Hay Feeder in the Rain?

[bubba1358]

I have a new hay feeder set up and I just noticed that it is out in the open and presently being rained on. The hay is stored in a dry area and set out in the feeder daily. Will it be a problem for my sheep if the daily hay gets wet?

 

[Andrei]

Hay + water = fermentation.

 

[bubba1358]

I realize that, which is why I store it dry. But will it ferment and/or become otherwise inedible or spoiled within 24 hours of being out? Seems to me it would be fine but i wanted to cross check my instincts.

 

[OneFineAcre]

I realize that, which is why I store it dry. But will it ferment and/or become otherwise inedible or spoiled within 24 hours of being out? Seems to me it would be fine but i wanted to cross check my instincts.

Getting wet will not cause it to spoil overnight. But, the question is will they eat it if it gets' wet. My goats will not eat hay that has gotten wet. A sheep person will have to answer as to how sheep feel about wet hay. Goats are kind of finicky about what they eat. I don't think sheep are as bad, but I don't know for sure.

 

[Bossroo]

I have fed hundreds of sheep in the rain with NO problems, even after 24 hours. However, when any feed gets wet, and based on the temperature, mold will start to grow which may cause digestive issues. Since hay / grain + water = fermentation, the sheep will start to party like a party animal that they are. Fermented feed ( silage ) is fed to cattle as a staple feed especially in the winter months. A dairy, just about 5 miles from our house, has several hundred tons of silage under plastic cover and feed it daily to their cows.

 

[Andrei]

And it has salt under the plastic and it is "pickled" fermented.
Or maybe I am wrong.

 

[SheepGirl]

My sheep will eat hay in tbe rain but they will not eat the hay if they leave and come back to it.

 

[bubba1358]

Thanks. I checked on them this morning as it has been raining for about 18 hours straight. They ate almost everything i left out. I scooped up the wet remains and replaced with a full feeder of dry. They stood in the rain and chowed down.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Thanks. I checked on them this morning as it has been raining for about 18 hours straight. They ate almost everything i left out. I scooped up the wet remains and replaced with a full feeder of dry. They stood in the rain and chowed down.

Then that's another difference in goats and sheep. Goats act like they will melt if it is raining.

 

[alsea1]

Can you construct a cover for the feeder