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

[Devonviolet]

This is the 1st I've seen of this type of feeder and I really like it! We've been looking for a hay feeder design to build. So I will have to show it to DH.

I like the design adjustments that were suggested, especially the wedge in the middle, to prevent horns getting caught, non-toxic Linseed Oil (for dealing the wood) and adding the roof, with a generous overhang. I'm thinking a hinged door, would be helpful, in the roof. It would make for easy access for adding hay and cleaning out uneaten hay dust/crumbles.

 

[soarwitheagles]

This is the 1st I've seen of this type of feeder and I really like it! We've been looking for a hay feeder design to build. So I will have to show it to DH.

I like the design adjustments that were suggested, especially the wedge in the middle, to prevent horns getting caught, non-toxic Linseed Oil (for dealing the wood) and adding the roof, with a generous overhang. I'm thinking a hinged door, would be helpful, in the roof. It would make for easy access for adding hay and cleaning out uneaten hay dust/crumbles.

Devonviolet,

Thanks for your nice compliments. Overall, we are very happy with this feeder. We've been using it now for a little over a week, and so far, all is well.

Here's the website where I discovered this design:

https://www.premier1supplies.com/img/instruction/127.pdf

I searched and researched for a couple of week before choosing premier's design. To be honest with you, if I had a nice arc welder and oxy-acetylene cutter, I may have chosen to cut and weld the 30 gallon half barrels with the vertical rebar version. I feel the metal version would last a couple of decades and this wood version not so long. Also, I think the half barrels with rebar would have been much less expensive.

I am posting more pics of feeders I found online.

I like the metal ones better than the wood ones.

 

[Baymule]

The metal ones remind me of metal futon sofas/beds. You used to find them for a couple hundred bucks with mattress. Used, $25 - $50. The metal bottom and back folded flat for a bed. The metal back and bottom looked just like the metal "V" in the pics above. If you found a used futon, cheap, you could build a feeder! goes to craigslist and looks at used furniture.......

 

[Goat Whisperer]

The metal ones remind me of metal futon sofas/beds. You used to find them for a couple hundred bucks with mattress. Used, $25 - $50. The metal bottom and back folded flat for a bed. The metal back and bottom looked just like the metal "V" in the pics above. If you found a used futon, cheap, you could build a feeder! goes to craigslist and looks at used furniture.......

Lots of goat folk actually do that I have seen them free on CL, so maybe you will get lucky!

 

[soarwitheagles]

The metal ones remind me of metal futon sofas/beds. You used to find them for a couple hundred bucks with mattress. Used, $25 - $50. The metal bottom and back folded flat for a bed. The metal back and bottom looked just like the metal "V" in the pics above. If you found a used futon, cheap, you could build a feeder! goes to craigslist and looks at used furniture.......

Lots of goat folk actually do that I have seen them free on CL, so maybe you will get lucky!

Thanks guys!

I just checked our local Craigslist and sure, enough, found one for free. Waiting for them to get back to me now.

Hope it works out!

Soar

PS Posting a pic of it!

 

[fluffycreatures]

Looks great but only works where no snow! I am heading into my 9th year and have a h--- of a time with feeders! In summer they pasture so not an issue. In winter if a bad snow year they are buried. And if heavy and can't be lifted it is worse. Second winter I got pushed over by a ram to get at the feed and I got a broken rib. So will not go into the pen when I am feeding. Feeders must be fence line. So the best I have found are the ones available from Tractor Supply. They are V shaped and hold a fair bit and attach to the fence . If the snow gets over them they get fed on the saucers for grain or the ground. I use large bales in the girls pen. Guy brings it with hte tractor and puts it over the fence on the side. I tried it in the boys too but it just got too much waste and deep bedding as pen is smaller. Works ok in girls and supplement into the feeders with alfalfa mix. For grain I use the kids round saucer sleds and tie them to the fence. I put out several when I feed the grain. Then bring them up. They are light and easy to move and animals can get all around them. They have a hole to tie in a baler twine to tie to the fence. And they are cheap . (About $6 cdn) Some last longer but usually get about 2 years out of each of them. I can't use anything with bars because of the goat horns especially. Mine is a mixed flerd of fiber animals so has to suit the angora goats sheep and camelids as they are all together. But the biggest issue with any of the feeders is they are just too heavy for me to lift or move. This works. Not the best but it works.

 

[babsbag]

I have two of those metal feeders and not crazy about them. Mine has the bottom tray almost on the ground and the goats sleep in the bottom and once they pee on the hay no one eats it. Also, they get their entire head in the feeder and I am waiting for a broken neck. I put stock panel on the ends to make sure they can't get into the "v" section as I know a goat would get hung in those spaces. I will line the entire feeder with stock panel shortly. I am going to take them apart and use them as the top part of the feeder from Premier 1. I have used a lot of feeders over the years and the premier design is the bomb...IMO. I would like to build it out of tube steel but no money for that right now.

