Something to Soak Hay in...

Tinsel Trouble

Tinsel Trouble

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Due to the mess tipping buckets of water over hay bales on pallets causes I would like to know if there is a product similar to the one Robinsons had a few years ago- a large 'bale shaped' wheel barrow with a plug hole in the bottom...

Any ideas of where I can find this?

Or suggestions for an alternative device? It must be something I can lift with water in it- an old metal bath tub just doesn't budge with me on the end of it!

Thank you!
 
Try an old bath you can let the water out the plug hole, works for me, prob try calling a few local skip companies they might have had one in a skip and for a little bit of money you could have an excellent hay soaker after a little cleaning...
 
Sorry to add if you cant just tip where it is you could use some plastic hosing from the plug hole to drain away the water
 
Friend uses a wheelie bin with Holes drilled in the bottom then plug the holes (she uses the ends off sealant tubes) then when it is soaked pull out the plugs and wheel the hay to where you need it.
 
I used to use an old blue plastic barrel cut in half. It is fine for soaking hay and then you just need to tip it over when haynet is out (or still in if you are feeling strong!!).
 
I use a water storage cube cut in half. It is perfect, and I use the other "half" of the metal cage for draining. There is a tap on the bottom you can drain the water from, and you can attach a pipe to the tap so that the water drains into a drain/field or whatever. They can also be mounted on wheels.
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My OH sells the cubes on ebay (we are near Bury St Edmunds) and would probably cut one up for you too, I'd have to ask though.
 
My comment is similar to BFG but how you can turn a wheelie bin into a hay steamer.

Buy a wall paper steam stripper, fill with water and position next to bin. Insert hose from steam stripper into wheelie bin (you may need to channel a hole out of the top of the wheelie bin where the lids shuts to get the hose inside the bin). Pop a haynet or 3 in and leave steaming away for 10-15 mins. Voila, perfectly steamed hay
 
By the way.....don't forget that hay soaking water is an effluent and must be disposed of down the appropriate drainage sytem!

I believe that just pulling the plug out and letting it drain, if it doesnt subsequently enter a sewer, is not legal.
 
[ QUOTE ]
By the way.....don't forget that hay soaking water is an effluent and must be disposed of down the appropriate drainage sytem!

I believe that just pulling the plug out and letting it drain, if it doesnt subsequently enter a sewer, is not legal.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wondered who would bring that up first, lol
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The owners of the livery yard I am on put in proper drainage channels under the muck heap, and piped it straight out into a ditch
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They seem happy no one will check up on them.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I use a water storage cube cut in half. It is perfect, and I use the other "half" of the metal cage for draining. There is a tap on the bottom you can drain the water from, and you can attach a pipe to the tap so that the water drains into a drain/field or whatever. They can also be mounted on wheels.

My OH sells the cubes on ebay (we are near Bury St Edmunds) and would probably cut one up for you too, I'd have to ask though.

[/ QUOTE ]

they look huge, how big are they?
 
The entire cube holds 1000l of water - they measure 1m x 1.3m and mine will let me soak 3-4 nets at a time depending on how big the nets are
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I keep joking he should make them commercially especially on wheels! I've had loads of friends ask for them to be made as they are really handy and very light when empty.
 
I used to work for the Environment Agency in the department that tests watercourse samples. "Samplers" would go out and collect water samples from various places, could be ditches, streams etc, and send them in to us, and we'd test them for various things including Biological Oxygen Demand (which I think is the problem with effluent from soaked hay??) and if the results didn't fall within certain parameters, then they would launch an investigation and if people were found to be polluting the water courses, they could be fined £thousands!
 
I read an article some time ago, re hay soaking and it suggested that putting hay in a barrel then tipping a kettle of boiling water over it and steaming it for 10-15 mins allowed the spores to swell but kept more goodness in the hay that when it is soaked in water? not sure if anyone else has heard anything similar. Just need to make sure the hay is completely cool.
 
I was also going to suggest the Wheelie bin idea...
My dad suggested it after he saw me 'attempting' to drag barrels with water and hay around. Been using the same wheelie bin for years now and it's great.
Dad did also ask why I was feeding my 'poor' horses hay soaked in water "surely that is cruel in the winter, they must be cold enough as it is without you freezing their hay - poor things" You gotta love Non-horsey parents!
 
I've got a bath you can have and I can show you a great way to drain the nets as well and reuse the water a few times! Or I've got another special barrel with a outlet at the bottom that you can drain and then roll to the horses - but you can't reuse the water again that way. PM if you are interested - Norfolk/Suffolk border.
 
These are all absolutely brilliant ideas! Thank you so much!

I will try a few of them out and see which one's work the best!

Thanks for the EA advice! I work with a representative from the EA so I will investigate the regulations regarding dirty water. I knew it applied to farmers and businesses- I will look into the private owner's rules and regs.

Regards,

Milla
 
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