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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Dec 19 2015 :  12:19:36 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Here's a link that I found talking briefly about the hay carriers and litter carriers that MJ and Cindy were mentioning on another thread.

I really want to think about this for my dairy barn!

http://www.antiquefarming.com/barn/dairy.html

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens

CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Dec 19 2015 :  12:30:06 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote


This would be so great! No electricity needed ... where can one get one now? Or does one need to create their own?

See where you've got me thinking, Cindy?

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Dec 19 2015 :  5:47:00 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
charlene you totally made my day, thanks for doing the research and finding this stuff. i came across the old photo i spoke of some months ago, and then haven't found it since. honestly, finding lots of info on vintage mucking systems wasn't the easiest research project i have ever done - which surprised me, i expected to find a lot more info.

i so hope you work this into your dairy barn, it would be great to see.

Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Dec 19 2015 :  5:52:09 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
charlene, here is an e-book that talks about the old-fashioned James "litter carriers". i only read a bit but it seemed interesting, at least to us muck and manure obsessed people.

there are photos, diagrams of all the parts and installation, etc. pretty interesting.

https://books.google.com/books?id=C85BAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA223&lpg=PA223&dq=chore+boy+litter+carrier&source=bl&ots=Y0G14TOI4e&sig=KJJWvLLUpO-qgg-BX3RyO7ZjmZY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjD58GaqenJAhUENSYKHUL7CVYQ6AEIHTAA#v=onepage&q=chore%20boy%20litter%20carrier&f=false

Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")

Edited by - txbikergirl on Dec 19 2015 5:53:04 PM
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Dec 19 2015 :  6:01:15 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
and here are two more photos, one is a duplicate from the article link you posted charlene.


Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Dec 19 2015 :  6:07:44 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
i'm obsessed now. the correct term is "litter carrier" and knowing that opens up a whole new barn mucking world to me.

here is one in a modern photo, and the link to the article. http://www.jeffersoncountyiowa.com/barns/louden/h-litter.htm


Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")

Edited by - txbikergirl on Dec 19 2015 6:08:02 PM
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Andrea0509

155 Posts


Posted - Dec 19 2015 :  8:15:36 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Loved seeing the old diagrams. Glad I'm not alone in thinking this sort of thing is fascinating!

Hobby farming with my husband & two kids in beautiful Michigan ~ 1 Jersey; Miss Persimmon, 2 Olde English Southdown ewes; Lula & Clementine, and chickens to come Spring 2016. Loving the adventure!
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Dec 20 2015 :  7:05:18 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Cindy, you posted all the other links that I found as well! So fun! And, thanks for the e-book link ... I want to take some time reading it this week. I started to read a little ... reading the comments is pretty fun! One comment said that these carriers allow a 12 year old boy to do the work of an adult man in half the time! :-) sounds good to me!

What I can't find yet is anyone making new litter carriers or something of that order. But I'm wondering if we can just repurpose other things to create it ... I'd love to incorporate something of this type into our dairy barn. Something to make the work load easier, but not necessarily requiring electricity or other fuel.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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txbikergirl

3197 Posts


Posted - Dec 21 2015 :  7:20:52 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
charlene, you and i are on the same page. i too researched for modern day producers and found none. even scoured ebay a bit for old parts. thinking the design is simple enough for those of us not caring for 500 cows ;> and like you i want a simple manual system, no electrical or complicated mechanics. this excites me to no end. a girl needs a dream!

i'll keep you posted if i find anything new out.

Firefly Hollow Farm , our little farmstead. Farmgirl living in the green piney woods of East Texas on 23 acres with a few jerseys, too many chickens, a pair of pugs and my Texan hubby (aka "lover boy")
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Dec 21 2015 :  9:43:08 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I've searched ebay as well! And craigslist nationwide ... nothing found. Yes, please let me know what you find if anything. I'm thinking, too, that this might be able to be installed at a later date as long as I plan space for it. Or would a two-wheeled wheelbarrow do the same thing?? I'm thinking of the track and potential sticky points as one would pull/push the litter carrier. Oiling would attract dirt and grime ... more things to think about for sure. But glad someone down in Texas is thinking the same way, or rather shown me a new way of thinking!

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Dec 23 2015 :  06:31:23 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I still think we need to figure out how to litter box train our cows.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 23 2015 :  07:19:31 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'm with you MaryJane. I can see where with a large operation like perhaps some farmers had, the Chore Boy and Big Boy, may have been useful in a large barn, but with no larger than my parlor will be I will still muck and pitch and use the tried and true wheel barrow. Pulling and moving a big heavy half barrow in the air and then getting it dumped wouldn't work for me with just a couple-four bovine. I'm just a small family milk cow operation here. My gals do pretty good most of the time. And I have the plastic catch-all when I need it, thanks to your suggestion.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Dec 23 2015 :  08:48:03 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
The handle of our plastic super duper pooper scooper broke! Such a bummer...

A wheel barrow may still be the ticket; however, it is always interesting to learn about new, er... rather old, techniques. The idea sounds great, but like I noted earlier I wonder about the maintenance of it all. And, if the litter system is not still readily available, the cost would be significant to get it set up ... at this point, we need to be economical.


Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Dec 23 2015 :  09:03:15 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'm sorry about the pooper scooper handle Charlene. I know I've had some pretty impressive loads, but so far so good. Yes, my parlor won't be an overly large affair. More the size of MaryJane's. I will have the entire thing heated with a furnace, insulated, different thermostats perhaps so the outer rooms can be kept cooler. Really wouldn't need to heat but in winter when calving I suppose. So size for me with the heating, needs to remain small and simple. It's interesting to see all the ideas and things that can help make things easier, I guess I have to go with what's most practical for my little operation.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Dec 23 2015 :  09:20:27 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'm always thinking in regards to expansion and if something now could easily be installed that would be beneficial for later, let's do it. Or at least leave the possibility open.

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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farmlife

1413 Posts


Posted - Dec 29 2015 :  6:59:26 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Our little operation involves a pitchfork and throwing the manure over the fence to the chickens. It makes their day to pick through it and find grain bits that Elli didn't digest. To each their own, I guess. ;)
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Dec 29 2015 :  9:09:36 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
My hubby gave me a two wheeled wheel barrow for Christmas and it is huge! And so stable! This just may be the ticket as long as my barns keep the wide alleyways.

But I do like options ...

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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farmlife

1413 Posts


Posted - Dec 30 2015 :  5:33:26 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'm just glad my chickens like manure. :) Your wheelbarrow sounds like just the ticket, Charlene.
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Dec 30 2015 :  9:32:37 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Chickens are great with manure and turning a compost pile! And, I'm really liking my wheelbarrow, one of my favorite gifts this year. I'm already thinking that it would make a crazy cute photo prop with my goat kids once they start arriving this spring. :-) Very multi-function!

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Jan 03 2016 :  12:13:51 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Goats in mom's well-used yellow wheelbarrow sounds like a greeting card in the making:)

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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CloversMum

3486 Posts


Posted - Jan 03 2016 :  3:07:32 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
That would make a darling card, wouldn't it? Let's see how many people does it take to take one photo of goat kids in a yellow wheelbarrow? Definitely more than one or two, I'm thinking. We'd need someone taking photos of the set up process! :-)

Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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