The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Richfergy on October 10, 2012, 12:54:08 pm

Title: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Richfergy on October 10, 2012, 12:54:08 pm
Hi - I just wondered if anyone had some clever and inventive (cheap) way's of feeding hay in a field (until one of those racks comes up on ebay somewhere near me lol)
Many thanks for any thoughts
Richard
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: colliewoman on October 10, 2012, 12:58:47 pm
Yup!!!
 
 
Get an old wooden cot, and take the fixings out of the bottom of the side panels. leave the top fixings in place. Take a piece of baler twine and tie the bottoms of the side panels togetherin a V shape. Add hay :thumbsup:
 
I got mine off freecycle ;D
 
 
OR
 
 
Tie the bottom of a hurdle firmly to your fence about 18 inches off the ground.
Take 2 lengths of twine and tie the top of the hurdle to the fence at each corner so it hangs about 1 1/2 feet away from the fence. Add hay.
 
Iff you want to be really posh, cut the bottom out of 2 feed sacks, put an old broom handle throu and tie to the fence so the sacks hang over like a lid, one more broomhandle and you can tie the lid shut to keep the hay dry :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: SallyintNorth on October 10, 2012, 12:59:04 pm
Well for a hay rack you just want mesh and a lid.  After that it's down to what you have about the place or can find scavenging!

When we feed hay in the fields, we just take as much as they need for that feed and scatter it.  If they do want it, they eat up every wisp.  If they leave any, they get less the next day.
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Fleecewife on October 10, 2012, 01:03:00 pm
My my you lot are quick - must be able to type faster than I can (not difficult  ;D )
 
I like the cot idea CW although my sheep would destroy it fairly quickly, being a bargy lot.
 
There are plans available - someone else might know just where although you could google - to construct your own lidded hay feeder with galvanised mesh sides.  In the meantime, don't use something like a horse hay net as sheep will get their heads through the mesh and strangle themselves  :sheep: :sheep:
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: colliewoman on October 10, 2012, 01:07:49 pm
I am amazed mine has lasted 2 years, even with them playing on it.
 
I squashed the legs of it into the ground so it's not as easy to tip over now ;)

But it is free, and that's my favourite price ;D
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: CaroleBulmer on October 10, 2012, 01:25:08 pm
A couple of old pallets recyled from our local factory, nailed at a diagonal with some scrap wood - even the Hebs dont have problem with this as the gaps are too narrow for them to get their heads in and then of course their horns, but large enough for them to get mouthfuls of hay.  we have use of a couple of "free" fields during the winter and we normally make one up at the begining of the cold spell and remove in spring.  less mess than ad lib as they do waste otherwise
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Foobar on October 10, 2012, 01:36:59 pm
If you have somewhere under cover, horse haylage nets are cheap, quick and easy (note, not hay nets, they have big holes, haylage nets have small holes).
I've made some barrel feeders before - take a plastic barrel shaped object (a barrel or bin, or wheelie bin etc) that already has a lid.  Get yourself a hole cutter doobry for your drill (or a big knife or whatever :)), and cut some round holes out around the bottom of said barrel shaped object.  Don't make the holes too big as they will just yank out loads and drop it on the floor.  Fill with hay.  Tie it to something or stake down as the little critters will no doubt want it as a rubbing post too.   (this is the general idea: http://www.hay-hutch.com/ (http://www.hay-hutch.com/), but you can do it on the cheap cheap :))
I'd never feed hay on the ground as they will tread on so much of it and waste it (unless they are starving).
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: colliewoman on October 10, 2012, 02:31:56 pm
If you have somewhere under cover, horse haylage nets are cheap, quick and easy (note, not hay nets, they have big holes, haylage nets have small holes).
I've made some barrel feeders before - take a plastic barrel shaped object (a barrel or bin, or wheelie bin etc) that already has a lid.  Get yourself a hole cutter doobry for your drill (or a big knife or whatever :) ), and cut some round holes out around the bottom of said barrel shaped object.  Don't make the holes too big as they will just yank out loads and drop it on the floor.  Fill with hay.  Tie it to something or stake down as the little critters will no doubt want it as a rubbing post too.   (this is the general idea: http://www.hay-hutch.com/, (http://www.hay-hutch.com/,) but you can do it on the cheap cheap :) )
I'd never feed hay on the ground as they will tread on so much of it and waste it (unless they are starving).

