# Hay holders opinions on these



## Donna1982 (Jun 14, 2011)

I have been bugging the bf about putting his handy skills to work and making me something for my hay. I am sick of the waste so was thinking something with a bottom in it to catch it. So what does everyone think of these? Of course they would have to be a little shorter since these are made for cattle and horses. 

*This would be for a round bale. Which we dont use yet because I dont want the waste.*


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

They look very nice! The upper one, besides making it shorter, would need more bars in the 
"windows". Otherwise, you may find your goats sleeping and playing in the hay. I would also be concerned whether or not they would be able to reach once the bale was eaten down some. You could build a shelter, with or without the floor, then put the hay in the center wrapped in a cattle panel with a post for support. The cattle panel can be tightened as the hay is eaten, allowing the goats to eat all of it, while protecting it from "King of the Mountain".


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

This is what we use for horses, cows and goats - works like a charm and costs less than $25 - ha ha - now this isn't one of my photos - that is some terrible looking hay -


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

LOL Creamers..... I saw the hay & first thing I thought was "Man, they must be hurtin' for good hay worse than we are in west Texas!


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## Donna1982 (Jun 14, 2011)

LoneStrChic23 said:


> LOL Creamers..... I saw the hay & first thing I thought was "Man, they must be hurtin' for good hay worse than we are in west Texas!


Thought the same thing lol What do you guys do when it rains?


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

Rain?? What's that??!!

I'm having a new barn built & we're thinking about building an overhand off one side for hay. Plan on putting the round bale flat on pallets so it's off the ground, wrap in panel & push up against the wall under the over hang. Tarps are what I've got over my spare bale right now, but it's not in a pen right now.


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## gina kay (Sep 12, 2007)

I echo Crystal, "what is rain?" We store hay on pallets to get it off the ground and cover with tarps. The round bales, that were being eaten on, used to have the metal holders that are used for cattle (since sometimes we'd have a calf or colt in the same pasture), but I was concerned that a goat would break a leg jumping down so no more.


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## dbarjacres (Feb 2, 2004)

That round bale feeder is really neat! I don't see that working for goats tho, maybe the big standard girls, but not Nigies. You could weld cattle panels or steel rods vertically to the head openings and then maybe put a little "shelf" around the bottom, maybe mid height, for them to stand on with their front legs.

Cattle panels wrapped around a round bale work pretty good.

We just had a "brain storm" and are buying a "tote" from our neighbor. They use them here for preservative acid for hay, it's a big square plastic container inside of a metal cage, spaced about like a cattle panel, roughly 4x4 cube shaped thing. We are going to take the plastic tote out and cut a big opening in it and probably cut most of the bottom out and use that for a buck hut and then use the metal carrying thing for hay. We're gonna pay $45 for it. We would keep it inside so no worry about rain/snow.


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

No on the second pic, several goats have managed to get their heads hung in those and die, the first is cute but not very practical for goats as they will be jumping on the inside.
I also speak about the cattle panel as thats what we use here.

My friend makes two different hay feeders I would consider as well if it wasnt for the cost, they are on a x type frame and have either horse or goat panels depending on what the person wants and the panel Vs to hold the hay, I dont know if you can get a good mental image off that but the one with the horse panel works best for goats but not for other critters as they cant get their lips through the wire. I still believe there is more waste with these than the cattle panel


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I don't know what your set up is like Donna but we use the manger type feeders, where the back is attached to the wall & then wood slats in the front where they have to pull the hay through.
If you need pictures I can get some this afternoon for you.


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## Donna1982 (Jun 14, 2011)

That would be great if you could.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I also do the round bale feeder. So far we've tarped the top,but my dad wants to experiment with some conduit to make a little roof with a tarp for it, which would work better. 

Round bales are no more wasteful than square bales, and are infinetely more affordable IMO. At 4.00/bale for squares around here that is decent alfalfa, I would probably easily go through 2/day, if not more. 8.00/day adds up awful quick. As it is, a round bale lasts about 3 weeks in my doe pen at 30.00 a pop, and the same size lasts about a month for the boys (only 6 of them eating on it).


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

mygoat said:


> I also do the round bale feeder. So far we've tarped the top,but my dad wants to experiment with some conduit to make a little roof with a tarp for it, which would work better.
> 
> Round bales are no more wasteful than square bales, and are infinetely more affordable IMO. At *4.00/bale for squares around here that is decent alfalfa*, I would probably easily go through 2/day, if not more. 8.00/day adds up awful quick. As it is, a round bale lasts about 3 weeks in my doe pen at 30.00 a pop, and the same size lasts about a month for the boys (only 6 of them eating on it).


I wish I could get $4/ square bale alfalfa!!! It sells here for $20-25/ bale!


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Sorry Donna about the pictures, I have been busy the last few days & forgot. I will take the camera to the barn with me in the morning!


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## Donna1982 (Jun 14, 2011)

Backfourty said:


> Sorry Donna about the pictures, I have been busy the last few days & forgot. I will take the camera to the barn with me in the morning!


Take your time I am in no rush


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

> I wish I could get $4/ square bale alfalfa!!! It sells here for $20-25/ bale!


Thunk!!!


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## gina kay (Sep 12, 2007)

Here hay is running $9 a square bale of regular coastal and even cow hay and $90 round bale of the same and rice hay. It's horrible!


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Sorry this took me so long. This is one of them from the girls lean too in their outside area. They also have a pasture area that I do put some hay out in for them while they are there.

The boys manger type feeders in the barn & their pen, etc. are similar only not as big since I don't have as many boys.

Both sides are as wide as a flake of hay on all our manger feeders.
The one's in the girls party of the barn are all single width feeders.


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## Donna1982 (Jun 14, 2011)

Thanks Katie I do like that. Hmm.. now to get the bf up and to work. Wonder if he would be willing if I went and work him up lol.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Donna1982 said:


> Wonder if he would be willing if I went and work him up lol.


That should work Donna lol! :thumb:


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## Donna1982 (Jun 14, 2011)

Omg I really didn't mean that ... I meant woke up. I really HATE this phone. Who ever thought of auto correct should be punched lol


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

It's not that hard Donna, you could probly do it if you can use a saw, please don't cut your fingers off!
I like them in the barn & lean too's so then I don't have to worry about the elements & the hay getting wet.
The top is wider than at the bottom too. If you need more pictures or I can measure them I can do that tonight.

The one in the picture use to go all the way across & I can't remember why we changed it to how it is now. It's been there over 6 years now.


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