how to make a round bale feeder.

[QHgin]

i have been forced to feed round bales b/c of the lack of hay around here. but it makes such a mess and is a pain to clean up b/c the horses get right in the middel of it a pee and poop all in it. is there a way that i can make a round bale feeder for under $100.00 dollars.

[flyingmonkeys2]

Wood.
I know that sounds like a stupid answer, but honesly.. the best thing to do is in a covered area (because of rain it will mold) make a wood bunk, it can sit on the ground, that is big enough for your round bales.
We are stuck with round bales this winter too and thats what we did. it's worked out pretty good and we don't have the dumb geldings peeing on it all the time now, so there is less waist.

[Blistering Winds]

You don't need a cover for a round bale, if enough horses are on the bale. Sometimes, it does more harm than good from a report I got last night. They have a harder time drying out when they do get wet, as the sun cannot get to the bale.



Check tractor supply. They may have a RB feeder for around that much. Just a solid ring, which in my opinion, is the best "horse feeder". Though I think the one I have is a "cattle feeder", but it doesn't matter, there are no holes for the horse to stick his head in.

[WildHorseSpirit]

If you have an Orchelins nearby they have one *gray in color* for about $200, I plan to get one if not make one my girls don't lose an overly amount but they tend to potty in some of it grrr mares LOL

[1rish]

My neighbor uses goat panels.

[JBandRio]

I feed round bales and because of the mess, I just don't put them in the field. I load up a wheelbarrow full (and I do mean load) twice a day and take it out there, spreading it out in a dozen or so smaller piles.

[QHgin]

a round bale use to last about a week with my two horses. and now that it is muddy out and a lot gets peed, pooped and steped on it only last about 3 days. i have to put out a new one tomorrow. so ill probaly go with the quickest way. are goat panels round? and with wood do i build like a box type thing or something differnt? i have a tractor suppliy about 40 miles away. would it be wroth the trip to go up there?

[Polaris 500]

I have 2 of these from when we had cows. The do have big opeings though. When i get my 2 horses i will more in likely rap chicke wire or some kind of mesh so they cant get there heads in there and will have to eat over the top. I only paid about 120 for these .

[1rish]

Goat panels are just like the round pen panels for horses but they are only waist high so the horses can reach over them. They come in various lengths and you just put them together in any shape you want.

[saylesgirl]

I find that if you can get the "tombstone" round bale feeders, they're the best - the horses can reach all the way to the bottom, but their manes won't get rubbed out. Check out farm auctions, you can usually get feeders for less then $100 here.



Or if you're a little bit handy and have some time, just build low panels out of scrap wood to put around the bale (like 1rish suggested with the goat panels).