# Pictures of your hay racks



## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Anyone care to share? I need to build one within the next couple of days, so I'd like to see what you have and would like to know if you'd like to change anything about it.

Thanks!


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## Tamar (Feb 23, 2005)

I'm lurking needing something new where I don't loose so much hay!

Thanks starting the thread!

Tam


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

Wire is horse panel.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Here is mine. No changes needed unless you mind having chickens lay eggs on the top.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

I don't have any pictures thanks to my son pouring chocolate milk over my camera (sigh), but since our goat stall is made is out of panels, we took another piece of panel on the outside of their pen and leaned it out away from the pen and wired it to the stall panel and fill that with hay. Same idea as the first picture, only not lined with wood and it leans out of the pen, not in. They can reach through the panel and grab hay.


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## IndyGardenGal (Apr 5, 2009)

I think I have pics of ours on our blog.
http://hoosierhomesteaders.blogspot.com/2010/11/goat-barn-pen-update.html


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## KimM (Jun 17, 2005)

This is the one you saw here but we cut the legs down to fit the NDs.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

Very nice KimM! I'll bet that is one heavy hay feeder if it needs to be moved though.


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## KimM (Jun 17, 2005)

6e said:


> Very nice KimM! I'll bet that is one heavy hay feeder if it needs to be moved though.


Yes it is, and we don't.  
This was built from the plans from Premier One but modified.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

LOL It is very nice. Well done!


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## cowbelle (Mar 5, 2009)

Years ago when I had 100+ does in a commercial dairy, the best solution I found was to have the mangers on the outside of the fence so I could feed without going in with the animals. I had solid wall on the outside, slanted wide at top to narrow trough at the bottom (so I could feed grain or cotton seed in it as well as hay). The fence that the does would put their heads through was either boards spaced just far enough apart for them to get their heads in, or stock panels with some pieces cut out, again, just space for them to get their heads into. (no stock kept with horns, obviously). The close spacing kept them from dragging too much hay out. Vertical slots also work, but must be wide at top and narrow at bottom, so they had to raise their heads to get out of it - again to save hay. Best advice ever given - have all feed and water outside the pen, so you can drive or wheel cart with feed along without goats in it or on it or climbing on you as you try to feed. If you have some bullies, snap them to their place with a short piece of chain and snap. I don't have photos, so if I haven't made it clear, just ask. Judith


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Thanks All! You have successfully changed my mind. I WAS going to try to augment an existing wall/manger area and load it from the side, but I now think I'm going to build a seperate unit (sort of like Kim's!) and load it from behind. 

I'll post pictures once the project gets started.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Mine looks like Minelson's. Only beige. Not necessarily more fashionable, but it "goes" with the green shed. LOL!

Now I want to see if anyone has outside hay ricks or such, to get an idea of how to store the hay we plan to grow this year...


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

We use manger type feeders very similar to southerngurl's only wood slats in the front instead of the horse panels.


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## Mironsfarm (Feb 3, 2011)

i just made this one today and love it! cost me 57 bucks to make it and about 5 hrs. everyone that i have found that has it loves it. it is called keyhole mangers. google it. it really cuts down on wasted hay... i have plans from it if you would like a copy pm me and i will mail you a copy. i got a copy of the plans from someone on another site i will be more then happy to share.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

I don't have a pic as we had to leave it behind when we moved, but I'll try and describe it. First was sort of a trough. The frame was 2x4's and the bottom was scrap plywood. It was roughly 1' wide and didn't have 2x4 on the back, as eventually it attached directly to the wall of the pen. There were two legs in front and a 2x4 across the front as a step. This was roughly 3 1/2' - 4' tall, I never measured, just went with chest height on me. 

Back up to the 'trough' coming out from the trough at a roughly 45 degree angle, was rods of drill steel, that's what we had. They were 1 1/2"-2" apart except for 4 'holes' for the goats. This was designed for my horned wethers, so the space was 7" across, you could go smaller for does and goats w/o horns. There was a 2x4 frame at the top that the bars attached to. The 'holes' were spaced a little more than shoulder width (on a full grown wether) apart. There were scrap plywood boards on the sides to close it up and keep the hay in. After this was attached to the wall, I cut a 'door' in the wall, hinged, and fed through that so I didn't have to go inside.

This setup had the goats standing on the step to eat, good for muscles of barn potatoes as mine were at that time. There was more hay wastage than some feeders, less than others. The thing I really liked about was that the goats had to stand and put their heads through the holes to eat and they rarely got down til they were done, so it eliminated the top dog from chasing the lower rankers away from the feeder. They could swipe heads at the lower ranks, but the holes were far enough apart that they couldn't reach the others without getting down. Something they were rarely willing to do. The lower ranks figured that out in short order. For now I have a feeder more like the wire ones pictured and there is a vast inequity in the hay consumption between the herd queen and the others.

Another thing that was nice about it, I could throw a few more boards up around the base and it provided and excellent safe spot for babies. They loved it!


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Pony said:


> Mine looks like Minelson's. Only beige. Not necessarily more fashionable, but it "goes" with the green shed. LOL!
> 
> Now I want to see if anyone has outside hay ricks or such, to get an idea of how to store the hay we plan to grow this year...


Mine is kinda beige on the bottom half LOL!!!:thumb:


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## GeorgiaGirl (Jun 1, 2009)

Oh sweet! I love the keyhole feeder and also love yours, Kim. I think I need plans for both of those! Hint, Hint


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

Do be careful on the keyhole feeders as they can get bashed while eating and not see it coming and brace.


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## Melbertsch (Mar 2, 2009)

This one work well for us.


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## mamato3 (Nov 1, 2008)

I got a blue 55 gallon plastic barrel and cut 2 square holes in it. We like it other then the holes need to be taller since i got horned goats. We keep it full of hay so they dont need to stick there heads in mostly. But sometime they eat it faster then i can fluff or refill. O we got a big cinder block in the bottom so they cant pull it over. And it has a lid so no rain getting in mostly. I had pics but i must have deleted them of the phone will have to take more.


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## Oat Bucket Farm (Jul 28, 2006)

KimM said:


> This is the one you saw here but we cut the legs down to fit the NDs.


Oh very nice!


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