My barn has stalls with attached paddocks that I clean daily, and I pick any piles when I feed in the evening as well. I started out using a big wheelbarrow, I could wheel it into the stalls and the paddocks, but it was a pain pushing that heavy thing all the way to the manure pile, which is a couple hundred feet from the barn.
Next, I tried a dump trailer pulled by my tractor, but it proved to be an even bigger pain. I can’t get it into the stalls, backing up with it attached doesn’t work because it gets caught up in my 3-pt hitch, and it’s really hard to dump.
So, I’ve resorted to mucking into tubs and dumping them in my FEL, then driving that back to the pile. However, doing it this way requires me to drag heavy tubs to the tractor several times, lots of heavy lifting, it’s messy, and the tubs are constantly breaking.
There’s GOT to be an easier way. What am I not thinking of? Moving the manure pile closer isn’t an option, unfortunately.
Consider the advantages of wheeling that wheel barrow on a long trek. No need for a gym membership. Keeps you buff and fit, bulging muscles, strength and health for life for you. Bonus. Welcome to my life!
Yah, I don’t know…I think it’s one of those things - “it is what it is”. I’ve tried to incorporate my tractor, but at the end of the day the good old wheelbarrow seems to be the easiest for us.
I use a wheel barrow and make a pile closer to the barn and then move that pile out back on a regular basis.
Can you use the wheel barrow like you are the muck tubs, but dump the wheel barrow into the bucket of your tractor to be taken out back?
It might be easier with a smaller single wheeled wheel barrow.
Easy to just pick stalls with and roll/lift to spreader. And then we I clean the paddocks, I drive the ATV/Spreader out to the pastures and roll my cart around and pick up and dump as needed.
If you have the funds, a small PTO manure spreader with a well built wooden ramp, right next to the barn, then using the wheelbarrow to go from stalls to spreader is the way to go. Then use the tractor to pull the spreader to the pile, back it up, engage the spreader via PTO, and pull back to the ramp to refill. If you don’t have the funds, wheelbarrow and walking is probably the best way. I like the giant, double wheeled monster wheelbarrows the best. The double wheel is less likely to tip, and seems easier to push. Solid rubber no flat tires are your friend too.
[QUOTE=Ticker;8798509]
I bought an URSA wagon based on recommendations made on this board. https://www.ursawagon.com
I really like it, so easy to pull and dump for heavy loads.
The wheel barrel fitness thing works until you rip a muscle and need to do something else…[/QUOTE]
Does that also attach to a tractor? I’ve been looking for a dump trailer/wheelbarrow combo that won’t get caught up on my 3-pt hitch but haven’t had luck. Or does someone make something like that WITH a 3pt attachment?
I don’t mind the wheelbarrow, and I know it’s a good workout, but I about killed myself last year trying to trek through the snow and ice with that darn thing!
Yes, this is exactly what I would like to have in the future! I’ve been looking at newer and millcreek spreaders but we just bought a new car, so it’s unfortunately not in the budget at the moment
[QUOTE=trubandloki;8798658]I use a wheel barrow and make a pile closer to the barn and then move that pile out back on a regular basis.
QUOTE]
Not a bad idea…my concern is the smell and flies though. I only have a little over 3 acres and have non-horsey neighbors on either side. I do have a small manure bin by the barn for when I have a horse-sitter so they don’t have to mess with the tractor, but I always take it to the main pile as soon as I return home. It’d probably work fine in the winter, but I’d be afraid the smell would be too much in the summer.
I use a cart for my muck tub to clean stalls in the one barn. Cart is easy to move, carries a good load, delivers the tub to the tractor for dumping into the FEL. I have this model from TSC, with the air filled, bigger wheels to bump over the curb of barn, without dumping the tub.
Certainly there are other models of carts for moving the muck tubs, but this one does a good job for me. Fairly solid wheels and metal, so it is not flimsy under wet manure in the tub. It also can be folded flat if hauled to shows. I like that it can be handled with one hand, while light wheelbarrows usually take 2 hands to keep from dumping it in transit.
