Hay rings with the skirts at the bottom ?

[sstterry]

I have no interest in ever buying another steel hay ring after using the poly feeders. These are tough as all get-out but they're a royal PITA to assemble.

Why are they better?

The poly is almost indestructible. Lightweight and they won't rust out like metal feeders.

 

[cfpinz]

I have no interest in ever buying another steel hay ring after using the poly feeders. These are tough as all get-out but they're a royal PITA to assemble.

Why are they better?

The poly is almost indestructible. Lightweight and they won't rust out like metal feeders.

Pretty much covered it. I can flip them up with one hand and roll them, easier on my back. Plus I can slam into them with the bale trucks and not hurt them, and picking them up with the arms to carry them to another farm doesn't distort them permanently like a steel feeder.

I still have 2 steel feeders in service that I bought 22 years ago, but barely. The ones I've bought in the last 10 years are lucky if they make it 5 years anymore.

On a typical year I only use feeders during the shoulder seasons when the cows aren't eating much hay, so they spend more time sitting empty than in use. With all of the rain this year (65" at my house from May thru Dec) I've been using the feeders more than usual.

Century sells a kit that adds more vertical uprights and closes in the bottom section with a skirt, should help with hay conservation. Would be interested in knowing what they cost, but all of the local distributors give me a blank stare when I ask about them.

 

[cfpinz]

I have no interest in ever buying another steel hay ring after using the poly feeders. These are tough as all get-out but they're a royal PITA to assemble. Bought a pallet of them last week and I'm guessing 30-50% of the holes didn't line up when we put them together. Cheapest I've found local is $250/ea.

http://www.centurylivestockfeeders.com/products.html

I am picking up one on Saturday. Based on the difficulty of assembly, I had them put it together for an extra $25. Mine was $279 assembled.

I put 5 of them together on New Year's. Did the first one by myself in about 45 minutes and didn't have to drill a single hole. Wife helped with the other 4 and they probably took an hour a piece and had to drill a half dozen holes in each, so I'm blaming her.

I wish Century would ship them without drilling holes in the rings, just the uprights. Place marks on the rings where the uprights attach and let the assembler drill their own holes, would cut the assembly time in half.

I'd suggest that when you get yours home, pull all of the locknuts off and put a drop of blue Loctite on the bolts and reassemble.

 

[skyhightree1]

No thanks

 

[Stocker Steve]

No thanks

Need to buy several at a time so you can mix and match surviving sections after the rings get a couple years old. :nod:

 

[Dave]

I went to using the Powder River hay rings. They cost about double what the cheap ones do but seem to last 4 times longer. I brought two of them with me when I moved. I don't know what I will do with them here because over 90% of the hay is put into big squares.

 

[elkwc]

We are buying the poly feeders. Bought one Century feeder for 259 and a few from Atwoods for 224.00. Too early to make a fair comparison. The Century rep says a bar kit saves more hay than a skirt. The cone saves the most they say but costs much more. Plan to order a bar kit and try it.

 

[cfpinz]

We are buying the poly feeders. Bought one Century feeder for 259 and a few from Atwoods for 224.00. Too early to make a fair comparison. The Century rep says a bar kit saves more hay than a skirt. The cone saves the most they say but costs much more. Plan to order a bar kit and try it.

When you get a price on the bar and/or skirt kit I'd be curious to know what they are in your area.

 

[sstterry]

We are buying the poly feeders. Bought one Century feeder for 259 and a few from Atwoods for 224.00. Too early to make a fair comparison. The Century rep says a bar kit saves more hay than a skirt. The cone saves the most they say but costs much more. Plan to order a bar kit and try it.

When you get a price on the bar and/or skirt kit I'd be curious to know what they are in your area.

I am not sure about the bar kit, but the skirt kit is $60.

https://www.tworiversks.coop/pages/custom.php?id=19999

 

[cfpinz]

We are buying the poly feeders. Bought one Century feeder for 259 and a few from Atwoods for 224.00. Too early to make a fair comparison. The Century rep says a bar kit saves more hay than a skirt. The cone saves the most they say but costs much more. Plan to order a bar kit and try it.

When you get a price on the bar and/or skirt kit I'd be curious to know what they are in your area.

I am not sure about the bar kit, but the skirt kit is $60.

https://www.tworiversks.coop/pages/custom.php?id=19999

Thanks!

 

[TCRanch]

When you get a price on the bar and/or skirt kit I'd be curious to know what they are in your area.

I am not sure about the bar kit, but the skirt kit is $60.

https://www.tworiversks.coop/pages/custom.php?id=19999

Thanks!

Side note: you can't ask for better customer service than Two Rivers! They have never charged us extra for buying a Century ring pre-assembled, they go above and beyond to help you, active in the community (they always help sponsor events) and Norm & Dave always give me free Two Rivers hats :tiphat:

That said, curious how well the bar kit &/or skirt works so if anyone gets them please update.

