[equislover]

I would love to get our round bales under roof in our sacrifice lot. I have looked at the hay huts and other products on the market but they are very expensive and I would like something where I can see how much hay is left without peaking in a feeder. Has anyone built one? I can't decide whether to make it permanent with post or put it on skids so that it can be moved. Thoughts, opinions, pictures? Someone down the road from me just put up two posts, one on each side of the round bale feeder and added a roof. It if very cute but would the permanent placing cause a problem?

[stoneymeadow]

know you want to build something but just to put in a plug for the hay hut. We thought we would build covered round bale feeders as well. once we priced out lumber and materials for one on skids (we did want to be able to move it), it was more than half of the hay hut cost. Then if you value your labor at all, there wasn't much of a cost difference at all.

We purchased 3 hay huts at a volume discount so check around and see if anyone else wants to buy with you. saved about $100 each.

The hay huts have worked better than we had hoped and I can definitely state they are better built than anything we could have done! Our ROI for them was just under 9 months so they have now paid for themselves. We are in no way associated with hay hut but just a very happy customer. LOVE THEM!

[IronwoodFarm]

Mr. IF has built two covered feeders that we can move around. We feed round bales in them. Not necessarily inexpensive but much better built than the metal feeders or classier looking than the hay huts.

[Bravestrom]

we just had a customer come today and purchase their third hay feeder - says his belgians had a hay hut and just destroyed in a week - actually lifted off the ground and folded it.

We have one of our rings under a roof - go to www.prospectequinefarms.com/hayfeeders.htm to see it

[cowboymom]

someone on here has some great pictures of a home made round bale feeder with a roof... I remember seeing it maybe a year or more ago...I posted on it and so did Bluey I think? it was really nifty-we have one built without a roof based on the same idea.

[starrunner]

One downfall of the hay hut is horses rubbing their manes out.

[equislover]

Bravestom, thank you for the link to the picture. That is along the lines of what I would like to build. Do you know how tall the roof is? Safety for the horses nogens is of course a concern for me. Do you wish yours was able to be moved or do you find it fine that it is stationary? I do like the hay huts, but again I want to be able to see the hay level and do worry about manes. Not to mention two of my geldings tend to turn things into toys. I purchased a fake rock to cover an ugly water access pipe in the pasture. Needless to say it is never on the pipe but instead rolled around the pasture. I'll chock that up to enrichment. I did search the forums and found some suggestions though there were links that no longer worked. Anymore pictures and ideas are appreciated!