BUILD YOUR OWN ALPACA FEEDERWe made our own alpaca feeder for pellets after one of our alpacas choked. This page contains our plan for building the feeder in the photo.
Cut one (1) back, one (1) front, two (2) ends, and two (2) inside braces from 1/2" plywood. Nail the 6" straight side of one of the ends to the back piece. Nail the end of the front to the angled side of the end piece. It should look like the photo below.
Repeat on the other end. Put the inside braces 30" on center and nail in place. Turn the feeder over. Place the wire mesh over the bottom and staple in place. Rip the 8' 1x2 in half and nail one piece over the wire mesh on the bottom edge of the front and nail the other piece over the bottom edge of the back to hold the mesh in place.
We drilled holes in the back piece and wired the feeder to the catch pen. You could nail it to a wall. The wire mesh is great because rain doesn't pool in the feeder. Spread the pellets in a single layer. Spreading the pellets makes the alpacas pick up fewer pellets at a time lessening the possibility of choking. Three alpacas can feed at each feeder. Make a couple of feeders to avoid crowding.
Feel free to use and modify this plan anyway you want. Do what works for you. Whatever alpaca feeder you use for pellets, be sure you can spread the pellets in a thin layer so that you don't have to watch an alpaca choke and wonder if they are going to survive.
Return from alpaca feeder to information on alpacas.
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