Slow Feed Hay Net - to hold 2-3 small square bales?

[BarnField]

For various reasons, I’ll need to feed square bales this winter, instead of round bales.
I have a pasture with 3 horses and I plan to use an open-top round bale feeder (hay ring) and try to load just load 2-3 small square bales in it.
These are the small, 2-string square bales that weigh 50 pounds or so, and not the “large square” bales.

The reason for the round bale feeder hay ring is to keep the horses from standing on, pooping on the hay.

In addition to that, I’d like to use a slow feeder net inside the hay ring to slow them down.

I know you can get slow feed hay nets that are sized to fit 1 big round bale or sized to fit a small square bale, etc… but anyone have suggestions for something to fit 2-3 small square bales at a time?
I’m just thinking that using a “round bale” sized hay net is too much netting.

thanks!

[bettyk]

Not sure if this would be an option. Look at the West Coast style…

http://www.haychix.com/Square-Bale-Feeders-s/1477.htm

[saultgirl]

[QUOTE=BarnField;8935304]
For various reasons, I’ll need to feed square bales this winter, instead of round bales.
I have a pasture with 3 horses and I plan to use an open-top round bale feeder (hay ring) and try to load just load 2-3 small square bales in it.
These are the small, 2-string square bales that weigh 50 pounds or so, and not the “large square” bales.

The reason for the round bale feeder hay ring is to keep the horses from standing on, pooping on the hay.

In addition to that, I’d like to use a slow feeder net inside the hay ring to slow them down.

I know you can get slow feed hay nets that are sized to fit 1 big round bale or sized to fit a small square bale, etc… but anyone have suggestions for something to fit 2-3 small square bales at a time?
I’m just thinking that using a “round bale” sized hay net is too much netting.

thanks![/QUOTE]

Why not get 3 bale-size nets and set up 3 feeding stations?

[Mallard]

[QUOTE=saultgirl;8935654]
Why not get 3 bale-size nets and set up 3 feeding stations?[/QUOTE]

Yes… get three nets and put a bale in each one.
How would you even go about lifting 3 netted bales into your feeder??

[BroncoMo]

[QUOTE=Mallard;8935656]
Yes… get three nets and put a bale in each one.
How would you even go about lifting 3 netted bales into your feeder??[/QUOTE]

Throw individual bales in the feeder, climb in, then put each bale in to the net :yes:

[saultgirl]

You could probably get 2 single bale nets and fit 1.5 bales in each net. The NagBag nets I have are pretty big; I’m sure it wouldn’t be too difficult to fit another 1/2 bale in.

[fordtraktor]

I use the west coast haychix nets, if totally empty I can fit 2 bales in them. However I hang them (each end clipped up along my run-in wall, to baling twine so it will break in an emergency) instead of using a bale feeder. I strongly prefer this to a bale feeder for safety reasons.

[Libby2563]

[QUOTE=saultgirl;8936101]
You could probably get 2 single bale nets and fit 1.5 bales in each net. The NagBag nets I have are pretty big; I’m sure it wouldn’t be too difficult to fit another 1/2 bale in.[/QUOTE]

This. My HayChix East Coast bale nets could probably fit 1.5 bales each. The West Coast ones are bigger. You could also use a small round bale net (HayChix sells one for 4x4 bales), or make your own.

I will say that having bought a bunch of HayChix products, I’m not convinced I like them. The netting is thinner and feels much rougher on my hands than other brands. It does seem like it would be more durable but possibly also harsher on their lips and tongues. My guys take much longer to finish hay in a HayChix net than others, and are more likely to lose interest, even if the holes are the same size or larger. Has anyone else had this experience?

[NoSuchPerson]

If you already have a round bale net, use it. Put your small squares in it, then take a zip tie and use it to turn the large “bag” into a small “bag.”

A word of warning, though, whether you do multiple single bale nets or the one large one: Make sure that the nets are attached to your bale ring. My big mule can pick up a small square bale in a slow feed net, lift it out of the feeder, and carry it out into the pasture.

He can also drag a 100 gallon rubber water trough, with a single bale in a slow feed net tied inside it, out of the shed and 50 feet out into the pasture.

[BarnField]

@NoSuchPerson;8936748

A word of warning, though, whether you do multiple single bale nets or the one large one: Make sure that the nets are attached to your bale ring. My big mule can pick up a small square bale in a slow feed net, lift it out of the feeder, and carry it out into the pasture.

LOL, thanks for that tip!

Mallard, I’m planning to use a smooth poly ring feeder, not the metal round bale feeder, so it should be somewhat easy to flip the ring over the hay once it’s netted.

FordTraktor, I have seen pictures of the large nets attached to fenclines or sheds, but can’t figure out a good spot for that out in this one particular field. Plus, I wonder if they would just beat up on my fence standing along the fence for so long. I may try that, though and see. My shed row barn doubles as my run-in shelter for this particular field, so I really don’t want them hanging out there all day pooping and dropping hay making a mess there, unless the weather’s bad. Lol, I want them out

thanks everyone!

[mestle]

Hi,
What I have is a 9’ round bale poly feeder. I now feed squares and put out hay 2x per day. My feeder has a 10’x10’ hockey goal net tied low to every leg so 8 ties. I just put the hay down (on rubber mats in the feeding area) and lift the feeder and net over the pile of hay.
This has worked well for me for the past 8 years. I am on my 2nd net but everything else has held up just fine.

[BarnField]

[QUOTE=mestle;8937084]
Hi,
What I have is a 9’ round bale poly feeder. I now feed squares and put out hay 2x per day. My feeder has a 10’x10’ hockey goal net tied low to every leg so 8 ties. I just put the hay down (on rubber mats in the feeding area) and lift the feeder and net over the pile of hay.
This has worked well for me for the past 8 years. I am on my 2nd net but everything else has held up just fine.[/QUOTE]

Brilliant! Just so I understand, do you undo the netting each time you load hay, or no, do you just flip the poly feeder up on end while the netting is still attached to the feeder’s legs and then lay it all back down again? If so that sounds SUPER quick and easy.

[mestle]

I just lift up the feeder and put it over they hay pile. The net is tied on with bull snaps and rope so I can take it off quickly but I don’t have to. If your horses try to burrow under the edges of the net you may want to tie down in more places. Only time it’s inconvenient is if we get ice and the net freezes to the rubber mats.