Anyone have a source for them? All the muck tubs I can find now are hard plastic (cracks in the cold!) and molded smooth on the bottom, so I have nowhere to get a grip when dumping it.
New muck buckets all suck. We have some that are 12 years old, prior to the new improved design. Most of the new ones last about a year. I’m sure the design and material change saved them $$$, but the product (Little Giant) is crap now.
We found some Fortiflex ones that have held up fairly well by comparison.
I’ve got a Fortiflex muck tub, with handles. It’s held up fine for it’s limited use. I use a Rubbermaid 2 wheel wheelbarrow for my mucking, expensive but love it!
Yeah, I have always used a wheelbarrow and I prefer that, but where I live now I am required to keep manure in a covered dump trailer, and I calculated how long a ramp I’d need to be able to push a wheelbarrow up to that height comfortably, and it would be like 12’ long. A 12’ ramp would be too heavy to move around each time I needed to dump the trailer. I don’t have a good spot to position the trailer lower than where I’m dumping from, so I need to use the buckets so I can lift and dump over the side. I’ve considered lots of alternatives but the muck tubs just keep being the simplest solution. I will check out the Fortiflex ones, but I think they’re the same shape as little Giant ones with nowhere to grip the bottom. But if they don’t crack instantly, they’d still be a step in the right direction. 
You are so right! My old Rubbermaids are still going strong. The “newer” ones wear out so fast.
Dan’s muck buckets would probably be excellent.
[QUOTE=criss;7230453]
I will check out the Fortiflex ones, but I think they’re the same shape as little Giant ones with nowhere to grip the bottom. But if they don’t crack instantly, they’d still be a step in the right direction. :/[/QUOTE]
The Fortiflex ones are much better. Tractor Supply has them.
Thank you so much for posting this! I had one just shatter on me the other day! 
The Little Giant ones are dangerous in cold weather. I have had them cut me after shattering on several occasions.
If that’s what you gotta do, go with Tub-Trugs. They’re virtually indestructible, easy to carry since you can put both handles in one hand and easy to dump. Super light weight too.
[QUOTE=ChocoMare;7232185]
If that’s what you gotta do, go with Tub-Trugs. [/QUOTE]
ChocoMare – apparently the XL size and the Gorilla ones aren’t available in Canada, so I’ve ordered 2 of the L size in the regular colours. I’m thinking they’ll be handier for small mucking than the wheelbarrow when the snow falls. Do you think the Larges will be big enough? It’s only 4-6 manure piles and a couple of wet spots per day since it’s 2 horse/2 ponies that have free in/out access to the barn and do most of the “business” outside.
I have been happy with Tuff tubs, which I can find at the Family Farm and Home Stores. They are a flexible plastic, not really hard, don’t shatter if dropped in the cold. They do have construction rings on the bottom, gives a little grip for dumping over the spreader side.
I am sure other places sell them, Tuff makes a lot of plastic products like buckets and feeders. My tub is a bit smaller than the Fortiflex,but that makes it easier to lift and dump when full. Not so likely to overload myself with weight. I have only seen them in black, but it has held up well in our cold temps for several years.
re: the ramp: If you build it so it is on the SIDE of the muck trailer, not the end, and build a sort of long platform that would run along the long side of the trainer… you wouldn’t have to move it when you pull the muck trailer out. And, if you put it in the right spot, you can just drive up alongside when you return, and drop the trailer next to the ramp…
[QUOTE=Brigitte;7231561]
You are so right! My old Rubbermaids are still going strong. The “newer” ones wear out so fast.
Dan’s muck buckets would probably be excellent.
http://www.dans-saddlery.com/3.0/baskets.htm[/QUOTE]
Thank You, Thank You , Thank You. Since they don’t put their name on the muck tubs, and I had forgotten it. The last one I bought was eons ago. Dan’s Muck tubs are worth every expensive penny.
[QUOTE=merrygoround;8106989]
Dan’s Muck tubs are worth every expensive penny.[/QUOTE]
Are they? We may need to get some. We go through about half a dozen Fortex tubs a year and the Rubbermaid one I bought in 1987 JUST wore through the bottom last year. So sad to see it go!!!
Yes! I won’t buy anything else. They have enough flexibility to give rather than cracking. The only one that got killed was The victim of overenthusiastic help banging way too hard on one that had wet frozen manure in it.
They also make mobile mounting blocks as double duty. Tried that on a cheap one and put my foot thru the bottom, to the great amusement of on-lookers.:eek:
