Mineral Feeder Height?

[vt_mountainman]

Hi everyone! I am new to this forum, and new to raising sheep too. They are supposed to be coming next week, and I have been very busy building a small shed and putting up some fencing for them. I purchased a mineral feeder from TSC that mounts on the wall. The shetlands are small, and I'm not sure how high to mount it above the floor. I could wait until they get here to do it, but I really would like to have it all ready for them when they arrive. Does anyone have any recommendations for the mounting height of a mineral feeder?

 

[purplequeenvt]

Are you a fellow VTer?? I too have Shetlands (as well as Border Leicesters and various other creatures).

It's hard to say how high to put the feeder as Shetlands can vary in height and if you are getting lambs, they will be a lot smaller. I'd wait until they arrive to hang it.

 

[vt_mountainman]

Thank you for the welcome, and for the reply. Yes, I am a fellow Vermonter from the Fairfax area. I wanted to get everything done before the lambs arrive, but I also don't want to do things twice. Your suggestion to wait until they get here to hang the mineral feeder makes a lot of sense, so that's what I'm going to do!

 

[Ruus]

I brought home some pint-sized Soay lambs this spring, and had the same quandary. If your sheep act like mine, you'll have plenty of chances to adjust it. The feeder gets knocked off the wall at least once a week.

 

[SheepGirl]

I bought one of those fence line feeders that come with d clips and I just used the holes for the d clips and put bolts in them and bolted them to the wall in the sheep shack. It is about 1.5 feet off the ground. Only problem I have is I cant clean it out easily (dumping it) when a sheep poops in it.

I dont have shetlands, though...mine are babydoll southdown x montadale crosses and my lambs this yr are half texel.

 

[vt_mountainman]

That comment really made me laugh Ruus! Maybe I will have the same opportunities for adjusting it that you had!

SheepGirl, it's helpful to know about your feeder too. I need all the information I can get right now. I checked out the link to your website, and you sure have put together a lot of helpful information there for a beginner like me!

 

[vt_mountainman]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I did wait until my little Shetlands arrived to hang the mineral feeder. The top of the feeder is about 18" off the ground, and I used long screws to attach it solidly to the wall. It won't come off easily, but as you said SheepGirl, cleaning it out might be an issue. They need to stretch just a little bit to eat out of it right now, but as they get taller, and the bedding gets deeper, it should be just right!