I use a standard wheelbarrow. I use it so much it even has a name Old Blue. I crab about the workload at times, but then I have to admit that the exercise is really so good for me. I look around me and all my friends go to the gym, work with trainers, go on fad diets, etc. Then there is me and Old Blue, day after day cleaning stalls, hauling to the heap, stall after stall. I think my health would decline if I were to just get rid of the horses.
I bought a wagon. I can’t handle wheelbarrows, they always tip over on me. My wagon can hold up to 1200lbs, dumps with the push of a button, attaches to my ATV and can turn into a flatbed for hauling furniture. I haul it every day 200 feet to the manure pile, and even when it is overflowing it still is so much easier than the wheelbarrow!
I also have one of those giant tag along wagons for the ATV but it just is just too much hassle for three stalls. On top of that my barn isn’t a drive through type so I had to back the whole rig up every day…just not worth it.
[I]Does that also attach to a tractor? I’ve been looking for a dump trailer/wheelbarrow combo that won’t get caught up on my 3-pt hitch but haven’t had luck. Or does someone make something like that WITH a 3pt attachment?
I don’t mind the wheelbarrow, and I know it’s a good workout, but I about killed myself last year trying to trek through the snow and ice with that darn thing![/I]
Regarding the URSA wagon, if you check under the accessories you will find multiple connection options for towing behind small tractors, golf carts etc.
[QUOTE=StormyDay;8798887]
I bought a wagon. I can’t handle wheelbarrows, they always tip over on me. My wagon can hold up to 1200lbs, dumps with the push of a button, attaches to my ATV and can turn into a flatbed for hauling furniture. I haul it every day 200 feet to the manure pile, and even when it is overflowing it still is so much easier than the wheelbarrow!
I also have one of those giant tag along wagons for the ATV but it just is just too much hassle for three stalls. On top of that my barn isn’t a drive through type so I had to back the whole rig up every day…just not worth it.[/QUOTE]
This sounds like what I’m looking for! Do you have a link?
[QUOTE=goodhors;8798810]
I use a cart for my muck tub to clean stalls in the one barn. Cart is easy to move, carries a good load, delivers the tub to the tractor for dumping into the FEL. I have this model from TSC, with the air filled, bigger wheels to bump over the curb of barn, without dumping the tub.
Certainly there are other models of carts for moving the muck tubs, but this one does a good job for me. Fairly solid wheels and metal, so it is not flimsy under wet manure in the tub. It also can be folded flat if hauled to shows. I like that it can be handled with one hand, while light wheelbarrows usually take 2 hands to keep from dumping it in transit.[/QUOTE]
I use those also, several kinds, any one is fine, work great and already puts the bucket higher for easier dumping into whatever you dump them into.
Here is one that I use to feed with, with a rubber feed bucket and hay piled on it, others I have muck-buckets and use them to clean up in stalls and pens, they roll any place you want to roll them to:
I was going to suggest 2 wheel wheelbarrow, which is more of a pain to dump but easier to move, until you said snow.
Use tubs and the tractor or ATV with a dump wagon and the small tub carts to help you get from stall to vehicle. It will save you a little bit of lifting and help the tubs last longer. Because the weight of a single tub won’t be enormous, you should be able to wheel it to the big vehicle fine in some snow versus a heavy wheelbarrow.
We have a Newer spreader, super easy to pull with a lawn tractor and will spread it nicely into whatever space you’d like. When we had a smaller farm it came in really handy - fit 2-3 stalls worth pretty easily. Now that there are more ponies, we’re having to figure out some new solutions too.
I’m currently using muck buckets with the same muck bucket toter that goodhors linked. I then put my muck buckets on the back of my golf cart and carry them to the compost pile. My compost pile is quite a distance from my barn. I only fill the muck buckets half full so they are easier to lift.
Some time in the future I will get an ez go cart with the hydraulic dump bed. It’s on the never ending list of things we would like to have around the farm. For right now though, the golf cart is working fine. I also use my golf cart to pull my newer spreader as well. I compost about half of my manure and spread the other half.
