round bale feeders???

[persimmoncf]

Just bought 15 round bales and am in need of a couple feeders. Im a newby at roung bales - have always used square (and too darn many of them). But, with up to 18 horses to feed I fiqured I would try it. Went to 236 feed mill and looked at a variety of feeders - what type is best / safest for horses?(and no happy appy I cant spend 1000-1200.00 ea for the cadillac feeders I saw at your place the other day). Maybe after / or if I adjust to round I could get roofed units, but; to start with, what is the best economical safest method/product? They had what they said was "horse safe" but I swear it looked like a horses front leg could step right over it (mostly a pawer). Then they had ones with an opening for the head to fit through. I can just picture a spook and the horse running backwards dragging the ring by their ears and poll.

 

[HorseLady]

Just bought 15 round bales and am in need of a couple feeders. Im a newby at roung bales - have always used square (and too darn many of them). But, with up to 18 horses to feed I fiqured I would try it. Went to 236 feed mill and looked at a variety of feeders - what type is best / safest for horses?(and no happy appy I cant spend 1000-1200.00 ea for the cadillac feeders I saw at your place the other day). Maybe after / or if I adjust to round I could get roofed units, but; to start with, what is the best economical safest method/product? They had what they said was "horse safe" but I swear it looked like a horses front leg could step right over it (mostly a pawer). Then they had ones with an opening for the head to fit through. I can just picture a spook and the horse running backwards dragging the ring by their ears and poll.

The ones that they say are horse safe are the ones you should get - don't try and save money by getting the cattle type. Just like anything you add to a pasture a horse is going to figure out how to make a toy out of it. Some will try and pick it up, some will try and walk through them. Never had anyone colic - get quality hay!!! If you get soft good hay without sticks and brush there won't be much for them to get poked with. They will put their heads in the middle to get the "good stuff" but as they eat the bale will collapse. Good Luck!

 

[happyappygirl]

you can also build one. I've seen some pretty decent home made ones, where a square building is made, with only poles, a retaining wall and a slanted roof. They are just about the size of the bale. I know you have plenty of trees to use for sturdy support poles Percy, I've seen what you can do with trees!! You can also just put the bales onto the ground in a run in, depending on the number of horses eating from it. they generally eat it up fast enough it doesn't go bad, but there is more waste that way. I tried to get some like i have from Melvin's place, used, but that was a no go he don't let nuffin' go!
you are right about the horse stepping up on the "horse" ones, I had a horse drag one around the field for THREE days using his leg - I'd move it back, and it would be moved again, for three days straight until I finally came up on him actually dragging it around with his leg stuck inside, how he didn't cut his leg off I'll never know. the metal on the side pushed in, and his leg went right into the feeder, and he backed away from it trying to escape. His knee did get swollen and developed some scars from it, but he's not lame thank goodness!!
Where did you get your bales?

 

[happyappygirl]

I honestly dont like round bales...too many poked eyes and colic...Happy does have some nice feeders though and they seem to feed from the side and not the top which I think prevents the eye problems..I have a friend whos mare lost an eye the other day due to round bales..uggg...good luck..

We've been feeding rounds for 2 years, and no problems YET. they pick what they want to eat and leave or pull away the rest. The better quality bales generally get eaten entirely with my feeders. I just don't have the time too throw out squares twice a day. it's hard enough feeding them grain in the dark on both ends of the day. Once in my work clothes my heels are all shot.

 

[SAHRAB]

Just bought 15 round bales and am in need of a couple feeders. Im a newby at roung bales - have always used square (and too darn many of them). But, with up to 18 horses to feed I fiqured I would try it. Went to 236 feed mill and looked at a variety of feeders - what type is best / safest for horses?(and no happy appy I cant spend 1000-1200.00 ea for the cadillac feeders I saw at your place the other day). Maybe after / or if I adjust to round I could get roofed units, but; to start with, what is the best economical safest method/product? They had what they said was "horse safe" but I swear it looked like a horses front leg could step right over it (mostly a pawer). Then they had ones with an opening for the head to fit through. I can just picture a spook and the horse running backwards dragging the ring by their ears and poll.

