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Author Topic: Feeding hay in the field  (Read 15677 times)

Richfergy

  • Joined Apr 2012
Feeding hay in the field
« 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

colliewoman

  • Joined Jul 2011
  • Pilton
  • Caution! May spontaneously talk rabbits!
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #1 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:
« Last Edit: October 10, 2012, 01:05:49 pm by colliewoman »
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SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #2 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.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #3 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:
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

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colliewoman

  • Joined Jul 2011
  • Pilton
  • Caution! May spontaneously talk rabbits!
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #4 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
We'll turn the dust to soil,
Turn the rust of hate back into passion.
It's not water into wine
But it's here, and it's happening.
Massive,
but passive.


Bring the peace back

CaroleBulmer

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • Barrington, Somerset
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #5 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

Foobar

  • Joined Mar 2012
  • South Wales
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #6 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/, 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).

colliewoman

  • Joined Jul 2011
  • Pilton
  • Caution! May spontaneously talk rabbits!
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #7 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/, 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:
We'll turn the dust to soil,
Turn the rust of hate back into passion.
It's not water into wine
But it's here, and it's happening.
Massive,
but passive.


Bring the peace back

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #8 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:

hexhammeasure

  • Joined Jun 2008
    • golocal food
    • Facebook
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #9 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!...
Ian

Blackbird

  • Joined Jul 2012
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #10 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.
Where are we going - and why am I in this handcart?

Richfergy

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #11 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

kumquat

  • Joined May 2012
  • Ruthin, North Wales
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #12 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:
Proud member of the Soay Sheep Society :thumbsup:

Small Farmer

  • Joined Jan 2012
  • Bedfordshire
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #13 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.
Being certain just means you haven't got all the facts

SteveHants

  • Joined Aug 2011
Re: Feeding hay in the field
« Reply #14 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.


 

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