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Post by mmel001 on Nov 26, 2010 14:54:54 GMT 1
Hello again Just a quick question, does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to stop my horses feed freezing? He has a little soaked lucienuts with some ruff stuff. This morning I realised the whole thing had frozen. I do tend to leave it outside is stable as whoever gets up first puts it in. During the week it's usually me, at the weekends it isn't and if I don't leave it out, he wont get it. I wondered if I added a little vegetable oil if this might help? The supplement he has has got linseed in it, which if you put that in when soaking the nuts it all goes a bit white due to the oils seperating.. Maybe I should do this when I soak it rather than adding it after it's been soaked. I can of course add less water to the nuts when they are soaking, but then if I add the ruff stuff it makes the whole thing really dry and I then need to add a bit of water to make sure the ruff stuff is a bit damp. I could add the suppliment and ruff stuff to the soaking nuts I guess, but then I worry that the nuts wont soak properly. Or I could try putting the whole thing in an additional container perhaps, outside his stable? Sorry again if this is a numpty question! Thanks Mel
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Post by mags on Nov 26, 2010 18:13:17 GMT 1
You need to insulate the bucket. To do that, you want to put something around it that has insulating properties. For example, you could get a bigger bin/box with lid that your bucket fits into and fill the gap with towels/rug/straw/whatever you have at hand. Water is actually also a good insulator. If you put the bucket inside a larger bucket and fill the gap with water, the water in the gap will have to freeze before the contents of the bucket freezes. Of course, if it does freeze, you'll have to dump out the ice and fill the gap new with unfrozen water the next day. Definitely cover the bucket, also best with something insulating, like an old pillow, folded blanket... you get the idea. How long do the nuts soak? Is there any way you could leave a thermos with water and the dry food, and have your friend put the water in in the morning while doing chores?
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Post by mmel001 on Nov 27, 2010 12:08:54 GMT 1
Hi Mags
The nuts take between 2 and 12 hours, usually 2 is enough. I tend to soak them in the morning after he's eaten his breakfast and then add his ruff stuff and supplement and put them outside his stable (with a cover on, though it's not insulating) in the evening when I go up. As I'm up first I could just leave it in the feed room, it's just the weekends I don't get up there first.
Good idea though I will come up with some insulating idea's! Thanks for the advice!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2010 14:17:31 GMT 1
This is what puts me off feeds that have to be soaked! Why not feed him lucie stalks or top spec alfa (or the new dengie mollasses free hifi) instead - much easier!
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Post by anastasia55555 on Nov 27, 2010 19:21:29 GMT 1
Could you find a cool box (thinking it should work to keep stuff warm??) mix feed up in that with hot water? and leave out side stable ready to be scooped into bowl to be fed?
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Suz
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Post by Suz on Nov 28, 2010 0:26:52 GMT 1
I just add salt to my lucienuts seems to ward off the worst of the ice, also helps to keep to ponies drinking while it is cold.
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Bay Mare
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Post by Bay Mare on Nov 28, 2010 11:27:30 GMT 1
From what I remember when I fed SS you don't have to soak Lucienuts. I never did and never had a problem and also used them in the decahedron and for clicker.
If I fed them in the feed I only put water in at the last moment to dampen the feed and mixed it all up as usual.
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Post by mmel001 on Nov 28, 2010 12:12:18 GMT 1
You can feed a few dry, I sprinkle some around his stable, but they recommend you soak for a feed to stop them getting choke. I might try the salt though!
Cheers
Mel
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Suz
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Post by Suz on Nov 28, 2010 19:58:08 GMT 1
I take it back the salt didn't work last night have brought feeds home with me tonight. But the lucienuts weren't too bad it was my sugar beet which was solid. I had to stand by her feed and pull out the ice cubes as if she found to many she was leaving her feed not that she believes herself to be a princess at all!
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Post by anastasia55555 on Nov 28, 2010 20:50:17 GMT 1
our sugar beet was rock solid. Brought down some hot water to melt it, and now got the camping stove down there!
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maislow
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Post by maislow on Nov 28, 2010 22:48:15 GMT 1
Tonight I have left my feeds in my hay shed buried in hay to try & stop them freezing, we'll see tomorrow if it works, but I am taking a flask of boiling water with me just in case
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Post by Pauline on Nov 28, 2010 23:27:03 GMT 1
Take a large bucket / tub place the feed bucket into the larger one. Get 2 hot water bottles put them around the inner feed bucket and then line with hay or straw.
Place a lid on the top.
This will insulate everything.
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Post by mmel001 on Nov 29, 2010 9:52:54 GMT 1
Thanks for all the advice. I'm having the same trouble with the water in his stable, that was frozen this morning.
The feed was OK, I have a massive rubber feed bown so I put his tub of feed in that, with a cover on and then a cover over the big feed bowl and that stopped it freezing.
What do people do about water troughs as well? Ours are all frozen up, I am going down every morning and smashing the ice, taking out as much as I can. The pipes are clearly frozen though so in some of the fields the troughs aren't filling up again. I think the trough in my field must be freezing over again quite quickly, the water levels aren't changing in it which makes me suspect the horses aren't drinking it. All the birds are pooping on the ice too, which is nice when it all sprays up in my face at 5:30 in the morning as I'm kicking and whacking it! I nearly lost my leg in the trough yesterday. I think I might invest in a hammer.
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maislow
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Post by maislow on Nov 30, 2010 0:46:32 GMT 1
feed buried in the hay worked!!
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Post by anastasia55555 on Nov 30, 2010 7:30:07 GMT 1
Tell u what would keep it warm burying it partly in muck heap! would stay very toasty!
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