Instructions to Build a Hay Feeder

Instructions for Building a Hay Feeder

• A small-scale farmer can build a hay feeder from lumber. If the hay is pitched from loose hay stacks, or small bales are fed, a simple feeder of 4-inch by 4-inch posts and 2-inch by 6-inch boards will hold enough hay for four or five horses or cattle.

  Plans available from the Louisiana State University AgCenter use the posts as uprights with the boards serving as horizontal components of the feeder. The feeder should be long enough accommodate the number of animals being felt. The sides of the feeder should be high enough to keep the animals out of the feeder but allow them to reach across the walls of the feeder to access the hay.

  Larger-scale livestock owners, those who use tractors with front-end loaders to move hay, need to build stronger and more substantial hay feeders.

  Plans are available from North Dakota State University for a steel hay feeder. Constructing these feeders will require tools for cutting and welding steel.

  Feeders can be constructed to any size to accommodate the size of the herd and the types of bale being fed. If round bales are being fed, the size of the feeder will need to be as wide as the bales being fed. A roof is optional but suggested in rainier climates.

  Steel feeders are usually constructed from relatively heavy material to prevent damage from the livestock. The design from NDSU can be constructed using pipe, square tubing of angle iron. Due to the strains placed on the feeder, all welds done during its construction should be strong.

  Safety is always a consideration in the construction of structures used with livestock. Make sure all corners are rounded to prevent cuts to the animals. The openings the horses and cattle will reach through to access the hay should be large enough to allow the animal easy access but small enough to discourage the animal from trying to crawl through and becoming injured.