[Womble]

[member=194324]PipKelpy[/member] I too, have a favourite wheelbarrow. Everybody else HATES it though! When it needed a new tyre I splashed out on a new wheel with a needle roller bearing, and the difference is amazing - it's just so easy to get going now.

SIMPLES.

OK, I'm stupid, but I'm not THAT stupid!

The latest bucket got cracked because I put it on top of a tall strainer post whilst I emptied rainwater out of the troughs. One Z stood on top of another Z's shoulders to get to it and knocked the bucket to the ground. They've never tried that before!

But you can manage to get a scoop between them and thus a small amount of food into the trough

Oh for the days when we only had five sheep that actually had a thing called a 'scare radius', but yes that's pretty much what I do. However, you missed the part about keeping your feet and knees together to avoid being hoisted off the ground and dumped in the mud (that's how the previous previous bucket got cracked).

I have grand plans for a thug-proof trough design, but haven't had time to weld it up yet. When I do though, it will be the saviour of Zwartbles keepers worldwide!

[landroverroy]

. Then I had a small shovel in the bucket. Obviously you can't initially pour feed from the bucket into the trough because it's full of sheeps' heads and the food will go everywhere. But you can manage to get a scoop between them and thus a small amount of food into the trough,  :
            SIMPLES.

Expense of a scoop? ?  ....... what is wrong with a hand?  ......  1 handful thrown towards nearest trough works whether you have 2 sheep or 50 ......

Very true Backinwellies! However, whereas a handful will keep 5 sheep diverted for 3 seconds it will most certainly not be enough to keep 50 sheep off long enough to escape to the next trough. Hence the scoop. But you don't have to actually buy one. (perish the thought!) Any old food container/tin will suffice.

[landroverroy]

[member=194324]PipKelpy[/member] I too, have a favourite wheelbarrow. Everybody else HATES it though! When it needed a new tyre I splashed out on a new wheel with a needle roller bearing, and the difference is amazing - it's just so easy to get going now.

SIMPLES.

OK, I'm stupid, but I'm not THAT stupid!

The latest bucket got cracked because I put it on top of a tall strainer post whilst I emptied rainwater out of the troughs. One Z stood on top of another Z's shoulders to get to it and knocked the bucket to the ground. They've never tried that before!

But you can manage to get a scoop between them and thus a small amount of food into the trough

Oh for the days when we only had five sheep that actually had a thing called a 'scare radius', but yes that's pretty much what I do. However, you missed the part about keeping your feet and knees together to avoid being hoisted off the ground and dumped in the mud (that's how the previous previous bucket got cracked).

Apologies if I appear to have misjudged you Womble. I have great admiration for your inventive powers, but you said yourself you are a serial abuser of buckets, and I have to agree.

To be honest you don't seem to engage your powers of reason to their full ability when dealing with sheep, as you do when dealing with an engineering problem. ( I really like the new wheelbarrow wheel. Could you add a link to it?)

I thought the 5 Zwartbles' heads in the bucket was your main problem, but now realise that it's only part of it. You have to always bear in mind that unlike machines - sheep are unpredictable. If it's possible to do something detrimental to you or to them or to their bucket then they will do it. The fact that they have never done it yet is no guarantee that they won't do it next, so you have to be one step ahead.

Of course they will go between your legs if you allow room for their head, and carry you of to the next patch of mud. But surely that only happens once? And after that you keep your legs together sufficiently to prevent a rematch. 

[landroverroy]

I have grand plans for a thug-proof trough design, but haven't had time to weld it up yet. When I do though, it will be the saviour of Zwartbles keepers worldwide! 

I already have the answer  - no need to weld anything!

You know those 200litre blue plastic barrels that you can buy 2nd hand for @£10? Well if you cut off both top and bottom to a height of @ 4" or 5" then you have 2 circular troughs that can fit a max of 6 sheep round. They are super easy to fill as you just stand in one place while pouring food into the centre. So no need to move along the trough in order to fill it and so give the animals a chance to trip you up or carry you off.

They are made of really tough plastic and having used them for about 25 years can confirm that they are virtually indestructible. I have actually run over one with the tractor and the side just bent in a bit and then came out again. In addition - they are just the right size to put a Rumenco feed block in (other makes are available) so saving further money in buying the purpose made container.

[Womble]

That is a very good point, [member=6533]landroverroy[/member] . The troughs we have are quite narrow and low to the ground, so firstly the sheep can crowd me out for getting that first scoop in, and secondly they tend to step in the trough, which makes it muddy.

I'll see if I can find some plastic barrels, but in the meantime I wonder if I could fill one of the tyre trugs outside the field and then drop it, to give me some cover to fill the other troughs. I'll give it a go tomorrow  .

[Fleecewife]

I don't particularly like feeding half a dozen tups with giant horns, so I devised a method which works for me.  I line up the bakies/wooden troughs/whatever you want to call them, about 3-4 feet out from the fence, so the sheep approach from one side only, then I stretch over the fence and pour the feed in while walking along.  Sometimes some goes on their heads but their chums will be all too delighted to pick it off; meanwhile the job is done and I'm unruffled.
For ewes I have a different trick but it's not one you're likely to be able to copy.  I use my scoot to trundle along one side of the row of bakies, while tipping in the food as I go.  The ewes are slightly wary of the scoot because I also use it when we're rounding them up, so they stand off a bit.  Also Hebs are clearly more polite than Zwartbles

[Penninehillbilly]

I get a bit pushed about by my bunch, only 19, but with all that wool I don't think they actually realise they are pushing me over.
Just been thinking.
If you have 2 troughs alongside each other, put a post in the ground at each end, cut a 8x4ft board into 2 8x2ft, or if rich use 2 8x4ft? Fasten one to each side of the posts so there is a gap between boards, tip feed along the gap, so feed drops down divides into the 2 troughs?  Bucket hopefully high out of their way?
Does anyone think that would work? May also stop muddy feet or poo in the troughs?


I do throw a handful in a trough first, but my lot run to the next trough with me to see if there is anything better coming up 

[Womble]

OK, it's time to report back:

Huge thanks to [member=28951]Steph Hen[/member][/size] for recommending the Strauss buckets.

Advantages:

• Very tough.
  
• Just flexible enough to give if needed, and not crack
• The 13 litre version is a handy size for most thing, and the 20 litre version is fantastic if you need something just a little bit bigger.
• Approximately 1/10th the price of anything comparable that's marketed for farm or equestrian use.

Disadvantages:

• The handles are bare metal, and do cut into your hands a bit. I solved that with a bit of hosepipe and some duct tape.

So, for the price, we have a clear winner. (The 13 litre version is only twice the price of a B&Q orange flimsy, whilst the 20 litre version is cheaper than a Big Mac meal!)

Thanks again, [member=28951]Steph Hen[/member], and to everybody else for your suggestions.

[Steph Hen]

Glad I could help