DO NOT GET THE ones for Cattle. the farm we used to board our horses with, had Cattle Round Bale feeders instead of Horse Feeders (probably because the PROPER feeder was more expensive).
My Wifes horse (he's a pony, but we indulge her) had his head stuck twice in the feeder (the first time he dragged the dang thing all the way down the pasture).

We bought ours at Southern States, they have hoops around the top section (so their heads wont get stuck) and skirts along the bottom (to keep their legs from getting trapped in them). i think we paid around $200 for them at southern states. Stolzfus sells them also, but they were sold out at the time and we were in a crunch.

Even my SloOoOoOoW (<--click) Amish trail horse feeds out of them fine

 

[FastCarsSpeed]

didnt know if you guys knew this but there is Tractor Supply coming in waldorf well more white plains. My buddy is the manager there.

 

[persimmoncf]

Even my SloOoOoOoW (<--click) Amish trail horse feeds out of them fine[/QUOTE]

Dont they sell big slow elephant feeders

 

[HorseLady]

didnt know if you guys knew this but there is Tractor Supply coming in waldorf well more white plains. My buddy is the manager there.

We are waiting, waiting, waiting for the Tractor Supply Co to open!!!!!! Any date firmed up yet?

 

[FastCarsSpeed]

supposed to be January 15 or something right around there.. But my buddy was telling me they found another waste line where there isnt supposed to be one so they are waiting for the county to look at it this week to determine if its gonna cause problems. But I just saw on their website that they carry the round horse safe feeders where they come in from the top.

 

[happyappygirl]

O'Niell also carries a ground type feeder for a lot less:
http://horsesafeproducts.com/groundfeeder.htm
I can certainly vouch for the quality of Ed's products.

 

[happyappygirl]

We got Ed's feeders because we had one of the red horse one's from Central tractor, and our youngster stuck his leg through the panel many times. I finally had to remove it, he would get his leg stuck because the panel would push in, and allow him to put his foot right through, but because of the panel, he couldn't get it OUT, so he would drag it around the field! We took it back and bougt 2 of Eds Round bale feeders. The big ones. We've been using them steady for 3 years, and not a spot of rust or a bent portion. Nothing. One is on posts, one is on skids. I've seen the ground ones (I think they're about 500.00) and the quality is also outstanding. Ed lives in Emmitsburg MD, and is a terrific guy. His property backs up to Camp David, and his wife trains Dressage horses and people.

 

[equineaddict]

Just bought 15 round bales and am in need of a couple feeders. Im a newby at roung bales - have always used square (and too darn many of them). But, with up to 18 horses to feed I fiqured I would try it. Went to 236 feed mill and looked at a variety of feeders - what type is best / safest for horses?(and no happy appy I cant spend 1000-1200.00 ea for the cadillac feeders I saw at your place the other day). Maybe after / or if I adjust to round I could get roofed units, but; to start with, what is the best economical safest method/product? They had what they said was "horse safe" but I swear it looked like a horses front leg could step right over it (mostly a pawer). Then they had ones with an opening for the head to fit through. I can just picture a spook and the horse running backwards dragging the ring by their ears and poll.

Hay Girl...just get the kind that I have, take a gander. This is my second year using them and haven't (knocking on wood) had any mishaps. Yes, and they do pic thru and chose what they want EVEN rained and snowed on. Good Luck.

 

[happyappygirl]

Hay Girl...just get the kind that I have, take a gander. This is my second year using them and haven't (knocking on wood) had any mishaps. Yes, and they do pic thru and chose what they want EVEN rained and snowed on. Good Luck.

pix?

 

[persimmoncf]

Well, A month has gone by since I purchased my first feeder. I have now fed 4 round bales (one a week=4 horses). They really need to put a door on these things, unlimited hays is beggining to create FAT horses. I pulled my 4 into a seperate pasture for this round bale experiment, all of the boarded horses are still on square bales rationed/fed daily. The first week I started graining only once a day for my 4 which are fed on the round bales just due to my suspected weight gain from free choice hay. I do not want to pull them off of grain entirely due to 3 are working horses and one is my growing baby and I feel that they need the protein in the concentrated feed.

