Hay Saver ?? Has anyone used one of these ?

hopscotch bandit

hopscotch bandit

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Old Speckled Hen said:
As per title really - just wondering how heavy/practical they are ...

Would like a haybar, but YO won't allow it as stable is wooden (?!) Has anyone used one in the stable?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/2832599372...&rk=7&rkt=30&sd=283259937238&itm=583915540743
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Yes my friends Mum had one and raved about it, I had a nose at it and wanted to buy one but instead bought a second hand haybar partly due to the cost of it and also because the haybar only cost me £15!. To be honest you probably be better with the feeder you have been looking at on ebay than a haybar, mine just sticks her head deep inside, throws it up and the hay goes all over the floor, its just a way of sorting the 'wheat from the chaff' so to speak, but its annoying as I might as well stick the bl%%dy hay on the floor in the first place as that's where most of it ends up before its all eaten lol! I'm sure if you are DIY handy you cold make a hay feeder yourself out of wood. Be a lot cheaper, the principle of how it works is easy enough - maybe a carpenter or similar might make you one on the cheap with some off cuts of wood.
 
ElectricChampagne

ElectricChampagne

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hopscotch bandit said:
! I'm sure if you are DIY handy you cold make a hay feeder yourself out of wood. Be a lot cheaper, the principle of how it works is easy enough - maybe a carpenter or similar might make you one on the cheap with some off cuts of wood.
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I actually did just that. Got an old blanket box online for about 15 quid and made one. the lid had hinges on it so I put a hasp and staple on the other side corners and clipped it closed with carabiner clips , and cut a hole in the top to make a rim. Then I got a good decently thick piece of wood and a hole saw ( B&Q jobbie that fits on a drill) and cut 70mm holes the length of the wood.

Lifted the lid, filled it with Hay put the holey piece on top and closed the lid and locked it with the carabiners. I painted it green, it was the cheapest paint at the time that was weatherproof.

I ended up putting rubber door stoppers on the inside of the lid to deaden the thud thud thud of the hay being pulled out. I also had to put hooks into the wall to secure it.

Here it is in action.


Issues I found with the wood were that the inset got wet and warped then cracked and broke.
The feeder isn't as robust as a properly made plastic one.
I kept having to make the insert again and again as it kept breaking.

Then the whole thing broke when my gelding decided to kick it and get into it cos it was empty. When I added up how much I spent on making and modifying it, i should have just bought a plastic one!

I've been trying to figure out how to make one with an old blue barrel but again not sure how to get the holey inset to work.

Another idea I've yet to try is to get two old plastic laundry baskets with the holes in it and fill with hay and tie them together.
 
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