Hay/Haylage feeding system for stable- recommendations please :)

becca1305

becca1305

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I am currently trying to buy some hay/haylage feeders for the horses stable so that they can eat in a more natural position. We currently have haynets but since mum injured her shoulder and our haynets are starting to die I though it was time to look for a new, better, easier option! :)

I had decided on buying a "munch station" - the hayrack grills with the corner manger slotted in the top but everywhere seems to have stopped stocking them so Im getting paranoid and wondering if there is a reason for this?

I considered a haybar or similar but I think without fluffing all the hay and haylage up when putting it in they would take a mouthful and drag a load with it through their bed, water over the door etc. Even with fluffing I think my youngsters may take delight in emptying it everywhere and pooing in it! Also I currently use small holed haynets to stop the piggies scoffing so fast and think most of them would rapidly munch through their whole nights forage.

Haylage racks are out as they would still hurt mums shoulder and wouldnt improve the horses eating position.

So any other brilliant ideas from clever people? :D. Alternatively does anyone have munch stations and can put my mind at ease as I think some places have a few left in stock they just arent getting any new stock in! :confused:. Any solutions appreciated :)
 
I use a haybar with a tie ring in the bottom, and tie the small holed net up from the bottom (if that makes sense!)
 
That sounds a better idea than the haybar sole but ideally we want to be able to fill the barrow and just go along each stable dumping it in. They also eat a lot so would need a large haynet and I'd be worried about them dragging it over the edge of haybar and then getting their feet in it/shoes caught on it when its hanging (Im paranoid after seeing a girls horse get its haynet stuck around its shoe and ending up with its foot stuck raised in the air! luckily it was a calm beastie!). Thanks for the idea though :).
 
Few people at yard, including me, have haybars. Only 1 pulls her hay out but she doesn't spread it about. Others are neat with them. Love mine & wouldn't be without it!
 
I recently converted my big mare to a haybar...what a wonderful invention like you I was worried about it being dragged out around stable but I have only found this happens if I give her too much for the night so I have now sussed the right about she will eat in a night and there is no mess the next day (there is usually a small amount in the bottom each morning so she hasnt been starving during the night)
 
sounds like it may have to be a hay bar. That said I have found somewhere with 3 munch stations still in stock so if I get some pleasant reviews to suggest they are more out of fashion then problematic, may still go ahead with them :). Could do with some invention made out of rubber or flexible/safe plastic so that there is still a "slow down" grill effect at the optimum height for horses healthy eating! Come on inventors out there we need some new ideas other than the a million and one different types of haynets you can buy! Some of the products for feeding hay in the field now are fab but aside from haybars I havent heard of anything relatively new to the market for feeding hay in stables which isnt a new haynet! :(
 
I have munch stations in two of my stables,I will put them in the others when I can afford it. I would hate to be without them now. They save me a lot of time as they are so quick to fill, they also save me lots of money as the hay/haylage doesn't get dragged into the bed. The other thing that is fab is the corner manger that fits in the top. The two who use the munch stations both like to kick their feed bowls around and they can't with this. I do have to secure one of the mangers as greedy highland has discovered how to grab the edge and throw it out, so he can then hoover the hay more quickly! Both these horses would simply drag hay out of a haybar and trample all over it. I don't like nets at all so the munch station ticks all my boxes.
 
brill :). How much hay/haylage do you find you can fit in it? thats my only concern left. Mine are fed about 1/3 large slice hay and 1/2 large slice haylage weight approx 12kg so it needs to be able to fit in! If they are roomy Im buying some tomorrow. I really think at least 1 of mine would do the same with a haybar tbh! :)
 
You won't regret it! I have never actually weighed how much they will hold but I would say they will hold more than half a small bale of hay, I could easily get a small bale of haylage in - if i needed too. They are bigger than they look in the catalogues I think.

This is the (scruffy) highland with his to give you a better idea of size hopefully - if it works!

20061109Colin005.jpg
 
that one looks good but I too am hopeless at DIY so would need to find somewhere UK based to buy!

:O at all the ones showing haynets on the floor though!! I HOPE their horses are barefoot I dont think they could get feed caught in the small holed nets but they definetely can get the nets mesh wrapped around metal shoes!! but even then wrap round leg..panic...rope burns... horrid horrid!

I like The Natural Feeder but its almost $400 + shipping = NO!
The slowgrazer looks good much better priced but they dont ship it! And I really dont fancy buying the DIY pack tbh if I *could* make one DIY I bet I could figure out how to do it without instructions!!

Thanks for sharing though :) nice to know theres other options on the market maybe they will come over to the UK soon :)

appylass- thanks thats great :) Ive seen the buckets which go in the top and know how HUGE they are so can estimate proportions in RL pretty easily :) should be perfect.
 
I bought the big round galvanised bale feeders and just bolted a half to the wall in each stable - works brilliantly, great for when storms are forecast as you can fill them right up and it will last for 2 days - saves it blowing half way across the county in a gale when trying to cart it about the yard!!! Plus I can fit the vitamin lick in it as well for those who trash them!:D
 
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