Whether you are a seasoned owner of a show barn or boarding facility, or a first-time barn owner with your horses at home, organizing the feed room can feel like an overwhelming task. Big Dee’s has you covered with tips to make arranging your feed room a breeze.
Let's Get Organized!
- Use a Feed Cart
A Feed Cart could be a great addition to your feed room, especially if you run a larger facility and go through a few bags of grain a day. The cart is easy to push and can navigate all types of terrain. You can simply push the feed cart down the aisle as you feed versus making multiple trips back to the feed room, making feeding the horses more efficient. *edit here* You can also put Dry Erase Feed Charts on your horses' stall fronts with the feed they receive, this way, when you’re rolling down the aisle, you know what each horse needs. They’re easy to adjust as needed since they are erasable, and in the event someone who doesn’t typically feed has to feed the horses, they know exactly what each individual horse needs.
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Put Grain in Locking Feed Bins
Whether you feed one grain or multiple different types of grain, putting your grain in a bin such as the Horsemen’s Pride Feed Bin or the Tuff Stuff Feed Storage Bin helps keep your feed room well-arranged and tidy. On top of the bins assisting with neatness of the feed room, it also ensures insects and critters cannot get into the grain. Typically, you can fit multiple bags of the same grain into a single bin. You will want to ensure that grain is completely used before refilling the bin or remove the old grain and put it in a container or feed scoop while you refill it so that the older grain is used up and not sitting at the bottom of the bin.
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Create a Feeding Chart using a Whiteboard
Invest in a larger whiteboard that you can safely hang in your feed room. On this whiteboard, write out each horse’s name, and make it into a chart format for what they get fed for breakfast, lunch (if applicable) and dinner. You can put how many flakes of hay the horse gets for each meal, how many pounds of grain (and the grain type, e.g., oats or Kalm N Ez), and supplements (if applicable). It is also easy to apply any necessary changes on the whiteboard; Even if you are the only one feeding, in the event someone needs to fill in for you, they know what each horse needs. A Feeding Chart on a Whiteboard also allows you to make important notes, such as when you may need to re-order a certain type of grain, or if a horse needs his grain soaked when fed.
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Label, Label, Label!
Label everything, from the grains name in the feed bin, to medications and supplements and which horse(s) it is used for, as well as the administration instructions if not already clearly listed on the bottle or tube. Ensure the names are clearly written on each label and easy to read. If you’re feeling extra creative and want to be super organized, you could color coordinate buckets and/or personalize the bucket with the horse’s name. Here’s an example of a utility bucket that you can personalize and store your horse’s grain in.
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Supplements
You will want to ensure that you store your supplements in a safe dry place. The Burlingham Sports Storage Bin is a great addition for your feed room to put multiple supplement containers in. It is always a good idea to separate your supplements from your grain to prevent cross contamination. There are some supplements that may show up as positive test on a drug screen and this will help prevent that from happening. Another great idea would be to put your supplements in separate containers labeled by day. You can either leave these in the feed room or you can use a Portable Folding Basket on your stall. Not only does this basket allow you to store supplement containers on the front of your stall, but it also includes three hooks that allow you to place your halter and lead rope on it.
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Use Feed Scoops
Using feed scoops is a great way to ensure your grain is accurately measured for each individual horse. Our Big Dees Feed Scoop shows measurements on the side to ensure you give the perfect amount to your horse(s). If you prefer a cup over a scoop, but still want visible measurements, you could also add this Surescoop Feed Scoop to your collection. If you have 2-3 different grains, one way to organize could be getting a different color feed scoop for each type of grain.
To wrap things up…
Remember, one of the most crucial parts of feed room organization is keeping your feed room neat & tidy. I is super important to take a quick moment to sweep your feed room, wipe the counters of any spillage and take out the trash. Doing so will significantly reduce the chance of pesky critters and insects from raiding the feed room and ensure supplements or different types of grain do not get cross contaminated.
We hope with the above tips, making changes to your feed room or building a feed room can be refreshing and exciting rather than stressful and daunting. Don’t forget that the horse care experts at Big Dee’s are always happy to help with any questions. We can be reached by live chat on our website at www.bigdweb.com from Monday-Friday 8:00am-7:00pm and on Saturday from 8:00am-5:00pm or by calling us between those hours at 330-626-5000 or 800-321-2142.
