How to Make a Covered Hay Feeder

A covered hay feeder consists simply of a roof over a trough or rack. Since it is a simple concept, there can be many variations. The overriding considerations are strength or durability, ease of maintenance and allowing the farm animal access to dry hay.

Things You'll Need

• 2 treated wooden posts, 4 by 4 inches by 10 feet
• Treated wooden post, 4 by 4 inches by 8 feet
• 6 treated boards, 2 by 4 inches by 8 feet
• Post hole digger
• Plywood, 4 by 8 feet
• Lattice panel, 4 by 8 feet
• 2 sheets of corrugated steel, 3 by 8 feet
• Nails

Instructions

1. 

   Using a post-hole digger, dig two holes 2 feet deep spaced 4 feet apart. Set each post in a hole and pack dirt to make firm.

2. 

   Connect the upright posts one to the other by using two 4-foot sections of 4 by 4-inch by 8-foot post. Attach one section to the very top of the posts (8 feet off the ground) and the other to the bottom (between 12 and 18 inches off the ground).

3. 

   Attach a 2 by 4 inch by 4-foot board centered (cross member) across the outside of each upright post approximately 2 feet below the top of the post. Using angle cuts, attach 2 by 4-inch supports from the end of the cross member to the top of the upright post on each side to create the rafters for the roof of the unit.

4. Cut a plywood board to fit the two rafter sections and nail into place on the rafters. Cover the plywood with tin, corrugated steel or shingles because exposed plywood will not survive the elements for long.

5. Attach a 2 by 4-inch by 3-foot board, centered on the inside of the upright posts at 3 feet from the ground. Using angle cuts, attach 2 by 4-inch boards to the lower cross member at the ends and the upright posts 18 inches from the ground. Attach this lower cross member on the inside of the upright posts. Set the supports on the inside of the upright support posts to provide support for the lattice panel trough to hold the hay.

6. 

   Cut and nail lattice panels to form the trough of the covered hay feeder. Apply the lattice panel sides inside the support triangles (cross member and attached sides) rather than outside to improve the strength of the trough. Add a support board along the top and bottom edges of each lattice panel from one side to the other to frame the lattice for additional support and strength.

Tips & Warnings

• Lattice panels are only one of many choices. A solid trough would work, but hay is dusty and any moisture finding it's way into the trough will need to be eliminated from a solid trough or the hay will mold.

• If screws are used instead of nails, the overall strength of the trough will be enhanced.

• Adding more support rafters (upper or lower) will enhance strength to either the roof or the trough.

• Setting in concrete will strengthen the posts but should not be necessary.

• Failure to cover the plywood roof structure will cause it to deteriorate rapidly. Using corrugated steel panels will make it useful for many years.

References

• LSU Ag Center Biological and Agricultural Engineering: Covered Hay Trough