▪When you have to pick up a "bull proof" round mineral feeder by hand, how do you get ahold of it? You have to get one hand under the lower edge of the feeder (not easy to do!), and tip it up enough to get your other hand under the other side. But they are called "bull proof" for a reason: there is nothing about these feeders that is easy to get ahold of, or to lift up onto a UTV or pickup truck bed.
▪What if it is stuck in the mud? You might have to use a pry bar, steel post, or other tool to get the lower edge of the feeder raised enough to grab it. In any case, your hand or glove—and maybe your pants—will be muddy when you're done lifting and moving the feeder.
▪What if it is stuck in the mud and has 75 pounds of salt or mineral in it? Getting the feeder picked up out of the mud will be even tougher, and lifting it up onto the back of a pickup truck or UTV will be harder still: the feeder's large diameter and extra weight make it clumsy to lift and keep balanced. Having the feeder tip and spill out some mineral is an all-too-common occurrence.
Handle-It™ solves all of these problems...
Makes the feeder easy to pick up for lifting and carrying.
Center-mounted handle makes the feeder easy to pick up and move...without spilling mineral.
Sturdy enough to pick up with a bale spear or chain—even when loaded with salt or mineral and stuck in the mud.
If the rubber top flap of your feeder is held on by a single bolt in the center, you should be able to use the Handle-It™ with no problem. Examples:
The supplied 9/16" x 3" bolt works with most feeders, but if the bolt hole on your feeder is smaller you can substitute a smaller bolt and washer in place of the supplied bolt.
We are working to adapt Handle-It™ to other mineral feeder types.
Pass the bolt through the feeder's original plastic washer (saved in step 1), then through the feeder's rubber top flap and through the center hole of the feeder's base. (If necessary for your feeder, you may substitute a longer, shorter, or different diameter bolt than the one supplied.)
If possible, tip the locking pliers sideways into one of the narrow divider channels in the bottom of the feeder, as shown below. With luck, the divider channel will prevent the locking pliers from turning as you tighten the bolt head on top of the feeder in the next step.
Set the feeder back down, then tighten the bolt using a socket or wrench. If the locking pliers (step 5) rotate instead of staying in place, you may have to tip the feeder on its side again and hold them with one hand while you tighten the bolt on top with the other hand.
Alternate method: You can attach the locking pliers to the bolt head (on top of the feeder), then use a socket and long extension to tighten the nut on the bottom of the feeder.
Do not over-tighten the bolt, or you might damage the feeder. You are tightening against plastic and rubber, not steel, so the bolt only needs to be snug.
"With Handle-It™ installed, won't the feeder be easier to turn over?"
No. This design has been used in a beef cattle operation for over 10 years with no increase in animals turning feeders over. The rounded, center-mounted handle prevents animals from getting enough leverage on the feeder to turn it over.
"If I pick up a feeder using a bale spear, won't that be hard on the feeder?"
Generally not. Most feeders of this kind are made of very thick, tough, fiber-embedded plastic. However, we recommend using our optional heavy duty washer if you plan to frequently pick up and/or carry your feeder using a bale spear or chain.
"If the feeder is frozen down in deep mud, can I still pick it up with a bale spear?"
Maybe, but as with most things you have to use good judgment. In very deep frozen mud, there is some risk of damaging the feeder by trying to pick it up with a bale spear or chain, even with the optional heavy duty washer installed.
