has anyone out there built their own bulk feed hopper or trailer? we're considering doing it. something where we can buy and store about 6000lbs bulk corn on the ranch.

what materials did yall use? designs? any input is appreciated.

thanks

Erich

Are you looking to be able to fill feeders also or just store and haul bulk corn? If you are looking to store corn then I would look at an old fertilizer buggy or feedlot feed mixing trailer that you could re-design. I built a feed trailer once to fill deer feeders with and bought bulk deer pellets and corn at Mummes in Hondo. It would hold around 3000 lbs and had an auger and 12v motor to auger feed into feeders.

i was thinking more just to store and haul bulk feed. we were considering putting something together out of plate steel. i just figured some others have bound to have done this before, so i was curious what others had done and how it worked.

You wouldn't need to use plate. You could use 4'x8'x12ga flat sheets if you built and outer frame. Which you would want to do anyway so you could elevate it and add a damper or some type valve underneath to empty into bags, buckets, barrels, etc.

What ever you build or buy make sure that it is vented in some way to let moisture from the corn escape. Longer you store the more bugs you will attract also.

I built one out of 1/8" plate steel. It worked ok but was very heavy. We had to keep it on a trailer.

how long could corn be kept in something like that? we use probably 12-14k pounds a year on our place. so if we had something that held about 6k, we'd hopefully only be buying corn twice a year.

Imo, 6 weeks is sort of pushing it and 3 months is really the limit. You are gonna end up with weevils and corn powder in it.

If you make it, my recommendation would be to make sure that your seems are welded completely. You are going to have condensation problems and water getting in from outside will just add to it. If you aren't careful you will end up with moldy corn.

To allow air to get in, you will need some sort of oversized cover/hatch on top that will allow air to circulate. This thing will be absorbing heat all day long.

You can do it, but the biggest fly in your particular ointment, will be moving the corn in a reasonable amount of time. jmo.