Other than 12 hrs in pasture and 12 in stall (which I will not do with my guys) does anybody feeding round bales have these fattening whoas?

 

[happyappygirl]

I don't have fat horses, and feed once a day. They get on average either 1 or 2 scoops of 12P pelleted feed. I'm feeding real nice hay too. Horses are designed to graze 23 out of 24 hrs a day, and the hay in round bales is mainly roughage, so it goes through them pretty quickly. Unless you are feeding alfafa hay, you shouldn't have weight problems. i've been doing it for over 2 years. I also leave the feeder empty for an average of 1/2 a day before putting the next one in, so they clean up everything around and under it.

Did you cut back the grain when you allowed free feeding? You have to adjust the feed. Dr Tacia says all they really need is good quality hay, but i like to give them some feed daily because they make me feel SO guilty when i feed the preggie mare and babies....

 

[persimmoncf]

I don't have fat horses, and feed once a day. They get on average either 1 or 2 scoops of 12P pelleted feed. I'm feeding real nice hay too. Horses are designed to graze 23 out of 24 hrs a day, and the hay in round bales is mainly roughage, so it goes through them pretty quickly. Unless you are feeding alfafa hay, you shouldn't have weight problems. i've been doing it for over 2 years. I also leave the feeder empty for an average of 1/2 a day before putting the next one in, so they clean up everything around and under it.

Did you cut back the grain when you allowed free feeding? You have to adjust the feed. Dr Tacia says all they really need is good quality hay, but i like to give them some feed daily because they make me feel SO guilty when i feed the preggie mare and babies....

Yes ma am I cut them back upon introducing them to the round bale-they only get their PM feed. And I actually get 6 days off one bale the 7th is their cleanup day. Its amazing how every Sat the hay is gone and Sun I am shlepping anotherone back to their feild. Its like they have a calendar hung on the fenceline.

 

[happyappygirl]

Yes ma am I cut them back upon introducing them to the round bale-they only get their PM feed. And I actually get 6 days off one bale the 7th is their cleanup day. Its amazing how every Sat the hay is gone and Sun I am shlepping anotherone back to their feild. Its like they have a calendar hung on the fenceline.

hmm...a calendar huh? so that's what does it??
Got some real nice hay at the auction again this weekend. Reasonable too. 30-33.00 a bale. Timothy and orchard grass. NICE.

BTW listen to their bodies...the 'ole hay burners aren't buring ENOUGH hay

 

[SAHRAB]

Well, A month has gone by since I purchased my first feeder. I have now fed 4 round bales (one a week=4 horses). They really need to put a door on these things, unlimited hays is beggining to create FAT horses. I pulled my 4 into a seperate pasture for this round bale experiment, all of the boarded horses are still on square bales rationed/fed daily. The first week I started graining only once a day for my 4 which are fed on the round bales just due to my suspected weight gain from free choice hay. I do not want to pull them off of grain entirely due to 3 are working horses and one is my growing baby and I feel that they need the protein in the concentrated feed.

Other than 12 hrs in pasture and 12 in stall (which I will not do with my guys) does anybody feeding round bales have these fattening whoas?

All of our horses have free access to the Round bale, but only get 10/10 sweetfeed once a day. cept for the one i'm leasing out, they are all "pleasantly plump"

If we're lucky we get 6 days out of a Round Bale, thats with Tonk, "TheBoy"s horse, MyLittlePony's horse and 2 ponys on it.

oh and Tonk's "Booboo" is oozing MyLittlePony sprayed him again last night, oozing is good though right?

 

[persimmoncf]

Make sure that you scrub with batadine daily and spray it with the med daily. If it wasnt oozing...just keep it sprayed. But since it is continuing to get crispy it is important that you scrub it fresh every day.

 

[WildHorses]

oh and Tonk's "Booboo" is oozing MyLittlePony sprayed him again last night, oozing is good though right?

Not always, depends on the color and the smell and the location.