Anyone build slow feeders?

[GlacierRidge]

Here's info and ideas if anyone's wondering what I'm talking about! Slow Feeders

I posted this a little while back, hubby and I are planning on building this feeder for our small crew of minis. Hay Feeder It's 8' long and double sided, and I think would suit them fine, since we have so few. We also want to put a roof over it.

I am hoping to get some input here on my idea to use panels as such to make this into a slow feeder of sorts. Since the feeder panels themselves will be V shaped, gravity itself will help...

But with winter coming, that itself is a reason I would like hay in front of them all the time, but another reason is that I have a couple of very vocal donkeys...who are yelling for a meal 5 minutes after they finish their last. I think it's cute, but we have the city growing around us (we were here first!) and I'm trying to be considerate of people around us now...and I have considered the thought that I could have people complaining in the future, about my donkeys braying, because for little mini donkeys, they can really belt it out! Especially at 5am!

Yet my minis are a little on the heavy side, and they do gorge themselves if given more....huge mouthfuls inhaled until it's gone. I used to free feed on a round bale when I only had a couple, when they were in with my two big horses, but I separated them a couple of years ago so the minis are in their own space now. They got extremely fat when free fed, but were very happy. They never left that bale!

So, I would like to be able to have hay in front of them all the time, but also be able to limit them in a way, with the use of these panes which would keep them from sticking their whole heads in and pulling huge mouthfuls out.

Has anyone found something that worked great for minis? If so, I would appreciate hearing what worked!

Angie

 

[barbiedoll68346]

We use the wire cattle panels, we set bale up wrap with panels, use tarp straps to hold panels together then as they eat through small squares you just tighten up the panels about every 2-3 days. We also tarp the top of bale and secure with tarp straps to the cattle panels, keeps hay dry. If bales are med size one 12 ft panel will work, if larger just use two and overlap so panels are tight around bale. They waste very little this way.

If you want to sort of put a roof over it just drive posts and secure a tarp between posts to cover the area around bale.

Barb

 

[GlacierRidge]

Thanks Barb,

How big of an opening do the cattle panels have?

 

[barbiedoll68346]

I think about 5inches x 4inches should be close. They are rectangular shaped. I just be sure and have halters off horses, which is a good idea anyway.

Barb

 

[Annabellarose]

A cattle panel with 4" squares would not be considered a "slow feeder", especially for a Miniature Horse (or a Miniature Donkey). You can buy welded wire mesh panels with much smaller squares (4" by 2", 2" by 2", etc.) at some farm/feed stores.

 

[GlacierRidge]

Yep, that's what I was thinking. We have a co op here that sells "cattle-type" panels, but they are called horse/security panels and have 2x4 inch squares. That's all I've found so far. They aren't cheap either! But I'm going to look around.

ANgie