Round bale feeders. What do you use?

[Enfys]

Has anyone anyone experience of these? What do you think?

www.fduplessis.ca

Hubby was looking at these. I am too tight to spend over $300, so banged some posts in, nailed old fence posts around them in a 6' square and had a servicable feeder, well, I did, until today when I was putting a bale in and hit the wrong gear and ran the tractor into it and dented the planks a bit, but oak is tough stuff and just bent a little.

Fortunately I didn't scratch his new toy (most important)

The horses, particularly Zeus, are all highly annoyed, Zeus liked to climb on the bales and pull them apart then use them as a bed.

 

[RichardRider]

Here, we use steel round-baller shelters...They have aluminum roofs. Originally for cattle, I was given one by a friend boarding his horse with us. I had to turn up the right angle corners and tape off some of the bolts. Many people use them but they still seem a bit dangerous to me. I wouldn't use them with young horses...rr

 

[kerilli]

what a great design, i wish they made those over here!
when the ground's dry, i don't use anything, just put the hay in a different place every time.
when it's wet, i make a holder out of 5' close-mesh fencing (the type that's welded at every join) bent over so double thickness, curved around 4 wooden fence posts, and tied on with baler twine. costs me nothing and lasts a season before they trash it. (usually by squashing it and lying on it.) the holes are small enough that it's safe for youngsters, and it stops hay being blown around and wasted too.

 

[cobden99]

Ha, thats a great photo ! Who said horses aren't nesting creatures... lol

 

[Tia]

Hey they are pretty neat! I've never seen them. Do they come in lots of different sizes? We make enormous bales which are 6ft x 5ft so not sure they would fit inside.

I use tombstone feeders and they cost me 500 bucks a pop!!

 

[Enfys]

Hi Tia,

I think they come in 4 hole and 8 hole sizes. It looks to me like you just plop your bale down and pop this gadget over the top, so movable as well

Prices start from $325 (before GST, delivery etc) I believe. I like the look of them better than any of the metal ones I have looked at, but not worth it for me with only 2 lots of horses to feed.

www.FDUPLESSIS.ca

Dimensions are: 84"x72"x76" , so about 7'x 6'x6'

 

[Tia]

Thanks for the link Enfys.

I wonder if they might be a little flimsy for my brutish horses though! They look more like a kids playhouse.

Be great for my dogs if they had sealed windows though....particularly Lily with her upcoming brood....