Homemade treat balls for horses, and poultry. Can I DIY this?

[MistyWeeg13]

Hey everyone! I have recently purchased 2 treat balls of amy horses, to use, while in there pasture. Since we can't ride all of them at he same time, it is a good boredom buster while they are waiting for there herd to return. I loved the design! It was perfect and the horses love them! The only problem, is we have a mini herd of 6 horses, not all ours, and if everyone wants a chance to try the ball, then we need more balls. The balls are $20 each and I am wondering if there is a cheeper way to DIY one! I know that you can make chickens treat balls with water bottles, so how can we try and make a durable, DIY horse ball for supplements, and/or hay, without spending a bunch of money, on the real thing! Here is a picture of the treat ball I want to recreate! Thanks for the ideas in advance! Avery

 

[MistyWeeg13]

I was thinking of maybe trying to drill holes in some mini, 1 gallon buckets. The only problem I have with these balls is, if rain gets in them, there is that little bit of grain left in there that you can't get out. Then, the rain gets the grain wet, and it molds, and you can't clean the ball because it doesn't open, and the hole in it is to small to get any thing to clean it in. I want to create something with a lid, that you can actually clean, any ideas?

 

[flowerbug]

how about just a chunk of wood? if it rots you can make another.

 

[Mini Horses]

I would not go with treat one on the pastures for the reasons you mention -- spoiled feed. And horses are not gentle, so the ones you buy are tougher than anything I have seen in any jug or bucket you can repurpose! Look for second hand on CL....especially balls. They learn to knock them around. Some don't want anything to do with them!

Horses not all yours -- ask owners to each buy one of the horse play balls.

 

[MistyWeeg13]

I would not go with treat one on the pastures for the reasons you mention -- spoiled feed. And horses are not gentle, so the ones you buy are tougher than anything I have seen in any jug or bucket you can repurpose! Look for second hand on CL....especially balls. They learn to knock them around. Some don't want anything to do with them!

Horses not all yours -- ask owners to each buy one of the horse play balls.

Your right, I knew that anything I built wouldn't be that durable. My only other issue, is that, we mature our horses, with run in sheds. They don't go in stalls, so you would just have to get all the balls out of the pasture before it rains. I was hoping to solve that problem, but, DIYing it, own be nearly as durable. So, what about a hanging feed ball? Could you DIY that?

 

[tortoise]

I wonder if this idea for chickens would work for horses? Keep the grain dry and dispense only a small amount at a time.
https://www.hobbyfarms.com/diy-chicken-vending-machine-feeder/

I think the problem is any puzzle treat dispenser only provides enrichment before its solved or as a novelty. Go for it, but keep adding different enrichment opportunities for them and rotate through them

 

[Fuchsia]

I don't know.

 

[MistyWeeg13]

I wonder if this idea for chickens would work for horses? Keep the grain dry and dispense only a small amount at a time.
https://www.hobbyfarms.com/diy-chicken-vending-machine-feeder/

I think the problem is any puzzle treat dispenser only provides enrichment before its solved or as a novelty. Go for it, but keep adding different enrichment opportunities for them and rotate through them

Not a bad idea, how does the vending machine work though? I didn't really get that from the article.

 

[tortoise]

Not a bad idea, how does the vending machine work though? I didn't really get that from the article.

Theres a hole in the bottom of the bucket and an eye bolt in it. When the animal jigles the eye bolt, pellets fall out