|
|
 Buttered Noodles Snacker
Posts: 4377
  
Location: NC | I bought a Chix hay net for round bales and was all excited about saving waste. Then my husband talked me out of using it, he thought it would be a bad idea to introduce in the winter. He felt like they needed to eat as much as possible being cold out and should use it come summer. A big part of me knows he mostly said that because he didn't want to mess with putting it on, but I also wonder if there could be some truth to it??? Would you wait or put it on now? I have one easy keeper, one boarder line easy keeper and a younger horse (though not a hard keeper but young). |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1119
| Honestly, they figure it out pretty quickly. It does slow them down, but I don't think it really reduces the amount they actually eat, it just prevents them from taking a huge bite and then dropping 1/2 of it on the ground, never to be touched again.
I started using mine about a year ago, in late fall, when I typically start pulling out round bales. My horses protested for a few weeks, eating every last bit of grass they could before finally tackling the bale, but your horses may not have the same reaction if there isn't any grass for them to eat. |
|
| |
|
  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I have one and use a round bale feeder for horses. I have my husband drop the bale on an end with strings still on. I climb on the bale feeder and throw the net on and just go round and round pulling it down. I cinch it tight at the bottom and tie it off so it stays tight to the bottom of the feeder (in the inside). I reach through and cut the strings then. If you use netting I'm not sure how to get it off. Our bales puff out and I can't get the nets on if I take the strings off first.
Anyways. My horses were butt hurt for a few days over the netting. They especially love the new bales and dive in, root it out and grab huge mouth fulls. Not happy campers. The old pony pouted for most of the day, but got hungry and picked at it. My other horse just stayed on the bale longer than normal (which is good, and part of the point) and picked small pieces out. They get the hang of it really fast and I think are too intelligent to starve to death over a hay net. I also went around the bale and picked some through the holes so they got the idea (because I am often not sure they are too intelligent not to starve). I started to use my net late last summer and have probably saved about a round bales worth of hay since then. I love them. |
|
| |
|
 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Our old horse with bad teeth holds his weight better with a slow feeder. It forces him to take smaller bites, which are easier to chew, so there are fewer wads spit out or going straight through him. I never noticed a difference for the others besides less waste. |
|
| |
|
 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | I would use it just because by making them take smaller bites and chew the hay better it should lessen the risk of impaction colic which is more common in the winter due to them drinking less in the cold. That is just my opinion, but I always have more colic issues when my horses are allowed free access to really good round bales. |
|
| |
|
 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | Barnmom - 2015-01-13 9:17 AM
I would use it just because by making them take smaller bites and chew the hay better it should lessen the risk of impaction colic which is more common in the winter due to them drinking less in the cold. That is just my opinion, but I always have more colic issues when my horses are allowed free access to really good round bales.
This was my first thought as well... |
|
| |
|
 Dog Resuce Agent
Posts: 3459
Location: southeast Texas | Hey Vonda, what round bale slow feeder do you have? This is my first year for round bales. Am really liking the ease of round bales. But the two horses in the front pasture are making a mess of things. The horses in the back are neater but are going thru a round bale in no time flat. Three horses, about five days maybe six. |
|
| |
|
Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I don't have any rounds this year, so I'm using my feeder box with the grate. I can't remember the brand of nets I have. They have held up well, but the donkey did get hung up last year and had to be cut out, so you need to use a ring or fence or something to keep their feet out. |
|
| |
Would you worry about introducing a slow feeder in the winter??