Homemade sheep feeders

This ended up being a really easy DIY that saved us a lot of moola!

The big round bales are definitely the most economic source of hay but there is much wastage if they are not feeding enthusiastically so this is the way around that problem:. I overlap the squares one or two spaces depending whether feeding out silage which is smaller in diameter or hay and simply join them with lots of cable ties. I bought these ones from Oztrail. The pallets prevent spoilage from wet ground. Over time the sheep eat pretty much all of the hay. There is very little waste. Every now and then two sheep will manage to get their heads through the one hole and you have to cut them free with the bolt cutters before they die of thirst etc.

Homemade sheep feeders

I use 8 inch light sewer pipe to make sheep feeding troughs. They are made in foot sections or foot sections and you saw them in half lengthwise with the caps on them. They are ideal for feeding pellets or grain out in the weather on our homesteading land. The number of wooden supports depends on how long you make your sheep feeding trough, but on a footer you need three inch two-by-fours, secured onto bottom with 1. One nice thing is that you can make the sheep feeding trough any length you want with the PVC pipe. I still use this sheep feeding trough in my creep feeder for grain and salt. When we were running ewes on our sheep farm , I used a long one out in the pasture for feeding pelleted feed and grain, but since now we only run 20 ewes everything is done in our barns. Also needed are 8-inch PVC end caps. To draw a straight line on your pipe, glue an 8-inch end cap on each end of the pipe. Extend the line you drew on the pipe out over the end caps. Using a pipe centering square, draw a line down across the end caps to get exactly degrees from the original line. You can now use your angle iron to draw a line on the other side of the pipe, or you can snap a chalk line. Next, cut four pieces of 2-by-4, 18 inches long.

Also needed are 8-inch PVC end caps. Subscribe Gift Orders.

The time immediately before and after lambing can be especially hard on a ewe. Just like humans, they are getting ready to go through a big change, and need to feed another life or two or three! With our ewes out in the pasture we had to come up with a way to feed them grain up off of the ground in order to keep the grain fresh and clean. At first we tried hay feeders but they were just too big; the ewes would just jump in the feeders to try and get to the grain! So Harry came up with a great DIY project for us to make our own grain feeders. We will share our step by step process below.

Sharing the design of hay feeders for round bales and logistics of feeding hay to sheep in the winter. My current design of a hay feeder, made from a goat panel. Various companies offer round bale hay feeders for sheep. They all have one characteristic in common: they cost a lot of money. I have been using self-made hay feeders made from livestock panels for two decades. I received the original idea more than 20 years ago when I went to a Polypay sheep breeder in Vermont at the banks of the Connecticut River. I refined his design over the years. I abandoned some designs as well, and they too will be part of this article.

Homemade sheep feeders

This ended up being a really easy DIY that saved us a lot of moola! So let me show ya how Ed whipped together these two wall mount hay feeders for our sheep! If you click on these links and purchase something, I make a commission at no additional cost to you.

Meineke ramsey

Cut the drain pipe in half. Harry welded together some scrap metal to make brackets and we used self tapping screws to attach to the pipe. Your place always looks so neat and tidy Amanda, and your animals always looks so clean. They serve their purpose well too! I hope you enjoyed this little farm project! Subscribe to Countryside Magazine Today! But I think they turned out awesome! Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Amanda There is no author description yet. One for the girls and one for the boys. This is for placing rebar through and into the ground to stabilize feeders in the pasture. Subscribe Gift Orders. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. But even if you had to buy all the supplies for these they would still come way under the cost of purchasing them. To draw a straight line on your pipe, glue an 8-inch end cap on each end of the pipe.

Learn how to build an inexpensive DIY hay feeder designed to store hay for your goats and sheep, giving easy access for all. Goats, sheep and other small livestock often require special consideration when it comes to hay feeders. Cattle rings and standard bunk feeders are too large and cumbersome to be practical for the small-livestock farmer.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Do you know where and how I could get started with purchasing some? Your email address will not be published. Using a pipe centering square, draw a line down across the end caps to get exactly degrees from the original line. For the sheep this means water trough heaters and the need for hay feeders. Judy October 14, at pm. Oh and the best part was that they were FREE! The big round bales are definitely the most economic source of hay but there is much wastage if they are not feeding enthusiastically so this is the way around that problem: I cut a 2. Over time the sheep eat pretty much all of the hay. Grow and preserve the most nutritious food for you and your family Raise healthy animals from pasture to plate Cook simply and naturally Build things yourself and take pride in your handiwork Treat ailments naturally and take control of your own health and longevity Fix what is broken so you get the most out of your investments Create your own certainty in an uncertain world And more! Amanda October 14, at pm. I use 8 inch light sewer pipe to make sheep feeding troughs. PVC Coated Rabbit …. You can now use your angle iron to draw a line on the other side of the pipe, or you can snap a chalk line.