Ideas for wooden feed bins for show barn

[lawman]

We are trying to design some permanent wooden feed bins for the feed room in our new show barn; and are looking for ideas. We will be hand scooping feed out of each bin to custom mix feed for show calves, cows, calves on creep. etc. We think we will need three bins side by side, with each having a capacity of between 1500 and 2500 lbs. of feed. We have some rough ideas, but are getting pretty confused trying to design simple doors for each bin, make them mouse and raccoon proof, easy to clean out, accessible by the bulk feed truck, and somewhat affordable. Pictures, plans or ideas would be welcome; and when we get done we will take pictures to post as well, if there is any interest.

 

[AAOK]

Here is an idea. They may have already installed this application for someone.

Arrowhead Plastic Engineering, Inc. - Muncie, IN
Distributor, Manufacturer, Custom Manufacturer, Manufacturers' Rep, Service Company
Company Profile: Polyethylene, Fiberglass, Steel & Fabricated Tanks. Rigid & Flexible Liners & Containment. Providing Storage & Containment Systems For Many Applications. Single & Double Walled Polyethylene,...
http://www.arrowheadtanks.com/tanks.htm

 

[J.R.]

I've seen it setup with small bulk bins outside the barn and augers run through the wall into the feed room. You could turn on the auger and fill up a small bin inside and scoop out however much you needed for each feeding.

 

[lawman]

Thanks for both suggestions. We initially looked at using relatively small plastic or metal bins set outside the barn with a grinder and an auger on the bottom to feed the grain indoors as we needed it, but the costs greatly outweighed the benefits for us. We cash rent our tillable ground out, and have no on-farm bulk grain storage facilities at all. Even if we grow as planned, we would likely go through less than 15,000 lbs of grain a year for the whole herd. Since we buy grain from the local elevator and have them haul it to us anyway, it is only a small additional charge to have them crack the corn before delivery and also to have them make up a basic "oat-based" feed mix. We add the corn, plus any oil, molasses, medications, ionophores, extra beet pulp, etc. to that base mix as needed for each animal or group. The monetary benefits we see by building some storage of any type are primarily saving the cost of bagging the feed, and reducing the delivery charges by reducing the actual number of deliveries. We estimate the most we could save by switching to this system would be about $400 per year for the next few years anyway. We can build three wood bins that would share common walls for under $500 worth of material, and there would be no maintenance or energy costs. We have room in the feed area to build these L- shaped bins about 8 feet tall at the back and about 3 1/2 feet tall at the front, with a total depth from front to back of about six feet. We would vary the widths to make 3 bins of differing capacities, but in total we would be able to store about 4,000 lbs of bulk feed. We don't want to build this and and up redoing it, but so far we have only seen one example of a wooden bin design that appears to be well thought out at all.

 

[iowa08]

Will you post pic of your show barn

 

[lawman]

Dad and I spent about an hour on Christmas day trying to finalize a plan; and we finally ate enough fudge and cookies to come up with a rough plan for a couple of wooden bulk storage bins, a storage box for bagged feed, and a separate mixing table with a small metal lined hand mixing bin and a rack for the oil and molasses jugs. We had some flexibility, as when the barn was remodeled as a show barn 20 years ago we had created an 11 X 13 room on the front wall of the barn which was easily accessible by a bulk feed truck. Because we never really needed to finish that plan out until now, it had become the junk room. It took most of last week to clean the junk (or "dad's auction treasures" depending on your point of view) out of the room and then get it weather tight. However, we started on the actual construction work the day after Christmas. We are only working on it 3 or 4 hours a day; but it might be done by the end of the weekend if I trade-off some bowl game watching to instead play "wood butcher". I'll try to post some pictures when it is done; and also a couple of shots of the show barn while it is still clean.

 

[LiaisonHome]

Did you get your feed bins built? Would love to talk to you about it. We are working on show barn now and I have been trying to find something for the feed room. I was looking for wood or stainless steel. Thanks!

 

[lawman]

We did finish the bins about 3 years ago, and they are working great. Had to just create them based on a design I had seen in someone else's showbarn and make changes so it fit our barn and situation. Lots of detail, and lots of moving parts. I don't know if pictures would capture the details well enough to help you or not. Our feed guy said we should draw plans and sell them on the internet, as he had never seen anything like these. I simply don't have time to try to draw up plans someone else would easily understand They are all wood (frame is 2X4 or 2X6 and lots of 3/4 inch plywood) They are on a false floor to reduce moisture risk, and are all connnected with common side walls for stength and to reduce cost. We added a long narrow door at the top of the back wall of both bins (front of the barn) which can swing up so that the elevator's bulk truck can auger feed right into the correct bin at about an 8 foot height. The feed then gravity flows down into the wider lower section with a plywood lid with handles which can be lifted off so we can hand scoop feed out from inside the feed room. Ours are pretty small, as one bin holds about 3500 lb. and another holds about 2000 lb. I also built a square bin beside the two bulk bins that has a door on the front and a top that folds back that we use to store bagged feed, additives, etc, that keeps the mice and raccoons out of that as well. Metal bulk bins are easier than these and are great for just augering feed into a bucket to creep feed calves, or to hand feed cows. For show calves, these are the cat's meow. I also built a mixing bin with an aluminum liner on a table, which is great for custom mixing feed, adding oils, or other wet feed mixing etc. I can try to post some pictures if you think that would help, or we can figure out some way for you to contact me outside this forum (phone, for example). We are in central Indiana. If you are close enough to see them in person you are welcome to stop by.

 

[KNERSIE]

I must say I never expected lawman to respond to LiasonHome's post 5 years after the thread started, but well done for doing so, didn't know you were still around.

 

[alisonb]

Wow, and a prompt reply too! Just shows you - always expect the unexpected.... :?....but then the unexpected becomes expected. Sooo..... there must be no such thing as unexpected.........

 

[BridgeViewAngus]

lawman~ I'd like to see a picture of your setup. I'm more of a visual learner. We are trying to figure out a feed set up for show calves. thanks

 

[lawman]

Need the sun to come out to get decent pics, and the hay up to have time. I also need my kids to help me figure out how to post pictures from my phone camera. I will try. Any chance you are going to the NJAS in Penn. in mid-July. We are showing, and I could bring pics with me? BTW - this site automatically notified me via email of your post, as I had not been monitoring this site the last couple of years. Alisonb might want to stop reading those philosophy books. Going in circles will make your head pointy.