Farm Hay

[cirrustwi]

I've been looking into getting hay from a localfarm. I currently use Kaytee and am satisfied with it, but Ifeel like I go through it really quickly and would like to find acheaper source and an option for getting more at a time.Today in the newspaper were 2 ads. 1 for mixed hay bales and1 for hay square bales. I wondering if either of these wouldwork. I guess, now that I read it again, I should call thepeople with the hay square bales and see what kind it is, or is this anormal type of listing?

Thanks,

Jen

 

[dajeti2]

I think it would probably best to call and find out what kind of hayit is.

Tina

 

[SLRabbits]

Yeah, I would call and find out what kind it is. Most mixed hays are fine for the buns though.

I buy Bermuda because there are not any Timothy growers around here. Ican get a 60lb square bale for $10 or less. (Can't remember off the topof my head, lol)

~Nichole

 

[Bo B Bunny]

cirrustwi, you first need to ask the farmer whatthe hay is. You don't want adult bunnies eatingalfalfa. Find out if they have GRASS hay or a mix but moregrass than alfalfa.

I would also ask them if you can buy a FLAKE to try first. (aflake is a section pulled out of a bale) Some bunnies (BO) are allergicto farm hay.

I know hay can go from around $3 per bale, to about $8 per balehere. The really good alfalfa hay for horses is what coststhe most.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

I know hay can go from around $3 per bale, to about $8 perbale here. The really good alfalfa hay for horses is whatcosts the most.

The depends on where you live. Alfalfa is like grasshoppers here, it's everywhere. That makes it the cheapest hay here.

The problem isn't finding hay, it's finding a farmer that will sell youa bale or 2 since most think it's a waste and that's the problem I raninto when I was first looking.

If it just says square bales, it's probably the hay that's most commonto your area. Be careful, some square bales are 60lbs and the largeones are basically square round bales (HUGE!).

Mixed hay probably isn't the best if it has alfalfa in it. Searcharound for Timothy or look up some local stables in your area and callaround asking.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Oh yeah, I bet square bales are the smaller oneslike 3 ft by 1.5 ft. and the others are the HUGEOMONGUS things they putin the round feeders for like a herd of cattle! Be very careful to findout exactly what he means!

I never thought about the fact that alfalfa is probably easier to growup there (cool temps)..... we have a lot here also, but it's also PRIMOalfalfa so people drive in from other states even.

Our farmers are very cool about selling one or two bales, but so arethe grain elevators.... they carry it and feed stores.... check aroundbut I like dealing directly with farmers.....

Actually, we help farm a field of hay so I could feed my bo for free.... IF HE COULD EAT IT! :X

 

[Bramble Briar86]

i'd call to find out the type of grass, if it wasgrown organically, what type of bale it is and then go out to see thehay if possible, making sure it's green, smells fresh, and is free ofseeds and any other foreign material or weeds.

Ellie

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Bramble Briar86 wrote:

i'd call to find out the type of grass, if it was grownorganically, what type of bale it is and then go out to see the hay ifpossible, making sure it's green, smells fresh, and is free of seedsand any other foreign material or weeds.

Ellie

It's impossible to get farm hay that's free of weeds or other plants.Farmers can't go through every bit of hay and remove the weeds.

As for seeing it, when you go to buy it tell them you can't to see the hay first.

 

[Buck Jones]

I am not so sure alfalfa hay is all that bad andI am beginning to experiment with decreasing alfalfa pellet intakewhile increasing the availability of alfalfa hay as being a "morenatural" form of diet for rabbits.

This process is just in the initial stages and won't be "scientific" innature and I will be moving slowly in order to ascertain if their areany negative effects taking place that I see.

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else because it basically is my ownopinion that has been formulating by reading about the variousexperiences of some others that I find noteworthy or deserving of highrespect.

Buck

 

[Bramble Briar86]

I know MBB, we have a field that we harvest ourown grass hay in. Some grasses that are grown near high-traffichighways and such have like plastic bags and other foreign "junk" init. whereas our "lot" that we harvest is far away from the roads. ididn't mean weeds as actual "weeds", our lot has a large one acreswuare infested with "sticker bushes" and we've actually asked thewoman who mows it not to mow that patch because of the high content of"sticker bushes". i just meant that in some batches of hay, there canbe tons of unwanted weeds like "sticker bushes"

Ellie

 

[bunnylover78642]

My bunnies love the mix I give them, alfalfa andtimothy hay together. They eat the alfalfa stuff first and then thetimothy and it lasts them all day! They don't seem to have any problemsother than me spoiling them so much they are a little over weight!

 

[rabbitgirl]

Sweet marsh hay is great! Low dust, low allergy, great soft bedding, and they smell SO good after sleeping in it!



Rose