Round Hay Bale feeder
- Thread starter otte
- Start date
- Views: 9113
Bison
Platinum Member
I made a couple of them out of drill stem and sucker rod, one held 2 bales, the other 4.
Found them a PITA in the end, cows were digging trenches around them unless i moved them after every couple feedings, in wet weather it became mud holes.
In winter they froze down even though they were on skids
I sold them, i pity the guy that bought them
One is better off to feed the bales in the field and never on the same spot, that way they spread the turds them selves and one don't have to clean corrals either
Found them a PITA in the end, cows were digging trenches around them unless i moved them after every couple feedings, in wet weather it became mud holes.
In winter they froze down even though they were on skids
I sold them, i pity the guy that bought them
One is better off to feed the bales in the field and never on the same spot, that way they spread the turds them selves and one don't have to clean corrals either
weldingisfun
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2006
- Messages
- 1,788
- Location
- West Bell County, Texas
- Tractor
- Mahindra 4500 4WD w/FEL, and Scotts S2048 lawn tractor
texasjohn
Super Member
round feeders are best...then you can roll them around.
Don't use any heavy pipe....you can't tip them up to roll around and place over the bales....too heavy
broken bale in the rain will spoil rather quickly, need sufficient head to eat whole bale in couple of days
if you can weld tubing and bend it into a circle, that is best.
sometimes I see a feeder on craig's list ... price is better than TSC and these things last a long, long time...check into a used one.
Don't use any heavy pipe....you can't tip them up to roll around and place over the bales....too heavy
broken bale in the rain will spoil rather quickly, need sufficient head to eat whole bale in couple of days
if you can weld tubing and bend it into a circle, that is best.
sometimes I see a feeder on craig's list ... price is better than TSC and these things last a long, long time...check into a used one.
DJ54
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2009
- Messages
- 4,520
- Location
- Carroll, Ohio
- Tractor
- IH Farmall 656 gas/ IH 240 Utility/ 2, Super C Farmalls/ 2, Farmall A's/ Farmall BN/McCormick-Deering OS-6/McCormick-Deering O-4/ '36 Farmall F-12/ 480 Case hoe. '65 Ford 2000 3 cyl., 4 spd. w/3 spd Aux. Trans
Here's an off ground bale feeder I built back in '06 IIRC. Made it out of conduit reels cut down to 5' diameter. Expanded metal in the bottom so as not to hold water. Sheet metal over top to shed rain & snow. Both ends can be removed to set a bale in. Mounted on skids, and made a 3 pt. tow bar, so as to back up to it, raise the hitch, and tow it to another spot.
Still using it, and have made a couple modifications. Other than needing a new paint job, it has held up well, and horses haven't hurt themselves on it... Yet.....
Still using it, and have made a couple modifications. Other than needing a new paint job, it has held up well, and horses haven't hurt themselves on it... Yet.....
Wagtail
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2013
- Messages
- 12,517
- Location
- St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
- Tractor
- JD 4105 / JD Z355E (48" deck)
Wagtail
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2013
- Messages
- 12,517
- Location
- St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
- Tractor
- JD 4105 / JD Z355E (48" deck)
Ta, Mate. I've tarted the assembly up a wee bit since... painted the top rail & linseed-ed the rest to weatherproof, but it works a treat.
I haven't come up with a better way of keeping it together except with the drop pins plus a 'measured' length of rope. The horses will lean/push on it in order to get at the last morsels (I've seen some weird geometrical shapes) but the ring has always stood up and held together.
I initially researched hay rings here in Aus and the prices were astronomical! Supply & demand in a small population. I borrowed a neighbour's cattle hay ring made from aluminium tubing to try it out but the amount of hay spreading = wastage was more than my DIY rig.
The beauty about making 6 sections is that it fits a large 5' round. If you're feeding a smaller round you simply don't use as many sections when assembling.
RedNeckRacin
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2008
- Messages
- 2,505
- Location
- Western PA
- Tractor
- John Deere 5083E MFWD, Kubota L3400 HST
I got some 8" pipe and some 2" pipe to make one. Had to put in 2" plank for head stalls. I also put a roof on it but I can't find a completed picture. I just need to rent an auger and post pounder to be able to put it in and try it out. We have two smaller ones and one large feeder now that have doors in them and they all drive me nuts. The front of the big one in the picture is designed to be installed in the fence line so I don't have to go into the pasture to feed a round bale. Also, the openings are big enough that i can put a full 5x5 bale through. IIRC it is 22' inside and about 66 inches deep.
