listing focuses on general feeding use rather than specifying feed type, and the open-top six-slot design accommodates both loose grain and pelleted feed without issue.
For hay, the slot width and trough depth are better suited to smaller portions rather than full flakes, so it functions more as a supplement or grain feeder alongside a dedicated hay feeder rather than a primary hay source. Buyers have used it for grain, water, and mixed feed applications without reported problems related to feed type.
How do you secure this trough to portable livestock panels at a show?
The trough uses reinforced end hooks that drop over the top rail of a livestock panel or 2-inch-wide board. On permanent fence installations, the weight and hook design provide adequate stability.
On portable show panels, which tend to be lighter and more prone to movement, supplementing the hooks with zip ties through the galvanized steel grid and around the panel rail keeps the trough from shifting when animals push against it during feeding. This is a simple and widely used solution among show livestock operators and does not require any modification to the trough itself.
