Big Bale Feeder
Great way to feed round and square bales while reducing wasted hay. It pays for itself in 1 year!
Note: We are now selling Big Bale panels, hinges and snap clips individually. This way you can design according to your situation or need.
How many panels, hinges and clips you will need? See "Customization" below.
Instructions/Diagrams:
Big Bale Feeder Instructions 
Common Uses
Customization
- 4 ft dia. bale: 5 panels, 4 connector hinges, 2 snap clips
- 5 ft dia. bale: 6 panels, 5 connector hinges, 2 snap clips
- 6 ft dia. bale: 7 panels, 6 hinges, 2 clips
Specs
- 48" tall x 40" long
- 4 - 8" x 12" eating holes
- 3/8" dia support rods (outer rods & 4 vertical internal rods)
- 1/4" dia rods (other rods)
- Hot-dip galvanized
Benefits
- 4 head-holes per panel.
- Folds flat—easy to store and move.
- Adult sheep can’t get inside it.
- Average of 40 ewes per 6 panel feeder is advised. (Too many ewes will cause fighting for access.) 1200 lb hay bale should last about 5 days.
- More durable than feeders made with farm-store wire panels.
- Adapts to most round or square bale sizes.
- Not for use with cattle, horses or horned animals.
- Ships to you by UPS™/Spee-Dee™.
- Most need 5–7 panels.
Cost
Calculating the lost $$ due to wasted hay provides a picture of the relative value of a big bale hay feeder.
Assume 40 ewes eat 5 lbs of hay for 165 days. Assume hay costs $140/ton (7¢/lb).
Big Bale Feeder— 10% wastage, $231 wasted hay.
Other Feeders– 25% wastage, $577 wasted hay.
So, the $346 difference pays for a Premier feeder—in only 1 year!
Installation
Tip: To eliminate risk of sheep tipping over an empty feeder and thereby injuring themselves, drive a single steel post into the ground and secure 1 corner of the bale feeder to it. The post can stay in place all winter. Having noted that we rarely do this. We simply allow the sheep to tip the feeder over. Our last injury was 4 years ago-- and we use 20 feeders all winter long.
Precautions
- Don’t use them for cattle or horses. Horned sheep or goats won’t damage the feeder but they may get their heads caught.
- Don’t lift the feeder with the tractor loader. This puts unnecessary stress on the welds.
- Don’t let panels freeze to the ground.
- Don’t feed more than 40-50 ewes per feeder. Too many ewes per feeder may cause them to fight for access—which can result in poor-doing (or even dead) sheep.
Listed below are recommended optional components or related items. Your particular situation may require alternative recommendations. Please call and talk to our consultants if there are any questions at 800-282-6631.
-
Wire Panels and Accessories
Wire Panel Hinge, 48" tall
Item #965401 -Provides a strong, reliable connection that is also a 360º hinge. Surprisingly easy and fast to use.
$3.70 -
Handling Equipment
Snap Clip, Zinc Plated
Item #965405 -Use to connect wire panels and hang poultry waterers and feeders.
$2.68 -
Handling Equipment
Snap Clip, Stainless Steel
Item #965406 -Use to connect wire panels and hang poultry waterers and feeders.
$7.00
Write a Review
You must be logged in to leave a review. Please sign in.
Amy G from Montana
I just bought my second one because the first one did so well. So much less waste, my ewes don’t get in, or stuck in the feeder. The ease of putting it together is fantastic as well. As I grow my flock I will be adding more.
Robert B from Virginia
Best feeder on the market.
Doni P from North Carolina
Big Bale Feeder - It has only been 2 weeks but so far I love this hay feeder! There is very, very little waste and It has 6 sides that allows many goats to eat at the same time. It appears to be made very strong. I almost made a DIY using cattle panels but now I am glad I didn't! The materials in the Big Bale Feeder are far superior to cattle panels. I am covering it with re-purposed thick vinyl (store signs) to keep the hay dry which is also working very well. I wish I would have gotten this feeder years ago. It saves a LOT of time by eliminating the need to refill our other hay feeders every day.
Spending the extra few dollars to get the spiral hinges was a very good decision. They install so easy and keep the panels firmly attached to one another. I definitely recommend this feeder!
Ernest F from Ohio
Had barn fire, lost everything, went from sq bales to lg round bales, this is great panels for the lg round bales for sheep. Have very little waste. Would recommend them for use with round bales.
Anthony M from Iowa
Welds are very weak, they start breaking after one year. After two years most of the panels are mangled and destroyed. My sheep try to eat grass through 20 year old cattle panels, and yet these panels can't last more than two winters. Junk.
