Loaded with a full bale
I have found that my hay nets will hold a full small square bale of hay. They are working great and I’ve gotten into a routine. Every 5-6 days, I empty out the dregs, about a flake or two of what they have picked through and left and spread it in the paddock for them to nibble on. The hay that I am feeding right now was cut from a local field that had not been really managed for horse hay, so it does have some stuff in it that they don’t care too much for. If it were nicer hay, there would likely be none left. Still, it is less waste than I had before using these nets. My stalls are easier to clean too.
Then I toss down a bale from the loft into each stall. I have two right now. I cut the strings and load the hay net in stacks, about 3-4 flakes at a time. Sometimes it is a little bit of a stretch to close the nets at first, but not too difficult.
Then I am worry free about their hay for the next few days! I love it.
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Again, how much did each net cost? I am hoping to make two of them for my horses before I leave and where did you order the nets from?
I bought enough netting for my two nets for just under $30 with shipping from http://www.arizonasportsequipment.com/equipment/puck-containment/barrier-safety-netting/
I got 8 linear feet of the 10′ barrier netting. If I have to make these again, I might spring for the goal netting. It’s quite a bit stronger and thicker. These have not torn yet, but eventually they probably will. I have had to replace a section of the seam, where I didn’t catch enough netting and a couple of edge loops have torn through.
Then I bought the cheap caribiners at Target, 2 in a pack for $3. I use 5 for each net, so that added $15 cost to my two nets, for a total of about $45/two. The baling twine to lace them up on the sides was free, of course.