Xactics Hay Huts (Duplessis)

[Tracey_TMR]

I’m considering purchasing the Xactics horse feeds (I think they used to be called Duplessis) and was wondering if anyone has any experience of using these in extreme winter conditions.

We are in the interior of BC, Canada and will generally have around 12 to 18 inches of snow on the ground throughout the winter. I’m wondering if they would freeze to the ground and so be impossible to flip over to put in fresh hay during the winter.

Temps here are usually between -15C (5F) and -20C (-4F) for 3 months and can get down to as low as -35C (-31F). Also wondering if they would maybe crack in such cold temps.

Would appreciate any feedback at all from existing/past users. Many thanks.

[SquishTheBunny]

I’m in Ontario, this Feb our temp went down to -32. In December we had such a strong windstorm that it toppled two big cedars. The hay hut held up great, didn’t even flip in the windstorm.

I use a slow feed net with it, 1 5 foot rohndbale lasted 3 horses on 16 hour turnout 2 weeks with no waste. Without the net (just the feeder) they would still waste significant amounts.

[SquishTheBunny]

And no cracks and easy to unfreeze from ground, just a little jiggle and it’s out (it was just me too, no help). There was never a huge snow build up around it because the horses stood there and packed down the snow for the most part.

[Romany]

I second what Squish says. One of our did blow away, over fences, and was fine.

We move ours with the bale spikes to a slightly different spot every time we put out a new bale, and it never froze in.

Our temps rsnge from +/- 30’ C.

[Romany]

We tried to avoid moving them when it got below -20, as I suspected they’d be more brittle. They do eventually get cracks after 7-8 years, but I’m pretty sure that’s because of the tractor operator, not the horses or the cold!

[Tracey_TMR]

Thanks Squish & Romany, that’s great information. After the winter you guys have just experienced, if they held up to that, I think they’ll do fine here in the BC Interior.

[AmarachAcres]

Another vote for hay huts.

[caper]

I have had my two Duplessis feeders/now Xactics for maybe 5 years now and still going strong. I had 5 horses in one paddock and 4 in the other. Minimal waste. My gelding are piggish and liked to pull lots of hay out. Ok in the dead on winter as they clean it up. Although, in spring when things get muddy I’d go out with a fork after they came in to tidy and put it back inside the hut.

[mht]

My hay huts have started to crack, but I think I’ve just finished the sixth season with them, so not a big surprise. We just take plywood, put a piece on each side, over the crack, and screw together. Works well.

Another trick that really helps with flipping them over,and back again, is to screw a length of 2 x 4 lumber along the bottom edges of the hut, on the inside. Gives you something a bit more substantial to hang on to.

To keep mine from blowing away, we keep a heavy tire tethered to the hut, on the inside. We set the bale on the tire, so it keeps the hay off the ground, and even if the hut flips in heavy winds, with nothing in it, it stays close, and cannot fly away.

[ChocoMare]

Another vote for a Hay Hut with a Hay Chix small-hole net.