6 Best Hay Feeders To Reduce Hay Waste In Windy Areas Old Farmers Swear By
Costly hay waste from wind is a common problem. These 6 farmer-approved feeders use smart designs to keep hay contained, saving you money and labor.
There’s nothing more frustrating than putting out a fresh, expensive bale of hay only to watch a third of it blow across the pasture like tumbleweeds. That isn’t just waste; it’s hard-earned money and animal nutrition vanishing on the wind. Choosing the right feeder for an exposed, blustery property isn’t a luxury—it’s a critical part of managing your feed bill and keeping your animals healthy.
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Tackling Hay Waste in High-Wind Pastures
Wind is the invisible thief of the hobby farm. It doesn’t just scatter loose hay; it actively pulls flakes apart, carrying the most nutritious leafy material away and leaving nothing but tough, unappealing stems. A standard open-slat round bale feeder or a simple hay rack becomes a liability, acting more like a whisk than a container.
The core principle of a good wind-proof feeder is simple: create a physical barrier. You need something that blocks the wind from getting under the hay and lifting it out. This usually means solid sides, a low profile, or some kind of cover. Without this protection, you’re essentially funding a massive compost pile at the far end of your fenceline.
This isn’t just about lost feed, either. Hay that gets blown around is quickly trampled into the mud and contaminated with manure, making it unpalatable and unsafe for your livestock. A feeder that contains the hay also keeps it clean. Solving the wind problem often solves the sanitation problem at the same time.
Tarter Equine Hay Basket: The Solid-Sided Champ
The beauty of the Tarter Hay Basket is its simplicity. It’s basically a heavy-duty steel basket with solid sides and a removable slow-feed grate that sits on top of the hay. That solid-sided construction is the key to its success in windy locations. The wind simply can’t get a purchase on the hay to lift it out.
This design is ideal for feeding a few horses, goats, or sheep with small square bales or portions of a large round bale. The grate on top does double duty. It not only keeps the hay packed down and safe from gusts, but it also forces the animals to eat more slowly by pulling strands through the openings. This reduces the frantic, wasteful mouthfuls where an animal grabs a huge bite, slings its head, and drops half of it on the ground.
HayChix Hay Net: Best for Slow-Feeding Control
Reduce hay waste and promote healthy digestion with the Hay Chix slow feed hay net. Made from durable, UV-treated marine-grade nylon, this half bale net features a patented closure for easy filling and secure feeding.
A hay net might not seem like a frontline defense against wind, but it’s one of the most effective tools when used correctly. The small openings in the net force animals to nibble, drastically reducing the amount of hay that can be pulled out and dropped at any one time. Less loose hay on the ground means less hay for the wind to grab.
The trick is you can’t just hang a net from a fence post in a gale; it will become a hay-filled pendulum. The best strategy is to place the hay net inside a secondary container that acts as a windbreak. A low-sided rubber water trough, a heavy-duty poly stock tank, or even a simple homemade wooden box works perfectly. This combination gives you the wind-blocking power of a solid feeder and the waste-reducing benefit of a slow-feed net.
Behlen Titan Bull Feeder: Heavy-Duty Group Choice
When you’re feeding a small herd of cattle or a group of horses from a round bale, you need a solution built for scale and stability. The Behlen Titan feeder, or others like it, is that solution. Its main advantage is its sheer mass and, most importantly, the solid metal "skirt" around the bottom third of the feeder.
That skirt is the critical wind-fighting feature. It prevents air from rushing in at ground level and hollowing out the bottom of the bale, which is often where the waste begins. This feeder is incredibly heavy and won’t be pushed around by livestock or wind, ensuring the bale stays contained. While it’s a significant investment, it can pay for itself in a single season on a very windy farm by preventing the loss of hundreds of pounds of hay.
High Country Ground Feeder: Low-Profile Stability
Sometimes the best way to beat the wind is to stay out of its way. A low-profile ground feeder, typically made of thick, durable polyethylene, does exactly that. Its low center of gravity makes it virtually impossible to tip over, and its solid, tub-like design provides an excellent barrier against wind that scours the ground.
These feeders are fantastic for promoting a natural grazing posture, which is better for an animal’s digestion and respiratory health. Because the hay is sitting below the strongest currents of wind, it stays put. This is also one of the safest designs out there, with no sharp metal edges or leg traps, making it a reliable choice for pastures with mixed-age animals or horses that play rough with their equipment.
Century Covered Bale Feeder: Ultimate Bale Shield
Slow down your horse's feeding with the Aoneky Hay Net. This durable, knotless nylon net fits 36x18x18 inch square bales and features a 1.5-inch opening to extend feeding time.
If you’re looking for the "buy once, cry once" solution to hay waste, a covered feeder is it. These feeders feature a full roof that protects a round bale from rain, sun, and—most importantly—wind. The roof acts as a giant shield, deflecting wind up and over the hay instead of letting it tear at the top of the bale.
This is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it option for round bales in highly exposed areas. By keeping the hay completely dry and shielded from the wind, you can see waste drop to almost zero. The initial cost is high, no question about it. But when you calculate the cost of losing 30% of every single bale to the elements, a covered feeder quickly starts to look like a very sound financial decision.
Tough-1 Hay Hoops: Best Option for Run-In Sheds
The most effective windbreak you have is often a building. Instead of fighting the wind in the open pasture, you can move the feeding station into a run-in shed or barn. The Tough-1 Hay Hoop is a perfect tool for this strategy. It’s a simple, wall-mounted, collapsible ring designed to hold flakes of hay or an entire slow-feed hay net.
By feeding inside, you’ve already eliminated 90% of the wind problem. The Hay Hoop simply provides a safe and tidy way to offer the hay, keeping it off the floor where it could get soiled or peed on. It keeps the eating area clean and contained, ensuring that even indoor drafts don’t scatter the valuable leaves from your alfalfa. This is a smart, low-cost way to use your existing infrastructure to your advantage.
Feeder Placement and Other Wind-Beating Tips
Even the best feeder will fail if you put it in the wrong spot. Never place a feeder on the crest of a hill. Instead, use the land to your advantage. Tuck the feeder into a low-lying area, on the lee side of a thick stand of trees, or behind a barn or other outbuilding. Observe the prevailing wind direction on your property and place the feeder where it will be naturally sheltered.
A few other old tricks can make a huge difference on brutally windy days.
- Pack it tight. When filling a feeder with flakes, don’t just toss them in. Stack them tightly and push them down. Denser hay is harder for the wind to pull apart.
- Feed less, more often. Putting out a full day’s worth of hay gives the wind more time to work on it. Feeding smaller amounts in the morning and evening means less hay is exposed at any given moment.
- Use a temporary cover. A small, heavy-duty tarp secured with bungee cords over the top of a round bale feeder can provide a surprising amount of protection during a windstorm. It’s not a permanent solution, but it’s a great emergency fix.
In the end, a good hay feeder isn’t an expense; it’s an investment that pays you back with every bale you save. By matching the right feeder design to your specific needs and property, you can stop feeding the wind and start keeping that hard-earned nutrition in your animals.
