Chaffhaye with broodmares/young horses

[Cindyg]

OK, I’m just back from feeding mine their sample.

They both ate some, appeared to like it, but then walked away without finishing it. Which is actually good. I didn’t want them to snarf it down like grain! However, mine have a round bale right now. If this were their entire day’s ration, they would probably have a different attitude about it.

It is barely moist, nicely chopped (a bit like a salad – or, no, like fresh lawn clippings!), and has a pickle-y or olive-y or yogurt-y smell to it. (That’s the fermentation.) Now that I think about it, I think it smells a bit like dolma.

I’m still thinking about it. I have enough of the sample to try it again tonight.

[password]

[QUOTE=Cindyg;6790051]
Well, since you’re interested, I am considering getting a porta grazer to use as a slow feeder with the Chaffhaye. Otherwise, I’m afraid they’ll scarf up the day’s feed in one hour.

My only issue with the Porta-Grazer is that only one horse can stick his head in it at a time. Mine are used to sharing a round bale, and one horse is afraid of the other. The round bale gives them an opportunity to spread out. I’m not sure how this feeder will affect the herd dynamics.[/QUOTE]

This seemed like it could also double as a toy for the young ones! But it does seem like you would need one for everybody though, at least at first.

[password]

[QUOTE=Cindyg;6790139]
OK, I’m just back from feeding mine their sample.

They both ate some, appeared to like it, but then walked away without finishing it. Which is actually good. I didn’t want them to snarf it down like grain! However, mine have a round bale right now. If this were their entire day’s ration, they would probably have a different attitude about it.

It is barely moist, nicely chopped (a bit like a salad – or, no, like fresh lawn clippings!), and has a pickle-y or olive-y or yogurt-y smell to it. (That’s the fermentation.) Now that I think about it, I think it smells a bit like dolma.

I’m still thinking about it. I have enough of the sample to try it again tonight.[/QUOTE]

I just had the same experience! It didn’t seem too “sugary” either. But what isn’t making sense is the website’s claims that you are getting more hay for the money. It seems like by weight, we are paying for the water. Water that I actually like, but it doesn’t seem like you could feed less. If fact, it seems like the 50 pounds would actually be less food than 50 pounds of dry. Please correct me if I’m off base!

[Cindyg]

Well, since I’m already feeding my round bale in a small-mesh net (which means almost no waste), I’m not buying their claim that this will save me money. I think it will save you money if your horses are currently tramping on their hay, spreading it around, and peeing on it.

On the other hand, I don’t think the amount of moisture weight in this product is significant. It’s only moist, not wet. I don’t think you’re spending a lot of money for water. If you buy into the benefits of fermentation, there’s no way to make that happen without the sugar and moisture.

(And, buy the way, if you want to hear about the glories of fermented food, just go into your health food store and ask about kefir. For humans. Smells awful, but it’s supposed to be the ultimate health food.)

My 5YO is mouthy, pushy, and very playful. I think he would love the Porta Grazer, and would think of it as the ultimate stall toy. He could shove it around, roll it around, knock it over, pick it up…

I just can’t quite picture life without actual HAY. (And I don’t want to make this switch if I’m still going to have to buy (and deal with) hay. But I really am thinking about it…

[password]

Just tried daikon (for humans) this weekend, LOL!

Do you think that the Chaffhaye will work in your small-mesh nets? And for that matter, will regular alfalfa work in those nets or do the fine leaves just fall through?

[Cindyg]

No. I don’t think it will work in a net. Well, shoot, now that I say that, I’m not so sure. I may try it. I’m planning to buy 5 bags as a trial, and I’ll report back. But picture lawn clippings in a net. I just don’t think it would work.

[Cindyg]

[QUOTE=password;6793276]
Just tried daikon (for humans) this weekend, LOL!

Do you think that the Chaffhaye will work in your small-mesh nets? And for that matter, will regular alfalfa work in those nets or do the fine leaves just fall through?[/QUOTE]

I tried it today. No, Chaffhaye will definitely not work in a small mesh net. It does fine when you put it in, and you can carry the net without it falling out (because it’s moist); but as soon as the horse gets ahold of it and shakes it around, it all falls out of the bottom of the net.

Crazily enough, I could picture a small mesh net with a solid, tub-like bottom. That might work. But I am not inventing that. If you want to, please post back when it’s available for purchase.

BTW, what I ended up doing with the Chaffhaye is, I just put it in their two feed buckets (which are fairly broad). They are eating it, but are not inhaling it. They do walk away from it without finishing it.

[password]

Just saw your last post, too bad about the nets. Now that they’ve had it for a while, have they started to inhale it?

[Cindyg]

Funny you should ask, Password. YES, they are inhaling it now! They are eating it like I would eat those chocolate covered mint Oreos if fitting in my jeans tomorrow were not an issue.

I decided I would have to either stop feeding Chaffhaye or find a way to slow feed it. Or just feed a small amount as a supplement to their regular low-quality round bale.

I bought this: Best price better picture. There are videos of it on YouTube too.

The reason I chose this feeder over the one I linked earlier was because this one is lower and longer and I think my two guys will share it. It’s big enough that they can get on opposite sides of it and not kick or jostle each other. The other feeder was barrel shaped, and only one horse would be able to stick his head in the barrel at a time. I know which one that would be. :rolleyes: The other guy would never get any!

It is my hope that I will be able to feed them free choice with this and eliminate both hay and feed. (They will get a supplement.)

My new feeder should be here in about a week. I’ll let you know how it goes.