 
 
Consider that idea stolen!!!
 
Excellent I have 3 or 4 of those blue barrels, I'm making me some hay hutches ;D :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Rosemary on October 10, 2012, 02:47:16 pm
Noooo - I've got blue barrels and can't decide whether to use them for hay or keep them to try making silage in next year. Now I have to make a decision :thinking:
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: hexhammeasure on October 10, 2012, 03:43:04 pm
I use the IBC tank frames I take out the plastic liner (that i use for a cheap hen house)  put a small barrel in the middle and fill around the outside.. then put some 2 inch pig netting around the outside et viola!...
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Blackbird on October 10, 2012, 04:02:07 pm
I'm planning to use a large compost bin I've got going spare. It already has a hole at the base and I (well, OH) will cut another 2 holes in. You can also get a perforated based for the bins which is intended to keep rats and other vermin out and will also help to keep the hay dry.
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Richfergy on October 10, 2012, 04:04:59 pm
Oh my - so many ideas!!!! :excited:  Thank you one and all - I like the hay hutch idea - might even be within my incredibly limited DIY skills!
I will re-peruse and make plans - popped some hay in for them today as a starter and they tranpled all over it - so definitely need to come up with a solution.
Thanks again and any ongoing ideas welcomed
Rich
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: kumquat on October 10, 2012, 06:21:53 pm
Rosemary/Dan....we should have a tips and tricks section for brilliant things like this  :thinking: :thinking:


just a thought  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Small Farmer on October 10, 2012, 06:40:23 pm
We bought a Hay Hutch for the sheep a few years ago and then bought two more.  Not only does it keep the hay dry and tidy but the lambs climb inside and use it for shelter.  Ours are the small basic model but they're robustly made.
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: SteveHants on October 10, 2012, 10:42:50 pm
Well for a hay rack you just want mesh and a lid.  After that it's down to what you have about the place or can find scavenging!

When we feed hay in the fields, we just take as much as they need for that feed and scatter it.  If they do want it, they eat up every wisp.  If they leave any, they get less the next day.


I knew you were as tight fisted as me.  ;D


If they don't eat it off the floor, they aint hungry enough.

Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Mallows Flock on October 10, 2012, 11:20:45 pm
These ideas are fab!
But I am the world's most useless DIY'er, so I make my trailer work harder for the £1200 I spent on it!!!!!!!!!!
I simply get a round bale wedged into it, drive it into the field and leave it there opened up so the sheep can get in to eat round it and the hay stays dry. When it's near empty, I just drive up to the farm to get another! LOL! Simples!
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: FiB on October 11, 2012, 09:23:00 am
We bought a Hay Hutch for the sheep a few years ago and then bought two more.  Not only does it keep the hay dry and tidy but the lambs climb inside and use it for shelter.  Ours are the small basic model but they're robustly made.
daft question.... dont the bigger ones end up wearing it?  Mine seem to find ways of doing this with anything in the field that isnt rooted to the ground!  I once put a patio swing in the field ready to take down to our sheds - the next thing one of them was walking around wearing it (looked like a tent walking around) :roflanim: .  I quite fancy making one out of an old barrel but cant see how they wouldnt just flip it over in their enthusiasm?  Is yours secured to the ground somehow?
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Small Farmer on October 11, 2012, 09:57:35 pm
I know what you mean.  We made a sun shade out of some pretty heavy bits of access platform and found one of the ewes dragging it across the field wearing it .


We've had the hay hutches for 3 years and they do gently walk across the field over time but we've had no problems at all.  We've got GFDs and some crosses upto 75kg and they can't get inside - or don't want to.  Horses apparently can get the lid off so there's provision for one or two wing nuts  but we've not needed it.


We gave them Haylage last year which they loved and would try mugging us when we refilled so the kit has been pretty well tested.
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: colliewoman on October 11, 2012, 11:39:13 pm
These ideas are fab!
But I am the world's most useless DIY'er, so I make my trailer work harder for the £1200 I spent on it!!!!!!!!!!
I simply get a round bale wedged into it, drive it into the field and leave it there opened up so the sheep can get in to eat round it and the hay stays dry. When it's near empty, I just drive up to the farm to get another! LOL! Simples!




