Preventing Hay Wastage?

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JadeMonkey

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New to the forum and looking for some advice.

Now that the weather is turning worse and the last bits of grass are disappearing from my fields, I was wondering how people prevent their horses from wasting hay fed in fields. In the past I have placed large round bales in my fields but it seems like more than half of it is either pulled out and blown away by the wind, or used as bedding and a bathroom by the horses!

With the price of hay increasing, I'm not too keen to have it wasted... has anyone found any solutions to this problem?

Thanks!
Sarah
 
Could you try a hay hutch. One of the round ring cattle or sheep feeders. Is there anywhere you can tie nets up to secure trees or posts maybe.
 
I'm "recycling" successfully ;)

DSC03341.jpg


(That's the short side in view... it's rectangular)

Our employer had some plants delivered earlier this year and the container they arrived in is just perfect for being a field hay feeder. Since that pic, my OH has added some bars across the top as my TB tends to dig deep with his nose and they send the lot flying out the other side so he can't do that so much with the bars there. The bottom is a pallet so it's off the ground and it's light enough to move around is the ground gets too poached.

Ideal for my needs :)
 
You'll always get some wastage when feeding hay in the field.

However, using a round cattle feeder will help reduce it significantly.
 
How about a COMPOST BIN - love the idea of a Hay hutch but cannot afford one, use a compost bin! works a treat, and whats even better, you can get them free or dirt cheap from council at this adress http://www.getcomposting.com/. i then secure them using large ground pegs and string though small holes i made in the bottom so the little beasts cannot play football with them
 
domane said:
I'm "recycling" successfully ;)

DSC03341.jpg


(That's the short side in view... it's rectangular)

Our employer had some plants delivered earlier this year and the container they arrived in is just perfect for being a field hay feeder. Since that pic, my OH has added some bars across the top as my TB tends to dig deep with his nose and they send the lot flying out the other side so he can't do that so much with the bars there. The bottom is a pallet so it's off the ground and it's light enough to move around is the ground gets too poached.

Ideal for my needs :)
Click to expand...

Very clever idea. Might try making one myself. Did youu just nail it together? Is it lasting ok?
 
We use a water butt with holes cut in the side. We cut the holes about 12" from the base and put two small rocks in the base. It sat in the middle of the field during the recent gales and never moved. It greatly reduces the waste and can easily be moved to avoid the bog situation developing around it.
 
Can we have pics of the waterbutt please can't picture how big the holes are. I have two old split ones in my garden that would be great to recyle :) And what did you use to cut holes they are really thick plastic?

I was thinking of a dumpy bag tied to the post and rail but not sure if it would work - may get the horses used to flapping plastic though :)
 
I had a round bale feed made. Cost #150 but worth every penny. It's simply a 7ft ring that's about 3ft high. Then it's had chainliink fence wrapped round the outside to make it 'solid'.

We've used a normal cattle feeder in the past which was far better than no feeded (they wasted literally half a bale a time :( ) but this feeder is even better - there is next to no waste - possibly a haynets worth every bale. It's wide and high enough that it doesn't flop over the sides.
 
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