Our new sheep feeder! What's your thoughts on this?

[soarwitheagles]

Happy holidays to all!

Ok, complete, total newbie here. Read for several days from several different sheep forums and blogs about the importance of having good sheep feeders. Discovered we desperately need a sheep feeder.

Picked a design I thought was fairly nice, modified it somewhat and then worked my bottom off for two days on them [building two of em'].

I thought I would post a pic of the feeder and ask for comments, suggestions, constructive criticisms, encouragements, etc.

I had some galvanized sheet metal laying around and decided to use that instead of bottom board of plywood.

My first preference would have been half barrels with metal vertical rods, but I do not have an arc welder. I simply used what we had laying around.

Please share your thoughts and ideas.

Thank you,

Soar

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'll bet they would work just fine for goats too!

 

[Southern by choice]

Looks great! Should work well for you and the openings should be small enough that the sheep horns won't get caught up.


Will work great for goats too. Keep in mind if you do get goats they are a little different than sheep... sheep can eat hay that is left out in the weather, goats cannot.

See, if you weren't on the wrong coast than you could "practice" more and make mine.

Nice flock!

 

[Latestarter]

What a nice looking gaggle of sheep The feeder looks excellent. Holes look small enough so they don't pull a whole flake out and stomp it into the ground also.

Looks like you're experiencing some wet weather too. I'm sure that's a nice Christmas present... Maybe a little later you can put a roof over it to keep the hay dry, when it does rain there once or twice a year...

 

[Goat Whisperer]

It looks great.

My only concern would be the middle upright 2x4, the horned sheep in the pic *could* get his horn caught. I don't know if a sheep would be smart enough to get it unstuck.

 

[Southern by choice]

It looks great.

My only concern would be the middle upright 2x4, the horned sheep in the pic *could* get his horn caught. I don't know if a sheep would be smart enough to get it unstuck.

Missed that, you're right. Our horned sheep had to have their heads pulled out of so many things.

 

[Mini Horses]

A piece of solid plywood cut to fit would take care of preventing that horn hook easily. It's really a pretty feeder -- Great Job!! I don't have sheep, didn't know they were "dumb" ... hey, some animals are not as motivated as goats or pigs. Those rascals will keep you busy.

They are nice looking sheep -- and lucky to have such a good carpenter for an owner. Kudos!

 

[soarwitheagles]

I'll bet they would work just fine for goats too!

frustratedearthmother,

Thanks, we just lost our only goat, but maybe we'll have some in the future...

Looks great! Should work well for you and the openings should be small enough that the sheep horns won't get caught up.


Will work great for goats too. Keep in mind if you do get goats they are a little different than sheep... sheep can eat hay that is left out in the weather, goats cannot.

See, if you weren't on the wrong coast than you could "practice" more and make mine.

Nice flock!

Southern by choice,

Thanks again for your excellent advice. I never realized the eating habits of goats/sheep differ so much. It would be nice to practice more but we ran out of time. Glad to get one done and the other is nearly done.

What a nice looking gaggle of sheep The feeder looks excellent. Holes look small enough so they don't pull a whole flake out and stomp it into the ground also.

Looks like you're experiencing some wet weather too. I'm sure that's a nice Christmas present... Maybe a little later you can put a roof over it to keep the hay dry, when it does rain there once or twice a year...

Latestarter,

Yes, hopefully this El Nino has begun. We are above average right now for rainfall and snow levels and we desperately need more...been thinking of the roof too. I know the wood would last longer.

Do you think it would be ok to slap a coat for primer and finish on this feeder or would the sheep eat it off?

It looks great.

My only concern would be the middle upright 2x4, the horned sheep in the pic *could* get his horn caught. I don't know if a sheep would be smart enough to get it unstuck.

Goat Whisperer, that is exactly what the rancher whom we purchased the sheep said. He even indicated the horned male ram may not even be able to access the hay...we are watching him carefully.

Missed that, you're right. Our horned sheep had to have their heads pulled out of so many things.

Hope he doesn't hook his horns!

A piece of solid plywood cut to fit would take care of preventing that horn hook easily. It's really a pretty feeder -- Great Job!! I don't have sheep, didn't know they were "dumb" ... hey, some animals are not as motivated as goats or pigs. Those rascals will keep you busy.

They are nice looking sheep -- and lucky to have such a good carpenter for an owner. Kudos!

Mini Horses, thank you for your words of encouragement. May I ask where exactly you would place a piece of plywood? I did work as a carpenter some years ago, so all that practice finally came in handy.

I was fortunate to find an entire pallet of 3"x4"x8' wood pieces at the local auction for $1 each. I ripped several pieces of them in half, then routered the edges so the sheep would not cut themselves. We tried using this feeder for the very first time today. The sheep appear to be liking it so far...even the male was eating the hay...

I suppose it was our Christmas present to our flock of sheep. Hope they like and accept it...

 

[Mini Horses]

well, the fence is in a "v" and the space between fence & the upright 2X4. Would be like a divider. Then the horn couldn't get caught on that 2X4. At least, that is how I would envision his getting hung up, as he went for hay and turned head, backed up, etc.. You'd need to put a piece of wood across bottom to make an edge to connect plywood to/at the metal.

No doubt you'd trim it out up the 2X too, as I can see the detail you use. Just a nice, clean job!

 

[soarwitheagles]

well, the fence is in a "v" and the space between fence & the upright 2X4. Would be like a divider. Then the horn couldn't get caught on that 2X4. At least, that is how I would envision his getting hung up, as he went for hay and turned head, backed up, etc.. You'd need to put a piece of wood across bottom to make an edge to connect plywood to/at the metal.

No doubt you'd trim it out up the 2X too, as I can see the detail you use. Just a nice, clean job!

Mini Horses,

Ok, now I understand what you are saying. And it makes a lot of sense too. Best of all, it wouldn't take much time to modify. I think it could be done by framing a triangle, then covering the triangle frame with a piece of plywood [x4].

We will monitor the ram's activity and eating habits and most important of all, we will watch to see if he gets his horns "stuck" in the feeder...if he does get his horns stuck, we now have a modification we can do.

Thanks again for sharing.

Soar