Flaker feeder

[Dave]

Took a drive yesterday and bought a new flaker feeder. It hauls and feeds out 2 of the 3x4x8 that I feed. It is operated remotely with a key fob. Push the right button and things happen. You set a bale flat on the table on the rear. It tips up on edge in the feeding position. Drop the table back down and load another bale. Drive to the field, cut the twine on the bale to be fed, push the correct button and the arm to the right pushes the bale to the left. Just tap the button as you drive and it drops off a flake at a time. Get done with that bale just push a button and it moves the push arm back to the ready position. Lift bale #2 into place and repeat.
Picture 1, 2, 3 are the left, back, and right side. Pic #4 shows the lift table part way up. Pic #5 shows to push arm about half way across.

 

[Mrcopier]

Now I would like to see that in motion. Never seen one before

 

[Dave]

Now I would like to see that in motion. Never seen one before

It will be a while. No plans to feed hay any time soon. Actually the man who makes them has a web site with pretty good video of them working. Just google D&M Feeder. He is out of Prineville Oregon.
He designed and started building them because he was home alone feeding in what is a standard method in these parts. Tractor in low gear pulling a wagon full of hay. Steering wheel tied over to cause the tractor to go in a circle. Hop off the tractor and climb on the trailer and push off hay. Well he went to get of the trailer slipped on the snow and had a leg run over by the trailer. Didn't get seriously hurt but had he bad enough that he couldn't move..... well that tractor is coming back around in a couple of minutes. He spent that winter designing this machine. He has a couple patents on the design.

 

[Ned Jr.]

Do you mind me asking how much $$$ ?

 

[Dave]

Do you mind me asking how much $$$ ?

$16,200 for the trailer mounted model. The model to set on a flat bed is $12,600.

 

[uplandnut]

Assuming from your picture, that you decided on the trailer model? Very curious to see how you like that this winter.

 

[Dave]

Assuming from your picture, that you decided on the trailer model? Very curious to see how you like that this winter.

I decided on the trailer model because I have 4 assorted pickups and 2 tractors any which can pull it. Mount it on the one flat bed which is a 97 FF350, something goes wrong with that old truck and I am in a tough spot. I will probably designate the old truck to pull it. But I am going to have to change the trailer plug on that truck. It has a 12 volt battery which runs the hydraulic pump that operates the machine. Plugged into the pickup keeps the feeder battery charged up.

 

[Lucky]

Triple C makes one that fits on their Hydrabed. If we had big squares here I'd definitely get one to go on our old F250. Years ago during a drought we had big alfalfa squares trucked in and feeding them by hand got old.

 

[jltrent]

 

[Dave]

I saw that video several years ago. I thought of different ways to make a home made feeder. I know 3 different guys who attempted to build these feeders. Only one of the three works. The one in the video is too light. He feeds the mid sized 3x3 bales not the 3x4 big bales. Building too light is the main reason for home made failure. For me it came down to buying one which will hold up to use and have resale value.

 

[Silver]

Holding up well, resale value and versatility are why we bought this one. So far so good.

 

[Allenw]

I like the idea but don't see it standing up to the big bales. The bales he was loading with that stand up skid steer didn't weigh a lot.
It's working for him is what counts. I do a few thingsthat work for me but on a larger scale wouldn't be reliable.

 

[Silver]

It will be a while. No plans to feed hay any time soon. Actually the man who makes them has a web site with pretty good video of them working. Just google D&M Feeder. He is out of Prineville Oregon.
He designed and started building them because he was home alone feeding in what is a standard method in these parts. Tractor in low gear pulling a wagon full of hay. Steering wheel tied over to cause the tractor to go in a circle. Hop off the tractor and climb on the trailer and push off hay. Well he went to get of the trailer slipped on the snow and had a leg run over by the trailer. Didn't get seriously hurt but had he bad enough that he couldn't move..... well that tractor is coming back around in a couple of minutes. He spent that winter designing this machine. He has a couple patents on the design.

Does he make one that is self loading?

 

[Dave]

Does he make one that is self loading?

No and most big squares are stacked way too high to do anything self loading. He actually makes one model. The only difference is if it comes mounted on a trailer or just the feeder which you mount on your flat bed.
On his own use He puts down that angled bar on the tongue. Loads the hay. Has a ball on the 3 point. Backs the tractor in under the tongue and lifts the 3 point. That bar is high enough that he can just go feed.

 

[Silver]

No and most big squares are stacked way too high to do anything self loading. He actually makes one model. The only difference is if it comes mounted on a trailer or just the feeder which you mount on your flat bed.
On his own use He puts down that angled bar on the tongue. Loads the hay. Has a ball on the 3 point. Backs the tractor in under the tongue and lifts the 3 point. That bar is high enough that he can just go feed.

In these parts guys with machines like mine just take the squares down from the stack with the loader, set them down, and use the self loader option and go feed cows. Carry one on the forks and two on the machine out to the cows. Nice to be able to feed rounds or squares with the same outfit, especially as big square seem to be falling out of favour with the bto's.
But that rig you got should do the trick. Handy that it's self contained.