The covered feeder design looks nice, but I would use the 4x4 panel, I have had kids get their heads in the bigger holes and get stuck. Plus with goats I need the standing area out of the rain too, goats melt in the rain.

 

[soarwitheagles]

This is the 1st I've seen of this type of feeder and I really like it! We've been looking for a hay feeder design to build. So I will have to show it to DH.

I like the design adjustments that were suggested, especially the wedge in the middle, to prevent horns getting caught, non-toxic Linseed Oil (for dealing the wood) and adding the roof, with a generous overhang. I'm thinking a hinged door, would be helpful, in the roof. It would make for easy access for adding hay and cleaning out uneaten hay dust/crumbles.

Devonviolet, I really like your idea about a hinged roof on top...it would be so easy to cut and install and best of all, it would keep most of the hay dry during our rain storms. Thank you for sharing!

Looks great but only works where no snow! I am heading into my 9th year and have a h--- of a time with feeders! In summer they pasture so not an issue. In winter if a bad snow year they are buried. And if heavy and can't be lifted it is worse. Second winter I got pushed over by a ram to get at the feed and I got a broken rib. So will not go into the pen when I am feeding. Feeders must be fence line. So the best I have found are the ones available from Tractor Supply. They are V shaped and hold a fair bit and attach to the fence . If the snow gets over them they get fed on the saucers for grain or the ground. I use large bales in the girls pen. Guy brings it with hte tractor and puts it over the fence on the side. I tried it in the boys too but it just got too much waste and deep bedding as pen is smaller. Works ok in girls and supplement into the feeders with alfalfa mix. For grain I use the kids round saucer sleds and tie them to the fence. I put out several when I feed the grain. Then bring them up. They are light and easy to move and animals can get all around them. They have a hole to tie in a baler twine to tie to the fence. And they are cheap . (About $6 cdn) Some last longer but usually get about 2 years out of each of them. I can't use anything with bars because of the goat horns especially. Mine is a mixed flerd of fiber animals so has to suit the angora goats sheep and camelids as they are all together. But the biggest issue with any of the feeders is they are just too heavy for me to lift or move. This works. Not the best but it works.

fluffycreatures,

I suppose we are blessed by living in a no snow climate here. I can see how the snow factor could be a total game changer. I hope you find more ideas to make it easier for you.

I have two of those metal feeders and not crazy about them. Mine has the bottom tray almost on the ground and the goats sleep in the bottom and once they pee on the hay no one eats it. Also, they get their entire head in the feeder and I am waiting for a broken neck. I put stock panel on the ends to make sure they can't get into the "v" section as I know a goat would get hung in those spaces. I will line the entire feeder with stock panel shortly. I am going to take them apart and use them as the top part of the feeder from Premier 1. I have used a lot of feeders over the years and the premier design is the bomb...IMO. I would like to build it out of tube steel but no money for that right now.

The covered feeder design looks nice, but I would use the 4x4 panel, I have had kids get their heads in the bigger holes and get stuck. Plus with goats I need the standing area out of the rain too, goats melt in the rain.

babsbag,

Premier depicts the feeder trays at a 21 inch height from the ground, so we haven't had any problem with urination on the hay. I agree with you about that 4"x4" metal panels. Premier recommended 3"x5" panels but TS didn't have that size, so we went with the 4"x4" metal panels and they are working marvelous!

We are presently considering building either an overhang for the feeder or go with the hinged top cover...not sure which way to go at the moment...but, the nice thing about a movable overhang is that we could make it a separate piece of equipment and then the feeder would not be unmovable due to excess weight.

Thanks again everyone for sharing your insights and suggestions!

 

[babsbag]

The height on the Premier plans is great, it is the metal V shaped feeder with a plastic pan at that bottom that is the problem. The pan is at ground level and the goats sleep in it. Very cozy bed when it gets full of hay.

I ordered the 3x5 panel from Premier for one side of the feeder, 4x4 on the other and I don't see any real difference except for a raw spot on the goats where their noses rub on the wire. I think the 4x4 rubs more than the other.

 

[soarwitheagles]

The height on the Premier plans is great, it is the metal V shaped feeder with a plastic pan at that bottom that is the problem. The pan is at ground level and the goats sleep in it. Very cozy bed when it gets full of hay.

I ordered the 3x5 panel from Premier for one side of the feeder, 4x4 on the other and I don't see any real difference except for a raw spot on the goats where their noses rub on the wire. I think the 4x4 rubs more than the other.

babsbag,

So sorry to hear it is not working well for you [goats sleep in it]. The main reason I built these feeders is so the livestock cannot defecate on the hay and cause unnecessary sicknesses. Before building this feeder, we were tossing the hay on the ground, and it was very unsanitary. Using this feeder cleared up the unsanitary problems for us...