Bucket swinger

[Fanch]

One of my boys has taken to swinging his feed bucket, dumping some of it on the floor. He won't eat the grain off the floor, and since I have been trying to put weight on him, he needs all that grain.

I have tried the rubber feed dishes on the floor but those were worse, he picked it up and dumped it ALL on the floor, only eat a mouth full and went to his hay :arg!

Anyone have ideas on what I could use as a feed countainer or what I can do to make him stop. I tried the standing by him eat and telling him in a big scarey voice to quit it each time he swung it. Worked for about 2 weeks, now hes gone back to swinging it OH!

 

[jleonard]

Do you have a way to bungee it to the stall wall? That way it wouldn't be able to swing.

 

[cretahillsgal]

The only thing I can think of is to try a different type of feeder. Maybe one that is permanently attached to the fence or wall. Like the wall hay feeders with the tray underneath.

Something like this:

Wall Feeder

I use feeders that are clipped to the fence or wall. But, they are shallow and my stud always runs right up to it and proceeds to nose it all out onto the ground. Then he eats the feed off the ground.

Mine are like this:

small feeder

 

[Charlotte]

We use baling twine to tie the bucket to the stall. If you have solid walls put in a big screw eye and tie the bucket (put the twine through the loop that the bucket handle is attached to). We tie it with the bucket sideways to the wall. This works for most horses. The worst ones we use a big 5 gallon bucket in a corner and tied.

We have some big black 'no tip' feed pans too, but the silly horses paw the feed out or walk in it and get it filthy!

One of my favorite fillies will stick her nose in a bucket, raise her head untill the feed dumps all over her head and back, then paw because she doesn't have any feed IN her bucket!! OH! She's a sweetheart.

Charlotte

 

[muffntuf]

Does he like his feed? Is he dumping it because he objects to something in it?

I have red tubs that screw to a wall with steel L's, they can't tip those.

 

[CHARLOTTE & JOHN]

Julie, We have two boys that do the exact same thing. Sling it onto the ground with

their nose and then eat it off of the ground.

Paige, with our last little guy, hubby just screwed his bucket to the wall of his stall.

Charlotte

 

[targetsmom]

I have several minis that swing buckets. I am surprised this doesn't come up more often on here! If they don't spill the grain, I let them swing! I did find a type of bucket holder that is almost imposible for them to swing buckets from. It is metal and goes over the side of the stall (or another version screws in) and has a hook with a circle (about 2 " in diameter) over it so they can't get the bucket OFF the hook. That works pretty well. I also tried the colored plastic bucket holders, which stop the swinging, but don't last very long.

 

[Carolyn R]

There are feed dished that are anti tip dishes. they are attatched to a mat. I just use the hard plastic dishes from Tractor supply. I think they hold 3 gallons. Because of the triangular slope of the sides, they are very hard to tip.

Carolyn

 

[muffntuf]

I don't have "swingers" - but I have climbers or flippers. The climbers just climb into their buckets, the only issue is, it scares me when they try to climb back out.

The flippers like to flip their feeders up and eventually off their gates. I just use baler twine to tie the middle part of the hang overs to the gate. Then they can't flip them so easily.

But I also thing if they don't like their feed nothing is going to keep them from tipping it out.

 

[Fanch]

He definalty LOVES the feed, I think hes gets so excited about it he swings the bucket; also, to move it around I guess. I don't mind him doing it, its just very frustrating when you have a skinny horse with half his feed on the floor that goes to the fat little buddy (no offense Rhino.)

I have its tied to the barn, but I think Ill try the screwing it to the wall.