Hen23's Journal~Goodbye

[freemotion]

Here it is! I used the term "feeders" instead of "racks" so I had a little difficulty finding it, too: http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3755

I'm having trouble figuring out the indoor one. Help?

I'll try to describe what you see in that picture....

It is basically a frame of wood with a scrap of fencing stapled to it. It is attached to the wall on the bottom by some bits of nylon web....leather would work, anything strong but flexible....and screws. On the top it is attached to the wall by two ball bungees (like those hair elastics we used as kids with the plastic balls on them) that go through two screw eyes. I also have a couple that attach at the top by ball bungees that loop through the fencing, then are slipped over two hooks in the wall. I screwed the hooks in at an angle so they are barely open so no one can get a body part hooked on them.

You fill it by taking the bungess off the hooks/screw eyes and setting a flake of hay in it. The elastic bungee holds it in firmly against the wall, no matter the size of the flake. Different bales can have different thicknesses of flakes, depending on how the baler was set that day. This is why I didn't use hinges at the bottom...it needs a little give. Besides, I'm cheap.

That green thing you see at the top and the snap you see at the bottom, towards the left, is just a stall chain that I used as a cross-tie for my horse, and I left it in place because once in a while I have to tie up Mya while I do something else and she is interfering. This puts her near a hay rack and she is relatively happy and quiet. That may have confused you in the photo. It is hanging slightly behind the rack in that picture.

Any questions?

 

[freemotion]

Oh, and my favorite thing about these racks is how often I need to repair them. That means that someone gets caught up in one and the rack comes off the wall, rather than the goat getting injured.

 

[Henrietta23]

Thanks, that helps!
So are we on for Sunday? I told Paul 2:30 or 3ish. I tried to PM but your box is full.
Am I bringing you goats' milk from the co-op? How much would you like? Anything else we might have out this way that you need but don't have ready access to up there? (Kinda doubt it but....)

 

[lorihadams]

The lady that I'm getting my goats from uses a hay rack that has wooden strips on bolts on the bottom inset in the top pieces so that they slide back and forth at an angle when the goats put their heads in. Imagine a row of l's that converts to v's when they slide their heads in. They have to push their heads in from the top to make the slats move over. She says that she hasn't had anyone get stuck yet. It is big enough that she can put a whole square bale in it at one time.

 

[freemotion]

Thanks, that helps!
So are we on for Sunday? I told Paul 2:30 or 3ish. I tried to PM but your box is full.
Am I bringing you goats' milk from the co-op? How much would you like? Anything else we might have out this way that you need but don't have ready access to up there? (Kinda doubt it but....)

Sounds good! Maybe we could meet at the plaza on the Pike at...um...2:15? 2:30? You can always e-mail me, the link is under my avatar.

I don't need goat's milk....didn't they have cheap raw cow's milk? I was thinking of mixing it with my goat's milk to make cheese that would be different and interesting!

I'll bring a scoby and some kefir grains! Exciting! Ooo, don't forget a camera!

 

[freemotion]

The lady that I'm getting my goats from uses a hay rack that has wooden strips on bolts on the bottom inset in the top pieces so that they slide back and forth at an angle when the goats put their heads in. Imagine a row of l's that converts to v's when they slide their heads in. They have to push their heads in from the top to make the slats move over. She says that she hasn't had anyone get stuck yet. It is big enough that she can put a whole square bale in it at one time.

Any chance of getting a good, clear picture of this? Sounds wonderful!

 

[Henrietta23]

The cow's milk is cheaper than the goats'. I think I paid $4 and change for a half gallon. That's about half what they're asking for goat. Only issue is the $4 deposit for the glass bottle.... I forgot about that part.

I'd love to see a picture of that too.

 

[Aidenbaby]

Thank you guys for giving me some great ideas for how to deal with the hay sitch for the rabbit. I feel bad for the poor thing because she's in a smaller cage (in my opinion; it does fit "normal" standards) and I give her TONS of weeds plus hay plus a bowl of rabbit food and, until recently, a water bowl too. It was/is pretty crowded with all that stuff. I'm thinking about making a hay rack out of some small guage wire mesh, furring wood and attach it with some twist ties I make out of scrap chicken wire. If I make it big enough, it could also cover one of the sides for more protection from the elements come winter. We can't afford to build a hutch so I'm working with what I have.

 

[Henrietta23]

Thank you guys for giving me some great ideas for how to deal with the hay sitch for the rabbit. I feel bad for the poor thing because she's in a smaller cage (in my opinion; it does fit "normal" standards) and I give her TONS of weeds plus hay plus a bowl of rabbit food and, until recently, a water bowl too. It was/is pretty crowded with all that stuff. I'm thinking about making a hay rack out of some small guage wire mesh, furring wood and attach it with some twist ties I make out of scrap chicken wire. If I make it big enough, it could also cover one of the sides for more protection from the elements come winter. We can't afford to build a hutch so I'm working with what I have.

That's a great idea. I have a small commercial one for our bun, but she makes a mess of it. She's in a big wire crate condo that I built for her but there's hay all over the place!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Yay, my memory isn't all shot! That's the picture I remember

I'm sending good weather & strong back vibes your way. Hopefully you will be able to finish up fairly quickly. Is it just me or does time seem to flow faster when you are trying to get something done quickly?