JenJ
Well-Known Member
Over the last couple of years, I have, through much trial and error, come up with a hay soaking system that is as easy as I think it can ever get.
An automatic timer on a hose attached directly to the tap fills my container with water between 04:00 and 04:16am every day. An automatic timer on another hose coming out of the container drains the hay from 06:00am. The haynets are held a few inches off the bottom of the container on a wire shelf to enable them to drain properly.
Every morning, I simply take out the drained nets from the container and put in the dry nets for the next day. The only maintenance that is required is hosing out the container every few days.
In order to achieve this level of automation, I use mesh netting to line the inside of container so that bits of hay don't get stuck in and block the hose outlet. The one I currently use is, I think, the weak link in my set up. It tears too easily, sticks to itself when wet (when I'm trying to clean it!) and is generally a bit unwieldy and inelegant.
I was thinking of using material instead, then I thought that a fitted bedsheet might work well as it would have the elasticated top to go around the outside of the container. And I could chuck it in the washing machine on a cold rinse every week to keep it properly clean. But I'm concerned about chemicals leaching into the water and contaminating the hay. Would an organic cotton bed sheet be more suitable? Would it also need to be undyed, or would organic dyes be safe?
The hay wouldn't be sitting directly on the sheet but might come into contact with it at the sides.
If the organic sheet wouldn't work, can anyone suggest something that might? Needs to be easy to take in and out of the container, and easy to clean with a fine enough weave to trap most bits of hay.
Am I just over-thinking my attempt to eliminate the need to think?
An automatic timer on a hose attached directly to the tap fills my container with water between 04:00 and 04:16am every day. An automatic timer on another hose coming out of the container drains the hay from 06:00am. The haynets are held a few inches off the bottom of the container on a wire shelf to enable them to drain properly.
Every morning, I simply take out the drained nets from the container and put in the dry nets for the next day. The only maintenance that is required is hosing out the container every few days.
In order to achieve this level of automation, I use mesh netting to line the inside of container so that bits of hay don't get stuck in and block the hose outlet. The one I currently use is, I think, the weak link in my set up. It tears too easily, sticks to itself when wet (when I'm trying to clean it!) and is generally a bit unwieldy and inelegant.
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I was thinking of using material instead, then I thought that a fitted bedsheet might work well as it would have the elasticated top to go around the outside of the container. And I could chuck it in the washing machine on a cold rinse every week to keep it properly clean. But I'm concerned about chemicals leaching into the water and contaminating the hay. Would an organic cotton bed sheet be more suitable? Would it also need to be undyed, or would organic dyes be safe?
The hay wouldn't be sitting directly on the sheet but might come into contact with it at the sides.
If the organic sheet wouldn't work, can anyone suggest something that might? Needs to be easy to take in and out of the container, and easy to clean with a fine enough weave to trap most bits of hay.
Am I just over-thinking my attempt to eliminate the need to think?
