Sheep Snacker drop counter

[cyffylog]

Have recently bought a Rob Astley sheep snacker, it is a wheel driven drum machine, works well each wheel revolution giving a drop, and avoids being flattened by the sheep any more when feeding from bags or containers .

Have racked my small brain thinking of how I could rig up a counter to tell me of the number of drops each field. Cant see the wheels of the snacker from the mirrors of the towing RTV because the snacker mudguards are wider. Thinking of a bell struck from the axle, or flexible pointer/extension of the driving wheel visible from the RTV mirror.

Bright and simple ideas please

Cyffylog

 

[AftonShepherd]

I had the idea once of rigging something up with a bike bell fitted to the slider, and something solid on the axle so that it only rang when the hatch was open. I definitely had a plausible design in mind, but like so many of my ideas I never did anything about it lol.

 

[AftonShepherd]

Other option was a bell fixed in position, and something that folds up off the axle when you want to count. This should be easier, but In my case I use a quad and don't need to get off to open slider so first idea would be easier used if it worked

 

[Pistonbroke]

Did he not offer one as an option? Ours had one on it when we had it from him about fifteen years ago ( stopped working after about six years ). Magnet on the axle and display box on the front of the hopper

 

[Hesstondriver]

something like a counter off a bale wrapper would do the trick

http://www.hollinapplications.co.uk/Agricultural/Wrap.htm

 

[Farmer_Joe]

mines quite obvious so i just count them?

 

[Spartacus]

I know someone that fastened a piece of alcathene pipe on the nut of the front wheel of the quad with a hose clamp then counted that as the wheel went round. Not sure it would be 100% sure it would be the same speed at the snacker wheel going round though.