Oh Mallows!!


Allow me to teach you the 'I'm skint so have to build it myself basics'  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: clydesdaleclopper on October 12, 2012, 12:57:56 pm
I cam across a plan for making one here http://www.tumbledownfarm.com/drupal/How_To_Do_Things/Sheep (http://www.tumbledownfarm.com/drupal/How_To_Do_Things/Sheep) just scroll down a bit.


Another one here http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15276 (http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15276)


What I want is one that will take a whole big round bale where they don't waste so much as the one we are currently using which is one of these http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/store/products/iae-round-bale-sheep-feeder. (http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/store/products/iae-round-bale-sheep-feeder.) Any ideas how I can modify it to stop them just pulling all the hay out and trampling it into the ground, jumping on top of it and also how to keep it dry.
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Foobar on October 12, 2012, 01:28:27 pm
You want something like this:  http://www.solwayrecycling.co.uk/recycled-shop/sheep-lambing/feeders/monster-hay-feeder (http://www.solwayrecycling.co.uk/recycled-shop/sheep-lambing/feeders/monster-hay-feeder)
(with sheep opening ... although even those seem a bit big to me)
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Mallows Flock on October 12, 2012, 01:40:53 pm
These ideas are fab!
But I am the world's most useless DIY'er, so I make my trailer work harder for the £1200 I spent on it!!!!!!!!!!
I simply get a round bale wedged into it, drive it into the field and leave it there opened up so the sheep can get in to eat round it and the hay stays dry. When it's near empty, I just drive up to the farm to get another! LOL! Simples!




Oh Mallows!!


Allow me to teach you the 'I'm skint so have to build it myself basics'  ;D ;D ;D
Oh Colliewoman
I need DIY skills... yes teach, teach, teach me! That way I can work to pay for clothes that are not ruined and shoes that are not wellies instead of spending all my hard earned wonga on buying stuff for my field at top dollar new price  :excited:
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: princesspiggy on October 13, 2012, 09:23:49 pm

 
Get an old wooden cot, and take the fixings out of the bottom of the side panels. leave the top fixings in place. Take a piece of baler twine and tie the bottoms of the side panels togetherin a V shape. Add hay :thumbsup:
 

we did that too!! worked a treat til the pigs got in the field and broke it  ::) ::)
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: GoWest on October 15, 2012, 03:11:26 pm
If you have sheep fencing you can use a compost sack (80 litres) and sew it to the fence with bale string
The hay tucks between the fence and the polythene.
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: Blacklab on November 04, 2013, 08:11:36 pm
hi, know I ' m a bit late in posting a reply to this query, but we use a sturdy wooden crate for feeding hay in the field, it' s the type used by builders to transport roofing slates, you can usually get one for free from a builders merchant or , like we did, from someone building a house nearby,    As they are quite strong and sturdy, ideal for feeding hay or haulage, minimal waste too, we just check all the joins to make no nails sticking out,   Also, sit the crate on a pallet or few breeze blocks to allow rain to drain out the bottom,
:)
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: jaykay on November 05, 2013, 07:18:00 am
Every year, a farmer near me makes a very long hayrack by knocking in fence poles in two parallel lines, and then fastening stock netting between them in a sort of hammock. I think he does two layers, overlapping, to reduce the size of the holes.

It's quite high off the ground - sheep head height - no lid, but keeps the hay from being trampled.

Seems successful as he repeats it each year, and I suppose the materials are reusable for a fence, or next year's hayrack.
Title: Re: Feeding hay in the field
Post by: devonlad on November 05, 2013, 09:54:35 am
Not sure I'm the world's greatest diy er but I'll always give it a go. If in doubt whack in another nail.  Built my first proper Hayes rack recently as got fed up with waste trampled underfoot killing the grass. My beautiful free standing effort is made entirely of scrap wood and wire (plus nails) and even has a roof that covers the mineral lick to stop that being dissolved in the rain.  I am planning on seeing if the local primary school want to use it in their nativity play. Strangely since it went into use a few weeks ago our sheep have been emptying it regularly. They never eat hay  usually and the grass is the best its ever been at this time. Either its our very first  crop of home grown hay that's doing it or my magnificent hay rack