mncowboy
Well-known member
building a stationary loading chute and I'm curious how wide it should be, I'm thinking 36''.
Thanks
Thanks
how wide should a loading chute be?
- Thread starter mncowboy
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jedstivers
Well-known member
What are you loading?
Makes a difference. Adjustable is best if you can do it.
I'll measure mine. I can't remember what it is.
I had to set some panels in my working chute cause it's to wide.
Makes a difference. Adjustable is best if you can do it.
I'll measure mine. I can't remember what it is.
I had to set some panels in my working chute cause it's to wide.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
mncowboy":2a4c5uh2 said:
28 to 30 inches.
No wider or you will have lots of train wrecks
callmefence
Keyboard cowboy
Load out for stock trailers. I like about 6 to 7 feet. A trailer with single or double doors can be backed in snug and doors opened inside Alley.
Working chute..28"
Edit to add.... make sure you make your header high enough to clear your trailer doors.
Working chute..28"
Edit to add.... make sure you make your header high enough to clear your trailer doors.
ALACOWMAN
Well-known member
like one stuck trying to turn back, while another one jumped on top of it...Bigfoot":2g164kzi said:
JW IN VA
Well-known member
Truck chute is less than 36" It's on an inline down so a 4X6 bolted across the front keeps the truck from hitting the top and lea ving a hole to step throughALACOWMAN":zm9r3das said:
Trailer alley is around 8'
Yes,do watch the crossmember height.
Rafter S
Well-known member
I've put some big cattle through 28" chutes, and had 600 pound calves turn around and come back at me in some that weren't much wider than that.
Workinonit Farm
Well-known member
Ours is 29". I've only had 1 bull, over the years, that could barely squeeze through it.
Supa Dexta
Well-known member
Ground load trailers I have mine at like 8 ft, so they all run on in a group. For pot loads and chutes single file @ 28". I have had 2000lb+ cows use it no problems.
Like everyone has already stated, no more than 30"!
jedstivers
Well-known member
Mine is 31" and to many turned around in it. Have panels in making it 27" and a big cow/bull goes through fine but a 4wt calf can't turn either.
My chute for the pots is also 27".
My chute for the pots is also 27".
Ours is too wide for calves...so we have corral panels sitting around to block the road at times and I store them in the loading chute. We'll leave them if we are loading calves, we'll take it out if we are loading cows.....They narrow it up just a little for the calves..
Besides the above applicable comments I have had these other two problems: My last bull, weighing in at around 1800-2000 couldn't clear the top of the squeeze gate and make it into the trailer backed up to the gate.....6' wide 18' tandem covered stock trailer, combo swing and slide rear gate. Had to pull forward leaving a gap (that calves would have gotten out of) to get him in....glad I had the cows loaded first to give him an incentive to continue on in.
Next problem has been weiners - yearlings getting their head stuck below the bottom rail on welded sucker rod loading chute. As listed above, making the chute wide enough to get the bulls through made problems for loading the little guys. Solved by adding cattle panels inside the rails of the chute.
As stated above, adjustable or if you are a BTO two different chutes for different sized animals.
The other thing I really like is the rotating gate (single point pivot) to follow the animals into the chute with locks along the way. That has come in handy more than once to keep them in and going and not hurting me in the process, working alone as I do.
Next problem has been weiners - yearlings getting their head stuck below the bottom rail on welded sucker rod loading chute. As listed above, making the chute wide enough to get the bulls through made problems for loading the little guys. Solved by adding cattle panels inside the rails of the chute.
As stated above, adjustable or if you are a BTO two different chutes for different sized animals.
The other thing I really like is the rotating gate (single point pivot) to follow the animals into the chute with locks along the way. That has come in handy more than once to keep them in and going and not hurting me in the process, working alone as I do.
coalburner
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I've had pretty decent success with 28-30 inch chutes, also have filled up last 8 foot of chute with dirt to about 12" on trailer end back to 0. This helps calves not to have to jump up into trailer. They just step right out of chute into trailer. Seems to help load out really well.
Rafter S
Well-known member
I've helped people load cattle where they had to go through the squeeze chute. I hate it with a purple passion. If you can it's much better to have your squeeze chute opening back into your working pen, and a separate, open top chute to load from. Safer too.
callmefence
Keyboard cowboy
The problem with a narrow load out comes when a trailer with swinging doors backs up to.
You can't back up flush unless you fold the doors on the outside of the chute. Then you can't close the doors without pulling up.
There's a difference in a working chute and a load out. A load out should be wide enough to back the trailer in flush and open the door inside the chute.
Take a look at the salebarn....not the ramp for pots. Where they load trailers.
You can't back up flush unless you fold the doors on the outside of the chute. Then you can't close the doors without pulling up.
There's a difference in a working chute and a load out. A load out should be wide enough to back the trailer in flush and open the door inside the chute.
Take a look at the salebarn....not the ramp for pots. Where they load trailers.
Rafter S
Well-known member
Fence,
That's why I don't buy trailers with batwing doors. I don't have a separate working chute, and besides, I don't want cattle turning around and coming back at me when I'm trying to load them.
That's why I don't buy trailers with batwing doors. I don't have a separate working chute, and besides, I don't want cattle turning around and coming back at me when I'm trying to load them.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Designed mine for both.Rafter S":3gbm0rmq said:
