manure spreaders

[CarolU]

Okay...I'm thinking I want one. I have a small tracktor, so nothing TOO big, but one that stirs and spreads.

What are your experiences and recommendations.

[Heidi]

The next time we go to Tractor Supply we're bringing the digital camera and taking pictures. Kenny can MacGuyver ANYTHING!
Heidi

[SQUEAKS]

Carol try millcreekspreaders.com or New holland spreaders in a search. Millcreek has one of the best and a company called newerspreader.com might be what you want

Bob

[Abejita]

we had a small Millcreek and for a few horses you will be ok..I think for the long haul the New Holland is heavier duty,but if you take care of your equipment and dont do a lot of heavy wet manure (super wet straw bedding ) it should serve you fine.We have a New Holland right now.Not sure how small of a spreader they make. Do you want one that can be emptied while sitting still? A ground driven one is NOt what you want then.We can go for months at a time where we cannot spread on the fields due to either weather or that there are crops (we dont spread on our pasture) so we have a pile away from the main barn.The one thing I can complain about on the New Holland was that from brand new there was one grease fitting that was poorly designed.They replaced it but was not any better..the area its in isnt really 'threaded ' so it falls off.

New Holland has poly floors too! Our Millcreek was ancient (probably 15 years or more) so that may be why it didnt do really wet stuff good..it just wrapped around the beaters and kicked it out in huge clumps..

I have a Newerspreader and ablsolutely love it! It is easy to pull into the stalls by hand if you need to and pulls behind my golf cart or ATV with no problem. The tires are solid so you don't get flats. I did have to buy the $50 piece to agitate the wet manure or it would form a tunnel and I would have to push the shavings and munure down and start again. With the agitator it distributes everything in an even light amount. It's aluminum so doesn't rust and you just hose it off every few days.

[Terry Wallace]

Marelyn..that newerspreader....that is the one I want to "make a copy of"... on a scale of 1 to 10...(10 being "very satisfied") how well do you like it? You can move it around by hand if you need to..correct? Like take it into a stall with say a 4 foot door?

[Barbwire]

I just went to the Newer Spreader site, there are pics of horses pulling them. Look out Mojo!

[Tami Pinell]

I own 2 Millcreek spreaders, both are ground driven. The smaller one can be pulled with one draft or a large ATV. My bigger one is pulled easily with my smallest team of drafts or our smaller tractor (remember I live on a mountain and it is up the mountain loaded, down the mountain empty!)
I have to say one thing about Millcreek - they are great people to work with. Let someone else use my big one and they broke the drive gear - emailed Millcreek for I did not have a parts list - got a phone call in less than 30 minutes - emailed me a parts list - had the parts I needed in less than 4 days! SERVICE!!!
They are really simple in design, easy to work on, and the floor is poly boards so you do not have to replace them... BTW - mine can throw heavy wet hay bound manure and dirt from my compose pile fully loaded and rolling off the sides and never slow down - tough creatures they are.... but with that type of load you better wear a hat and raincoat!

Well, speaking of spreaders... gonna go fill mine this morning - gotta get stalls done before I leave! ;-)

[moonrize]

I owned one of the Farnam Manure Spreaders that is ground driven. Holds quite a bit and works well except the "engaging" gear handle frequently has to be repaired. Easily done, but a pain in the arse ;-)

[Linda Y]

I have a Fuerst spreader. Ground driven, you can pull it with a lawn tractor, ATV or small tractor. I adore it...best investment we ever made. It is absolutely perfect for 7 or so horse stalls. It is all galvanized. We have had it for 7 or 8 years and not a bit of rust on it except the drive chain in the bed. But that will happen to any of them. We got it at Tractor Supply.
http://www.fuerst-bros.com/html/mansprd.htm

[Hacienda Del Sol]

I got one for you. Check your e-mail.

Jamie

[reuben T]

i got a mineapolis moline some yrs back, works fine. LOL!! you won't find one on the normal market, it's an antique horse pulled model. all the wood was rotted away when i got it. i don't get aroun to usin it much, it sits in shed, and i use dump truck for movin stuff and deposit in pile. sometime i plan to get better organized when i got things runnen better and make use of it.

[Abejita]

I notice all the people with ground driven spreaders live where snow is not gonna stop you from spreading manure for weeks(months) at a time.. ;-) Spreaders are worthless if you have to shovel out what ya forked in. PTO driven you can park and empty it on to a pile for disposal later..

[CarolU]

Thank you all...and I am afraid I'll have to look at one with a PTO. Sheri is right, there are many times I can't get on my pasture and will have to empty it in a pile (oh well, need mulch for the gardens too!).