 

[Flynengr]

Took a drive yesterday and bought a new flaker feeder. It hauls and feeds out 2 of the 3x4x8 that I feed. It is operated remotely with a key fob. Push the right button and things happen. You set a bale flat on the table on the rear. It tips up on edge in the feeding position. Drop the table back down and load another bale. Drive to the field, cut the twine on the bale to be fed, push the correct button and the arm to the right pushes the bale to the left. Just tap the button as you drive and it drops off a flake at a time. Get done with that bale just push a button and it moves the push arm back to the ready position. Lift bale #2 into place and repeat.
Picture 1, 2, 3 are the left, back, and right side. Pic #4 shows the lift table part way up. Pic #5 shows to push arm about half way across.

View attachment 47994View attachment 47995View attachment 47996View attachment 47998View attachment 47999

No and most big squares are stacked way too high to do anything self loading. He actually makes one model. The only difference is if it comes mounted on a trailer or just the feeder which you mount on your flat bed.
On his own use He puts down that angled bar on the tongue. Loads the hay. Has a ball on the 3 point. Backs the tractor in under the tongue and lifts the 3 point. That bar is high enough that he can just go feed.

Dave:

By chance did you look at the Robbco units over in Baker City? I ran across a 4 bale unit used for sale last winter in Idaho for what I thought was a good price but really wasn't excited about the 20+ hour round trip to get it and drag it home. Prineville is quite a bit closer for me. The Robbco units look well built and stout and this one looks pretty good too, just wondering if you compared the two before purchasing this one. The Robbco 2 bale model looks to be about $1,300 more.

Figure I can either make 2 trips or load some small bales on the flatbed since I'm a little short on daily feed with just 2 3x4's. My cows winter about 10 miles from my hay storage, I assume the trailer units are set up with high speed bearings for road travel? Or wonder if I'd be better off with the truck mounted unit and just throw some small bales on top of the back bale carried flat? Some of my winter ground gets a little dicey with bottomless mud, the trailer gives the option of a MFWD tractor when it gets really bad.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Scott

 

[greybeard]

That one cow that just goes from one fresh dropped flake to the next without ever taking a bite... I've seen one do the same with cubes

 

[Dave]

Dave:

By chance did you look at the Robbco units over in Baker City? I ran across a 4 bale unit used for sale last winter in Idaho for what I thought was a good price but really wasn't excited about the 20+ hour round trip to get it and drag it home. Prineville is quite a bit closer for me. The Robbco units look well built and stout and this one looks pretty good too, just wondering if you compared the two before purchasing this one. The Robbco 2 bale model looks to be about $1,300 more.

Figure I can either make 2 trips or load some small bales on the flatbed since I'm a little short on daily feed with just 2 3x4's. My cows winter about 10 miles from my hay storage, I assume the trailer units are set up with high speed bearings for road travel? Or wonder if I'd be better off with the truck mounted unit and just throw some small bales on top of the back bale carried flat? Some of my winter ground gets a little dicey with bottomless mud, the trailer gives the option of a MFWD tractor when it gets really bad.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Scott

Yes I looked more the Robboc than the D&M. Baker City is where I go for any supplies. I drive right by them several times a week. Prineville is a 5 hour drive. I have a friend in south central Washington who bought a D&M so actually it was his machine that I looked and and heard from a man I know well who actually runs one. As far as construction they are pretty equal. He told me that I could go down the freeway at 70 mph with that trailer. It has turn signals and brake lights. It is 9' 6" wide so any real narrow roads where you might meet traffic could be an issue. But I pulled it through Prineville and John Day, you just have to pay attention not to wipe out parked cars or mail boxes. With all things being equal the $1,300 price tag difference did matter to me. To this point I have just drug it home and done dry runs for some of my neighbors. I have yet to put a bale of hay on it.

 

[Flynengr]

Yes I looked more the Robboc than the D&M. Baker City is where I go for any supplies. I drive right by them several times a week. Prineville is a 5 hour drive. I have a friend in south central Washington who bought a D&M so actually it was his machine that I looked and and heard from a man I know well who actually runs one. As far as construction they are pretty equal. He told me that I could go down the freeway at 70 mph with that trailer. It has turn signals and brake lights. It is 9' 6" wide so any real narrow roads where you might meet traffic could be an issue. But I pulled it through Prineville and John Day, you just have to pay attention not to wipe out parked cars or mail boxes. With all things being equal the $1,300 price tag difference did matter to me. To this point I have just drug it home and done dry runs for some of my neighbors. I have yet to put a bale of hay on it.

Thanks for the added feedback, I figured you were close. We may even have some mutual friends in the area.

I called D&M today. One other selling point they mentioned over the phone is that the trailer mounted unit is just bolted on and is exactly the same as the truck version. It can be swapped to a flatbed with just 4 bolts and the electrical connection. Looks like I need to find some time between now and hay feeding season to head up to Prineville.

Scott

 

[Dave]

Thanks for the added feedback, I figured you were close. We may even have some mutual friends in the area.

I called D&M today. One other selling point they mentioned over the phone is that the trailer mounted unit is just bolted on and is exactly the same as the truck version. It can be swapped to a flatbed with just 4 bolts and the electrical connection. Looks like I need to find some time between now and hay feeding season to head up to Prineville.

Scott

So where do you live? I am out of Durkee.