round bale holders??

[TPs flat rock acres]

just wondering if anyone uses them?

 

[chandab]

I do, at least if you are talking standard metal ring holders for round bales. I bought a horse one for my saddle horses, it has the open top, so they don't rub their manes on the top ring. Its similar to this one: http://www.siouxsteel.com/index.php/product-detail/horse-hay-feeder (actually, I think its the same one, but mine is a much older model - I did buy it new, but it was old stock). And, I have two older models of this calf/sheep feeder that we got at an auction, they are great for the minis: http://www.siouxsteel.com/index.php/product-detail/calf-hay-feeder The calf/sheep feeder is a bit shorter and smaller in diameter than those built for cows or horses. For the minis, I don't often put a whole bale in the feeder (sometimes in the middle of winter when its really cold), but rather use it to keep them from walking, pooping and sleeping in their feed, and they still manage to make a pretty good size mess and waste hay (mostly in winter for messes and wasting).

 

[sundancer]

My husband build one for my minis. The regular round bale holders are too big for the minis, so we opted to build our own. My husband measured the bale and build a "box" like structure with slats on the bottom (so air can circulate). The sides are about 12" high so we have little to no spillage. Best part is we can cover it when they are not using it - hench no hay waste from weather!!!

We have 6 happy campers chowing down!

Julie

Victory Pass Stable

Maine

 

[muffntuf]

Pictures please of the homemade one...

I have a plastic round bale holder for my ponies. I have not found one that I like yet for a round bale for miniatures.

 

[TPs flat rock acres]

yes would love to see pictures of the homemade one I am looking at one from tractor supply I worry about the string from the bales here is the one I am looking at http://www.tractorsupply.com/s-bar-hay-bale-feeder-2168008

 

[stormy]

Found this on craigs list the other day, has anyone used one like this for minis??

http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/grd/3132384013.html

http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/grd/3132384013.html
http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/grd/3132384013.html

 

[happy appy]

I have one very similar to that one stormy. It's a light cream color though. It is great but the windows are too high for my A sized minis. We had thought about cutting the window holes a little longer but never did because we just started using it for th big horses and made slow hay feeders for the minis instead.

 

[muffntuf]

The huts are too big for the miniatures and even some ponies.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I use a large square bale feeder for mine, we had these special made for the minis. I just set my round bales in the feeder so that one flat side is down, if that makes any sense, and they work just fine. I dont have any pictures of a roundbale in it but here is what I am using.

 

[JAX]

yes would love to see pictures of the homemade one I am looking at one from tractor supply I worry about the string from the bales here is the one I am looking at http://www.tractorsu...-feeder-2168008

I used to feed round bales and even if you use a round bale ring I would definately cut the strings off. I had one filly that ALWAYS would get herself tangled up as soon as they ate enough to get the strings just the slightest bit loose. We got to where we would set the bale where we wanted it, round side up of course, then cut the strings and pull them all off, and then roll the ring to the bale and tip it into place over the bale. Worked great just make sure that none of the minis is trying to get a bite when dropping the ring...

 

[Marty]

Here's my set up and it was free and works perfectly:

The round bale is pushed up on a pallet to keep it off the ground. Then all I did was wrap a piece of field fencing around it and secured it with two way clips, top, bottom, and in the middle to hold it together. As they eat and the hay gets smaller, simple: just go pull the fencing tighter and clip it again.

Best part is during bad weather I cover it with a tarp and secure it with bungys.

I'm so brilliant (and cheap) sometimes I even shock myself

 

[SHANA]

I use roundbale feeders. I have one made for sheep/goats/calves which works well, all I had to do was cut some bars out so minis could put there heads in. The other is a cow feeder and I use it more for my shetlands now as they can reach the middle. Did use it for the minis but once bale got smaller I had to go pull hay from middle to around the edges. I also have a homemade small square bale feeder made just for the minis. Here are photos of my 3 feeders.

 

[normajeanbaker]

Here is the homemade round bale feeder that Sundancer was referring to. You can easily remove one side to roll the bale in, and we just scoop up whatever they pull off the bale and put it back into the box. We are on our 2nd bale with no waste at all. We cover it with a tarp at night.

 

[Mareish Mom]

I have a homemade version of this and I LOVE it. I used to use a regular metal round bale holder and the horses still made a mess. With this they waste almost NOTHING and the hay stays dry. I do cut off the strings.

http://www.capitolsheds.com/horse-hfeeder6x10-naturalgrnmtl.html#thumb

 

[stormy]

MM that is really a nice one! Like the design but do youhave problems with minis getting in it??

 

[happy appy]

We use a metal horse feeder with a slow feed hay net over the large rounds. I have 1-2% wasted hay at most. I think that there is another thread on this subject because I'm sure I posted pictures on that thread.

 

[Lloydyne]

when you feed like this don't you worry about them eating too much. My pony would have ended up as wide as he was long if I would have fed him this way. I'm hoping to get a driving mini soon. He will be by himself so seeing me everyday for feeding is needed for companionship

 

[stormy]

I guess I am still just not a believer in the hay nets and net/bag slow feeders. After seeing a horse kill itself in a hay bag tied to a trailer I have a pure fear of anything resembling a hay bag......would be interested to hear from folks that have used them for longer time periods, how they hold up, holes in them would scare me, do you have young horses using them....positives and negatives of the large bale slow feed nets??

 

[Riverdance]

I just bought two Slow Buddy round bale feeders. They will be here next week. It will hold the round bales on their side so that rain will roll off (the way you see them in the fields) and the Minis can only eat slowly. There is only about 2& waist rather than 30%.

 

[happy appy]

I just bought two Slow Buddy round bale feeders. They will be here next week. It will hold the round bales on their side so that rain will roll off (the way you see them in the fields) and the Minis can only eat slowly. There is only about 2& waist rather than 30%.

This is what I do only I have the metal round bale feeder in use too. I didn't like them having access to the slow feed net. I was concerned about them getting caught in the net.