Hay Racks - Homemade

[Shades]

Hi,

At the moment, the hay is spread over the fleece and I'm thinking of making an above-floor hay rack to ensure that there's always some unsullied hay available.

I've got some ideas, but I'm really looking for inspiration. The cage is self-made with wood and chicken wire, so there are suitable places to hang the rack from.

The only thing that I've considered is that it needs to allow the pigs to lean their front feet on it whilst they are picking out the hay. what kind of opening is best to make them 'work' for their hay. I don't want them pulling it all out in one go!

Please post pics of your custom hay racks.

Thanks.

 

[Member AR4]

Hi this is my design.
The rack is a wire shelf I got from bargain madness (2 for £5). I then used a piece of acrylic (hard to see) that I bent to stop hay from falling out of the cage when I am filling the rack. I then used the bottom of a draw as shown to help guide the hay towards the front of the rack (I use a piece of polycarbonate now). Without this piece hay collects at the bottom that the pigs cannot access.

They hold a lot. Some people like racks some people hate them.

 

[Shades]

Thanks Mark. That's really helpful. I can see that I need to make the hay holder in a triangular shape with a solid back.
My pigs like to run around the edge of their cage so I wouldn't want to have it to the floor. Two corners are free; maybe I could make it toblerone shape and fit it in the corner.

 

[Member AR4]

Thanks Mark. That's really helpful. I can see that I need to make the hay holder in a triangular shape with a solid back.
My pigs like to run around the edge of their cage so I wouldn't want to have it to the floor. Two corners are free; maybe I could make it toblerone shape and fit it in the corner.

Yeah if I make a bigger enclosure in the future the rack will be integrated in a triangular shape