Help me brainstorm - attaching haynet to rubbermaid tub

[SugarCubes]

I feed hay in rubbermaid stock tanks but one of my horses loves to fling the hay out of the tub and then he tramples it, pees on it, and poops on it. I know I’ve seen threads (but am having no luck searching for them) that explain how to attach a slow feed haynet so that it stays inside the tub and can’t be pulled out.

These tubs are in my paddocks, so I can attach to the fence if I need to. The slob of a horse in question is shod, so that is a concern. He already has a haynet located elsewhere in his paddock, but I like to also give them the option to eat out of the tubs in a more natural grazing position…has anyone rigged up something like this?

[ryansgirl]

I put my mares hay in a haybag and attach that to the fence (or inside her shed if the weather is bad). I put her 70-gallon Rubbermaid tub under it to catch all the loose hay. This seems to work well for her both outside and inside the shed. The tub is heavy enough that she doesn’t try to move it.

[SugarCubes]

@ryansgirl

I put my mares hay in a haybag and attach that to the fence (or inside her shed if the weather is bad). I put her 70-gallon Rubbermaid tub under it to catch all the loose hay. This seems to work well for her both outside and inside the shed. The tub is heavy enough that she doesn’t try to move it.

I had tried that but he would move the tub and would still end up wasting a ton of hay. Securing the tub to the fence would solve that problem, but I’d really like to find a way to attach the net to the inside of the tub instead of attaching it to the fence. The fence has hotwire along the top board, so it’s a little tricky to attach the net to the fence anyway.

[Leather]

I do something like idea from the Hay Chix FB page, it works great. Drill a couple of holes in the sides, poke through some net and snap. I also secure the tub to the fence.

https://www.facebook.com/thehaychix/photos/a.179785275403710.39224.145309815517923/1460599463988945/?type=3&theater

[SugarCubes]

@Leather

I do something like idea from the Hay Chix FB page, it works great. Drill a couple of holes in the sides, poke through some net and snap. I also secure the tub to the fence.

https://www.facebook.com/thehaychix/photos/a.179785275403710.39224.145309815517923/1460599463988945/?type=3&theater

This is PERFECT! Thank you

[Lord_Helpus]

Looks good, but I would rotate the bale 90* so the ends of the hay stick upand the horses have a fighting chance to get to it.

[danacat]

@Leather

I do something like idea from the Hay Chix FB page, it works great. Drill a couple of holes in the sides, poke through some net and snap. I also secure the tub to the fence.

https://www.facebook.com/thehaychix/photos/a.179785275403710.39224.145309815517923/1460599463988945/?type=3&theater

This is what I do too – works great! Except I use carabiners instead of snaps – and I have 2 holes on each end of the tub spaced about a foot apart. When the hay gets eaten down a bit this keeps my busy beavers from twirling the net around and winding it up.

[MMavin]

I attached the tub to a post by drilling a couple of holes near the rim and threading rope through. Then I attached a chain to the base of the post and ran it through the water heater / drain hole and attached a carabiner to the chain. The Hay bag is then clipped to the carabiner.

[SugarCubes]

@danacat

This is what I do too – works great! Except I use carabiners instead of snaps – and I have 2 holes on each end of the tub spaced about a foot apart. When the hay gets eaten down a bit this keeps my busy beavers from twirling the net around and winding it up.

Ok, so drill 4 holes in each “corner” of the tub, pull the net through and snap, correct? I think I’ll drill another hole towards the top so I can tie the tub itself to the fence post. Did you guys also drill holes in the bottom for drainage?

[WBmare]

@danacat

This is what I do too – works great! Except I use carabiners instead of snaps – and I have 2 holes on each end of the tub spaced about a foot apart. When the hay gets eaten down a bit this keeps my busy beavers from twirling the net around and winding it up.

Danacat - maybe I’m a bit dense but could you post a picture of how you did this? My feeble brain can’t picture it.

[SugarCubes]

It’s a success! The hay-waster horse is happily munching away as we speak. I ended up tying a loop of rope through the two holes on the ends of the tub and clipping the net to the rope with a carabiner on each corner. I also tied the tub to the fence post so it can’t be pushed over. I pulled and twisted to test it, but that haynet isn’t going ANYWHERE until I unsnap it. Thanks for the great idea!

[danacat]

@WBmare

Danacat - maybe I’m a bit dense but could you post a picture of how you did this? My feeble brain can’t picture it.

Leathers facebook pic here…

https://www.facebook.com/thehaychix/…type=3&theater

… it what mine look like – but with two holes drilled side by side instead of the one. On the opposiite side of the tub I have two holes as well and I loop the cord (the cord that you pull tight to close up the hay) back and forth through these holes, and tie it off to itself.

I’ll take a picture today that shows this.

[Leather]

@SugarCubes

Did you guys also drill holes in the bottom for drainage?

Yes, I put in drainage holes. I had to put a few additional drainage holes in after the first few rains when I could see where the water wanted to naturally collect–it wasn’t always where I thought it would be!