Hay hutches

[Hannah]

Does anyone have one? Do you rate them? I love the idea but am struggling with the price tag

[K8]

Yep we do, 6 horses, 1ft of mud, 3 hay hutches and lots of dry, clean hay!!

They've been a life saver this year!

[june]

Yes, we do. I reckon the large one saved us a bale of hay a day the first winter we had it so it paid for itself in the first season. They are great in the snow too as you know your animals always have hay that isn't buried.

[sara]

I want one, but cannot afford one. Keep trying to pursuade my Dad that he fancies making one

[nightowl4]

I've thought about getting one too, but am worried that they'll just pull the hay out and waste loads. K8 and June, what happens when they've eaten the bits that are sticking out - how do they get at the rest of it and, what size do you have (June, large?)and how easy are they for one person to move? Thanks.

[irishcob]

I couldn't face the price tag either, so nicked a potato box from my cousin's farm!

Brilliant - totally reduced any wastage as they can't walk all over it, and even kept hay blowing around in 53 mph winds! As the bottom is slatted (like a pallet) it drains perfectly if it rains, and best of all was free! I think usually around £60 new, perhaps I should market them as EquiHay Boxes for £100?!

[Sue Palmer]

The beauty of the hay hutch is that it has a lid on as well so the hay doesn't get wet. My mare has developed COPD and eats more haylage than I can fit in the hayhutch (I only bought the small one), so I now have a sheep feeder for her which is working brilliantly.

Sue

[fircones]

Got one of the medium size ones this year for my two Icelandics and its brilliant. They are easy to move when full if you roll them - like a beer barrel!! Horses are occupied by pulling out the hay and it all stays clean and dry though they do scatter a bit round the hutch but not half as much as when we fed on the ground.
Interestingly they always leave a bit at the bottem - I assume its because they cant quite reach it or its too dusty, because if I tip the last bit out and shake off the dust they will then eat it while I am filling up again.
They are expensive but sometimes come up second-hand - there were three on pre-loved recently.

[Deleted]

I have a large one and love it too

I got mine 2nd hand from a friend (friend moved yards so it was surplus to requirements).

I find my horse wastes far less hay with the hay hutch than he did when I just put the hay on the ground. I've seen both Talin and Henry eating the stuff they've pulled out and dropped on the floor. The idea is you stuff it really full so as they pull bits out, the rest expands and refills the space.

Mine's a large one, when using small bales I could get 3 in it. Now I'm using big bales I can get enough in to feed 2 horses for 2 days (out 24/7 on sod all grass), and there's always enough left that they're never without.

I can't move mine when it's full but can easily drag it a short distance when it's half full, and when nearly empty can tip it onto its side and roll it.