Would chaff cutter cut hay??

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Polos Mum

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Possibly a daft question but would an old (antique) chaff cutter cut hay - I know they are designed for straw, would hay be too fine?.

My companion pony has a tooth problem that can't be fixed, had it for years and the dentist warned me it could start causing problems. He's clearly struggling to eat hay this winter - but keeping condition with Alfa A oil and speedibeet.

I've seen a chaff cutter for sale locally and it got me thinking if I could cut his hay into Alfa sized pieces could he eat it that way?
 
Yes, of course - that is what they are for! You will probably have to replace or regrind the blades. I have an old chaff cutter that does sterling work all the year round, wouldn't be without it (and wouldn't pay £££'s for the bagged stuff either).
 
Yes a chaff cutter cuts hay. That's what it was designed to do, chop up hay and straw. However, have you ever used one? Lol, I have one and gave it a go, never again, that was an hour out of my life I'll never get back again :D
 
Spring Feather said:
Yes a chaff cutter cuts hay. That's what it was designed to do, chop up hay and straw. However, have you ever used one? Lol, I have one and gave it a go, never again, that was an hour out of my life I'll never get back again :D
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What? Have you no unemployed children to instil a work ethic into?
 
Cortez said:
What? Have you no unemployed children to instil a work ethic into?
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Lol :D I have but I think they saw the look on my face when I was using it and decided that didn't look like a whole pile of fun :D To be fair, I am totally useless at standing around doing something mundane, I can play around for a little while and then I get bored and want to go off and do something else.
 
Great thanks - I thought they were just for straw, it did look a little manual (to be expected as it's 130 years old!) but if it does the trick with my boy it'll be an hour a day well spend - how big/ strong do you have to be? my son is 2 and he loves helping in the yard so maybe I'll get him to help me!!
 
Had you thought that you might get your hay cut into chaff, and make a fortune, if you
re named the chaff cutter as some fancy piece of gym equipment and charge a large non refundable membership fee to wealthy bankers permitting them to use it as the new 'keep fit' regime?!

We used to use one many years ago and it is hard work!
 
To avoid the work bit, try getting a garden shredder and put your hay through that, we did for 'chaffing' straw, not as fine as with a chaff cutter, but not bad. :)
 
I've got an old fashioned chaff cutter, BUT... its driven by belt from a stationary engine. I can cut sacks of hay chaff in a very short time, I have trouble keeping the feeder full, its so efficient.
 
cundlegreen said:
I've got an old fashioned chaff cutter, BUT... its driven by belt from a stationary engine. I can cut sacks of hay chaff in a very short time, I have trouble keeping the feeder full, its so efficient.
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This by far the best sort! Also agree about the garden shredder - if you have yet to buy the chaff cutter - a small cheap elecky shredder might be the better option particularly if you get fed up doing your own chaff you'll still have a cleared garden!

If you use any these machines and you're not 100% competent - watch out! Most old fashioned chaff cutters will remove fingers very easily.
 
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