DIY: Hay Feeder

[QueenB04]

After being so warmly recieved in Petsneggs thread on newbie advice I figured I would list my cheap and easy hay feeder here. I made this over the winter time after getting so frustrated with hay being wasted around the farm. So far it can be used with horses, donkeys, goats, and pigs.

Equipment Needed:
Cheap kitchen trashcan
Utility Knife or Box Cutter
Drill
Medium guage wire or a bungee cord

Step 1: Go out to the local Dollar Store and by a cheap white kitchen trash can with a lid. Do not get one with a foot release to open the top, just one with a flat swinging or lifting lid.

Step 2: Take said trashcan and make an arch or upside down U from at bottom of the trashcan. Make the size of the opening appropriate to your animal, for the horse and the donkeys the opening is about 15" by about 15" wide. Enough for them to get their nose in but not pull everything out. For goats you can do about 8" by 6". See the image for where you should make your opening. Then cut the opening out (excuse the poor paint drawing I didn't get pictures to show you)

Step 3: Drill or cut (my preference is the drill) two holes in the back of the trash can appropriate to the diameter of what it will be hanging on. Our's mounts to a board in the barn, so we have two holes, one foot apart. Do this close to the top so that the animals can't poke their noses on wire mounts.

Step 4: Choose whatever is appropriate for you to hang it from. With the two holes in the back you can use wire, which is what we use, one end is bent inwards in the trash can, and outwards to hang from the board. Another alternative is to run a bungee cord through the holes and around the structure. You can use this to hang it outside on trees and posts too.

Step 5: Fill with hay! I can fit just over a quarter of a bale in a 13 gallon trashcan.

This has been great for us over conventional feeders, and hay nets. Hardly any waste will occur, and you can even hang these feeders outside and the hay will stay for the most part dry in rain and snow. If you feed outside and have the area to do it strech a tarp over top of the area where it will be, it will be dry as can be. They are also easy to sanitize, just bleach and water, you're done, and can be replaced by picking you up another one. I like the convenience of it, just pop open the lid, drop the hay, and go.

I will say that if you need to feed multiple animals you could probably get a large round industrial waste can, the 50 gallon + and cut multiple holes out of it and hang it just the same. I would say you could probably fit two bales of hay in one of those bad boys and not have hardly any waster, which is important when you're feeding large herds.

Hope ya'll enjoy, any other little inventions I come up with I'll be happy to share! :baby04:

[PETSNEGGS]

QueenB, you are the bomb with this idea....I did use a large outside 34 gal. can with the snap on lid. I am not sure how many animals I will eventualy have and we also get these major storms here so I thought I could fill it with more hay and not always have to be out in that bad weather trying to keep it dry while I fill. Plus not sure if you have been following any of my newbie challanges or not but, one of my sweet little ones seems to be full of herself all the time. I figured with the snap on lid with the outside handles I could strap the the lid with the hanldes so she could not find away to get into the can. tee hee hee hope it works.thanks again.

[nduetime]

Very cool idea. I have to try it as my goats(like most) will not eat hay that has received one drop of moisture. What picky eaters!

[QueenB04]

Petsneggs> You are very welcome! I'm just so glad to see it's working for someone else as well as it has for us. It works great in storms and rainy weather and snow and sleet and ice and all that fun stuff. I'm quite please with myself for finding a cheap way to save my energy and frustration, glad to see it works for others!

[QueenB04]

Nduetime: I promise you the limited amount of waste is wonderful. My guys are very picky about hay and I would love to know the acres of hay I have wasted in my time with them.

[TwoAcresAndAGoat]

I tried a feeder similar to QueenB's and quit using it because of water collecting in the bottom. I then made one from an old add a shelf. The kind that are suppose to hook over you closit shelf to add more space underneath.

Latter I tied a piece of old vynal siding over the top to keep the rain out and hang it outside the fence. The goats can easily pull the hay through the wire spaces. I must note that I do have some hay dropped on the ground which of course they won't eat.

[nehimama]

How the heck did I miss this thread when it first came out???? This is a GREAT idea! Can't wait to try it!

NeHi

[coondog]

NICE, but do the goats eat the plastic?

[Sweet Goats]

That is a great idea, but I am afraid that my goats would rip it off the wall. I might have to try it and see. Thanks for the idea.
Twoacresandagoat, I think that is bust if it is used inside a barn, OR drill some small holes in the bottom, so the water drains out.

[Gailann Schrader]

no, coondog, goats won't eat the plastic. Rabbits will, but not goats. Goats don't have upper front teeth...