Re: [AlpacaTalk] feeders
We have had too many alpacas for a long time so it became necessary to use different colors and separate bowls in order to treat whatever was going on. It seems like a huge amount of work but when you get used to it it's actually easy.
I use the feeding pans also, but leave them up inside the loafing shed. At feeding time I go into the feed shed & fill little plastic bowls (clear plastic that I bought at Safeway, they come with lids, but I don't use the lids). Anyway I fill the bowls with the exact amount of food ------------ one bowl for one feeder. Go out & dump them in, individually. So it doesn't take as long as measuring it out for each one when I go out. I think everyone does pretty well & gets an almost equal amount.
I like the idea of specific colored pans for specific problems or special needs. That is a good idea (except for me, all mine are together, girls in one area & boys in another).
WandaWanda Couzens-Smith
D & W Fiber Farm
757 County Rd. 29
Monte Vista, CO 81144
719-852-5000
http://dw-fiber-
farm.blogspot. com/
--- On Mon, 6/14/10, Sheri Hewitt <sherih@woodlandmeadows.com> wrote:
From: Sheri Hewitt <sherih@woodlandmeadows.com>
Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] feeders
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, June 14, 2010, 2:36 PM
We feed using feed pans. They are plastic and a little large for the amount we feed but they stack easily. They come in various colors. I'll use the girl's pastures as an example. I have 2 pastures for females. One is for pregnant, soon to deliver and new crias and the other is for the rest. One side is between 10-15 alpacas and the other is 20 or so.Each pan gets a cup of pellets with any additions I want to make and are stacked. Special needs are of another color. For instance, all female who are nursing will get double rations and have blue pans. This translates to other who might get meds and so on.We have 4 gated, fenced areas together. The girls are separated as to eating speed and tendency to steal if they finish first. We pass out the feed and stand guard. For the most part things go well and feeding 30+ alpacas takes a bit over 45 min.The whole operation, scooping poop. filling hay boxes, feeding pellets and any additional meds usually takes 1 1/2 hrs. more or less.It has been worth it to do it this way because each alpaca gets exactly what they need at the time. When we're finished the bowls are stacked in a small shed kept inside the stall area. It's pretty efficient and everything is handy. My barn isn't especially handy as I live on a hill and the whole thing wasn't thought out well when it all was built. I came much later so I had to use what I could and build more.I just bought another batch of the feeding pans/bowls for 3.99 each. We have 2 other areas where we feed the boys in the same manner.Hope this helps.SheriSheri HewittWoodland Meadows, LLC31542 Camas Swale Rd.Creswell, OR 97426541-895-0964On Jun 14, 2010, at 12:53 PM, Dragon Fly Farm, Quality Livestock Since 1997! wrote:Need some ideas on bulk feeders. I have a group of 18 girls in one pasture. I grain twice per day as well as free choice hay. Each girl gets .75 pounds at each feeding. I was using individual feed buckets but it was too time consuming. So I tried mounting them to the wall and brining out grain in a 5 gallon pail. Then putting a wighted scoop in each mounted bucket. But by the time you get to the end of the line of buckets the pigs at the first buckets are nearly done and start to bug the submissives at the end. None of the girls are under weight. Any truly thin ones get fed individual.
So I then saw another farm mounted gutters. So I mounted 50 feet of gutters and began pouring grain along them. I increased overall grain portion by 10% to make sure everyone was getting a good share. After 5 months the feeders are falling down, bent and look worn. I don't like the way they look. My vet also commented that feeding out of aluminum gutters might not be good because of the metal. So I took them down.
I am back to buckets! I have seen the pvc pipes done but I could not cut them. I tried the recipricating saw and could not cut a straight line. I tried the table saw and the blade kept jamming. I went to home depot and got one for pvc and its still jamming with the length. So cut the length in half. Sanded the cut product and I can't figure out how to mount them. This was also the biggest pipe at the depot but the resulting dish does not seem very deep. Its not perfectly straight and really doesn't look professional.
I'm still at buckets and need ideas!
jelizabethfarms1@bellsouth. wrote:net
>I am so sorry Allison to read of your loss; I know what a tough year
>this has been for you and your mom.
>You and your family will be in my thoughts as you walk this road.
>{{{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}}
> Janice
>
posted by Chaddo at 3:31 PM
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