Haygain users please

[Marigold4]

I've bought a Haygain One. Think I'm following the instructions properly but it takes ages to get up into the green zone. I'm heating up the steamer first, then steaming for an hour but it only gets up to the green zone at the end of the hour. How do you do yours? How long does it take to steam your hay properly? Does it need to be steaming in the green zone for 60 mins? TIA.

 

[TPO]

I put hay in the chest then turn on steamer. I use a timer plug and set it for an hour.

I've got the 600 version and it gets up to temp around 20-40 mins later.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I’ll check my Haygain One in the morning. I preheat the steamer for 15 mins so it’s nearly boiling, then I steam the hay for an hour. It gets to temp pretty quickly but it isn’t at temp for the full 60 mins as the steam takes time to permeate throughout all the hay. That is taken into account in the timings.

 

[Steerpike]

I have the haygain 2000, I put a bale in and use a timer, I go off and do other things an hour later it is in the green, I have never heated the steamer first and have only ever steamed hay for an hour once it's in the green I turn it off.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

We have the half bale haygain (600?). I’ve never preheated it, just pop it on for an hour and crack on with other jobs.

 

[Marigold4]

Thanks, everyone. That's good to know. It's an expensive piece of kit so wanted to make sure I was doing it right. Gelding has just finished antibiotics, still on steroids and now we've added in the Haygain, I'm hoping he'll stop coughing and I can ride him again one day

 

[Tiddlypom]

Just checked my Haygain one this morning.

I ran the steamer for 15 mins first, which in winter gets it to near boiling. Then I put the lid on the filled hay chamber and ran it for 60 minutes.

The temp gauge read 10°c at the start, 79°c (just short of the green zone) at 21 mins in, then 90°c at 30 mins. I then checked it again 7 mins after the steamer had switched off after the hour’s run, and the temp was still at 85°c.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I don't have a Haygain (I married a heating engineer, he built me a lovely system!) but I do have a wireless plug that means I can turn the hay steamer on from bed in the morning! I think it was about £12 from Amazon.

 

[Molly22]

I have the haygain 2000, I put a bale in and use a timer, I go off and do other things an hour later it is in the green, I have never heated the steamer first and have only ever steamed hay for an hour once it's in the green I turn it off.

This is what I do. If its really cold it takes a few minuets more than an hour.

 

[Marigold4]

Just checked my Haygain one this morning.

I ran the steamer for 15 mins first, which in winter gets it to near boiling. Then I put the lid on the filled hay chamber and ran it for 60 minutes.

The temp gauge read 10°c at the start, 79°c (just short of the green zone) at 21 mins in, then 90°c at 30 mins. I then checked it again 7 mins after the steamer had switched off after the hour’s run, and the temp was still at 85°c.

View attachment 127904

Thanks very much! Those figures and times are very useful. Not sure if its the antibiotics, the steroids or the haygain but I haven't heard him cough for 2 days now. Probably tempting fate by saying that though ...

 

[Marigold4]

I don't have a Haygain (I married a heating engineer, he built me a lovely system!) but I do have a wireless plug that means I can turn the hay steamer on from bed in the morning! I think it was about £12 from Amazon.

A great idea! Unfortunately we have no mobile signal here and the house wifi doesn't stretch as far as the stables

 

[Michen]

I do the same as most- timer and on for an hour. I have the 2000. Absolutely love it, horse doesn't really need it anymore post pneumonia but I still use it

 

[Marigold4]

I do the same as most- timer and on for an hour. I have the 2000. Absolutely love it, horse doesn't really need it anymore post pneumonia but I still use it

They all certainly love it. It's cutting down on wasted hay - not a scrap left in the morning.

 

[poiuytrewq]

A great idea! Unfortunately we have no mobile signal here and the house wifi doesn't stretch as far as the stables

We used a timer plug so it turned on an hour before getting to the yard and was ready to feed when we had given breakfasts.

 

[Marigold4]

We used a timer plug so it turned on an hour before getting to the yard and was ready to feed when we had given breakfasts.

Good idea!

 

[Tiddlypom]

I can never bring myself to trust myself with a timer, though it would be very convenient. I‘d always be doubting whether I had actually remembered to re fill the steamer with water and would be imaging boiling it dry . Or whether I’d set the duration of steaming correctly.

That’s just me, though .

Love the Haygain. This year I’m feeding old 2022 hay as barely anyone was able to make any hay this year in these parts as it was wet. It was well made at the time, but isn’t as fresh as it was, but after a Haygain steam it comes out gorgeous.