 

[sstterry]

I am not sure about the bar kit, but the skirt kit is $60.

https://www.tworiversks.coop/pages/custom.php?id=19999

Thanks!

Side note: you can't ask for better customer service than Two Rivers! They have never charged us extra for buying a Century ring pre-assembled, they go above and beyond to help you, active in the community (they always help sponsor events) and Norm & Dave always give me free Two Rivers hats :tiphat:

That said, curious how well the bar kit &/or skirt works so if anyone gets them please update.

I had to pay $25 at my local co-op for assembly. But glad I did

 

[talltimber]

http://www.randclivestockequipment.com/products1.html


I think these are better than others that I have seen. I have five of them, three of which belonged to my Dad and Grandpa. They are probably 10-15 yrs old and can't tell apart from the two I bought a few yrs ago.

 

[TCRanch]

Thanks!

Side note: you can't ask for better customer service than Two Rivers! They have never charged us extra for buying a Century ring pre-assembled, they go above and beyond to help you, active in the community (they always help sponsor events) and Norm & Dave always give me free Two Rivers hats :tiphat:

That said, curious how well the bar kit &/or skirt works so if anyone gets them please update.

I had to pay $25 at my local co-op for assembly. But glad I did

We've assembled 2. It's a testament to the strength of our marriage. Oh, the profanities! Even if they did charge extra for assembly, I would gladly pay it.

 

[TCRanch]

http://www.randclivestockequipment.com/products1.html


I think these are better than others that I have seen. I have five of them, three of which belonged to my Dad and Grandpa. They are probably 10-15 yrs old and can't tell apart from the two I bought a few yrs ago.

Those look pretty heavy-duty. Ever have an unfortunate incident with their heads getting stuck or a cow getting injured with her head between the slats? That would be my only concern.

 

[elkwc]

We are buying the poly feeders. Bought one Century feeder for 259 and a few from Atwoods for 224.00. Too early to make a fair comparison. The Century rep says a bar kit saves more hay than a skirt. The cone saves the most they say but costs much more. Plan to order a bar kit and try it.

When you get a price on the bar and/or skirt kit I'd be curious to know what they are in your area.

Plan to order obe Monday so will let you know price.

 

[sstterry]

http://www.randclivestockequipment.com/products1.html


I think these are better than others that I have seen. I have five of them, three of which belonged to my Dad and Grandpa. They are probably 10-15 yrs old and can't tell apart from the two I bought a few yrs ago.

I like the looks of those. do you know the cost? I can't any on the site.

 

[talltimber]

I have never had any trouble TC. They have practically as many models/dimensions as you would want. One of the older ones they got for the weaned calf pen, it's verticals are closer together. All the rest I have are a little wider.

sstterry, they are high, but can't find a price list now. I thought I had one somewhere or a pic of one. It's been a few yrs since I bought the last ones. MFA has a truck that goes by the MFA plant/shop where they are made and delivers to Sedalia I believe. They then sent them on the regular route truck to a dealer close to me. Worked out pretty good. They didn't have any on the lot at the dealer.

All I've seen around here have been the Century's. Bars too far apart, and way more flimsy due to that I think. These things are solid, and took load straps to get put together, pia. I can't remember for sure if we had to redrill/wallow out any pre drilled holes. Wasn't many of them, if we did.

I think these models I have are the 52-24 and 52-18, iirc.

 

[jd720]

I wound up just getting a regular Tarter gate feeder from TSC. I was going to go ahead and try one with the skirt but when I looked at them the skirted feeder was made with bigger diameter tubing but it was much thinner. The skirted one was probably 16 ga. and the one I got was 14 ga.

 

[elkwc]

I have never had any trouble TC. They have practically as many models/dimensions as you would want. One of the older ones they got for the weaned calf pen, it's verticals are closer together. All the rest I have are a little wider.

sstterry, they are high, but can't find a price list now. I thought I had one somewhere or a pic of one. It's been a few yrs since I bought the last ones. MFA has a truck that goes by the MFA plant/shop where they are made and delivers to Sedalia I believe. They then sent them on the regular route truck to a dealer close to me. Worked out pretty good. They didn't have any on the lot at the dealer.

All I've seen around here have been the Century's. Bars too far apart, and way more flimsy due to that I think. These things are solid, and took load straps to get put together, pia. I can't remember for sure if we had to redrill/wallow out any pre drilled holes. Wasn't many of them, if we did.

I think these models I have are the 52-24 and 52-18, iirc.

The Century we have is very sturdy and has a 7 year full replacent warranty. I know two PB breeders using them in their bull pastures and they really like them. The issue we have is the weight of the good metal ones. And have never found a metal one with a warranty even the 600 dollar one we have.