Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[flowerbug]

... There are half round hay feeders that get the bales up and off the ground, been considering one.

stack of pallets?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I don’t have storage space for squares- and I’d need probably around 700 a year. I don’t want to handle that many either. I’m all for getting exercise from farm work- but that would be going waaaaay overboard.

Mine don’t get any special treatment. For the longest time I tried to keep ‘em covered but I don’t worry about it anymore. I peel the netting off and the goats dive in. They don’t care that the top half inch or so is discolored. My hay guy makes nice tight bales that dont absorb any water. I try to set them on pallets if possible. But if I don’t have enough pallets - they go on the ground. Anything that doesn’t get eaten makes great mulch.

 

[Mini Horses]

I have 2 of those 300(?) Gal containers with the metal sides...bought cheap! They are on pallets. I'm going to measure to see if a round fits in. . I'd thought to cut/bend to make hay racks holding several squares.

But if round fits, don't cut

 

[frustratedearthmother]

have 2 of those 300(?) Gal containers with the metal sides...bought cheap!

I love those - wish I had some for times when I don't want to put the whole round out. Not sure a big round will fit there though. It would be really nice if you could get it up off the ground so they wouldn't walk in the tray.

I've been hand feeding the last two rounds just to make it last a little longer. I have two stock panels on a fenceline and I stuff it in between. It's a long section and they all line up to eat it. But, now that there's a round out for them they use it. I'm giving them a little pasture time these days too - when they get green stuff they tend to ignore the hay. I'll probably cut back their grain now to one feeding a day. I'll increase it again in late summer to flush before breeding.

 

[Mini Horses]

Big round, smaller rounds....

 

[Mini Horses]

Mine are on pallets already . Doesn't mean anything to a goat, as you know

 

[flowerbug]

Mine are on pallets already . Doesn't mean anything to a goat, as you know

instead of "Don't play with your food!" is it "Don't play in your food!" ?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

instead of "Don't play with your food!" is it "Don't play in your food!" ?

Definitely. For example: goats like to climb. Round bales are fun to climb on. But, why jump down to go to the bathroom? Hay bales are absorbent, but peed on hay is no longer delicious. Hay/grain that hits the ground is no longer delicious. Grain in a feed bowl that formerly held pee/poop is no longer delicious. (Oops - sometimes I throw feed in a bowl without inspecting it - my bad.)

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Ugh - picked up grain today. Picked up a few grocieries. Sale shopped only - don't need nuttin' else. But, but, but - ribeyes were on sale!!!

 

[baymule]

Grain and groceries, yeah, your financial feelings are hurt.