Barrel for soaking hay?

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cobstar

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I would like to find some containers for soaking hay but have searched e-bay and other places but can't find anything suitable. Has anyone got any ideas where I can get a suitable plastic tub from please? I need to soak approx 14lbs of hay.
 
Where can I get a water trough from and would it be light enough for myself and my Mum to be able to drain the water from? Apparently, soaked hay has less calories than unsoaked so I need something which I can leave the hay in overnight.
 
I use a black plastic water trough to soak hay and I'm able to manage it by myself
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You can buy them from any agri. supplier
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Try a plastering bath from any builders merchants, usually cheaper than anything 'equestrian'. The slices of hay fit well too because it's rectangular, I always used to get nets stuck in round containers!
 
I did some house sitting for a client who soaked hay, they had this special green, deep trough on wheels and a plug in the bottom that you could take out from underneath so you didnt get wet hands, you pulled the pug underneath all the water drained out and easy to then just lift the nets out. Perfect, I dont know where they got it from but it was definitley a thing specially designed for soaking hay. Hope Ive described it to you without too much complication.
 
I use a black plastic dustbin (from good old wilco's) you can easily soak 14lb in there... I think I've squeezed about 20lb at a time. I stand on it to stomp it in if it doesn't want to go!! (make sure ground is stable and you have something to hold on to!!)

I put the hay in a net, put it in then fill up with water... have the bin positioned near a drain so that you can just tip up when soaked. I can handle it on my own so you should be fine with help.
 
I use a huge tub trug, put a haynet over the top and then when I tip the bucket over, it automatically fills up the net which I then empty into the stable.
 
Plastic dustbins will do & it is easy to fit a plastic tap at the bottom to help in draining it. You could also go to a builders merchants & but a plastic household water tank which will probably cheaper than a custom water trough. If you can actually buy anything from an outlet other that an equine outlet you should save money, as soon as it is sold as a horsey item the price soars
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what about using a rain water but from DIY store or garden centre come with tap for you to fit. I happen to use on to store my HiFi in but it would double as hay soaker.
 
I use empty sheep lick buckets to soak hay they are perfect size and are then not too heavy to empty. A big rock on the top weighs it down - perfect. If you have any sheep farmers close by, I am sure they would be glad if you would take some of their hands!! A good scrub out and hey presto, cheap and recycled! Also because you are soaking to reduce calorific content rather than for spores you don't need to have every single little piece fully submerged
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Also i recommend soaking lots of smaller hay nets rather than one huge one. They get bloody heavy and you don't want to knacker your back!! 6-8lb in each hay net is plenty
 
Shame you're not in Yorkshire as I have 2 separate large rigid plastic mangers with a plug hole in the bottom. They sit on sturdy metal stands so are at a decent height, can be moved around and can accommodate a full small bale. They were ideal when I had a loan pony with RAO but are no longer needed as he returned to his owner. Not sure where they were bought from originally as we got them at a farm sale.
 
We use a large dustbin and put the nets in there, put a weight on top (1/2 bkt of water will do it) then tip over to empty. Alt I have seen people use an old bath rigged up on a wooden frame with a large piece of wood to keep nets weighted down then plug was pulled out when it was time to drain
 
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what about using a rain water but from DIY store or garden centre come with tap for you to fit. I happen to use on to store my HiFi in but it would double as hay soaker.

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hee hee! I have just spent ages working out why on earth you would want to store your hifi in a water butt
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(leaking roof, houseboat, deter thieves etc etc) and then the lightbulb moment! you mean chaff not music centre!
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