Making your own chaff

[SaffronWelshDragon]

Bit random I know, but it occurred to me last night and when I woke up this morning it still seemed like a good idea! I have a pony in her mid-thirties and one in her mid-twenties. I'm buying all sorts of soakable feeds for the older one, but suddenly thought, if I could chop my own hay up very very small I would save so much money. You look at the cost of a bag of plain grass chaff, compared to a bale of hay, and it's a no-brainer really.

I wasn't around at the time, but now aware that many yards used to cut their own chaff with chaff cutters. Why do these things no longer exist? There's a couple new on ebay but from India, so not sure I fancy my chances importing them. I also heard that some people use garden shredders, which sounds like a great idea, but I'm concerned the hay would be too fine and soft and just get mangled.

Do any of you guys make your own chaff? I'd be very interested to hear how you do it

 

[dorito]

There seem to be a few chaff cutters on ebay...

The arab stud my mare came from used to have regular visits from 'the mollichaff man' to turn their own hay into chaff so evidently in those days - twenty-odd years ago - that was also possible - wonder if such exist nowadays?

 

[Annagain]

I remember the riding school I use to 'work' at (for free rides rather than cash) had one. It was a terrifying machine, cogs and belts and blades all open for fingers to get caught in and chopped off! I hated being asked to help with it.

It did make good chaff though.

 

[dollyanna]

Chaff cutters crop up in agricultural sales quite frequently, and our local scrap yard/rec yard gets them several times a year. Worth asking around any old farms near you as they often get shoved to the back of a shed and forgotten.

 

[Fazzie]

We make our own chaff (well my step dad does it for me!) & tbh I really don't think you can get better. All the horses thrive off it from foals to 33!
We mix a bit of molasses and barley in as well. Their coats shine so well too.

 

[Cortez]

Yes, I make my own chaff with an antique hand cranked machine. Good for the upper arms!

 

[gunnergundog]

I wasn't around at the time, but now aware that many yards used to cut their own chaff with chaff cutters. Why do these things no longer exist?

They do! BUT they require HARD work!! No need for a gym membership (for upper body/arms at least!)!

 

[nicelittle]

I've been wondering this myself after failing miserably to find any chaff without molasses or alfalfa!

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Yes, those were the days: we made our chaff from timothy hay to add to oats and broad bran, this was fed almost dry [spoonfull of molassses from a 40gallon drum] pretty dry, so important not to let them gobble the feed.
We could also get oat straw off the sheaf, no barley straw in those days, weep, it was a long time ago............
The carthorses got a whole sheaf, oat grain and straw for their evening meal.

 

[Mike007]

Yes, those were the days: we made our chaff from timothy hay to add to oats and broad bran, this was fed almost dry [spoonfull of molassses from a 40gallon drum] pretty dry, so important not to let them gobble the feed.
We could also get oat straw off the sheaf, no barley straw in those days, weep, it was a long time ago............
The carthorses got a whole sheaf, oat grain and straw for their evening meal.

Now thats what I call proper equine nutrition. It amazes and somewhat stuns me that the modern fazes and crazes in nutrition seem to miss so much practical experience. I also am fairly old school yet I am absolutely up to date on the research . I watch with disbelief ,some of the modern fads. Generaly sold to you by a company in the USA.

 

[dollyanna]

I've been wondering this myself after failing miserably to find any chaff without molasses or alfalfa!

Have you looked at Agrobs from Red Rufus?

 

[cundlegreen]

I still have my chaff cutter with a belt to connect it to a stationary engine.Used to go through a bale in about 10 minutes if you could feed it through fast enough! I used to put the chaff with limestone powder and crushed oats in a clean concrete mixer and make big sacks of mixed feed for a fraction of the cost of bagged feed. I keep meaning to put the whole contraption in a farm sale, as I'm not strong enough to crank over the stationary engine now.

 

[JillA]

I tried a fairly robust garden shredder. It was fine with dry stemmy hay but prone to get softer stuff wrapped round itself. Didn't chop it fine enough for my dentally challenged oldie but the others managed it okay. Took up a lot less space than a proper chaff cutter - I reckon there is a gap in the market for a mini one.