Growing your own Hay

[Illusion]

We were at Southern States the other day, I was looking around and I saw Hay seeds.
They had Timothy and Orchard Grass, I was just wondering if anyone had ever tried to grow their own Hay.

 

[Spring]

You can always plant it and give it to them fresh . Rabbits LOVE fresh grass, I was thinking about clearing the side garden and planting grass in it, since my guys think it's a really yummy treat!

 

[Illusion]

Does it have the same effect on there digestive track, as dried?

 

[LadyBug]

i've been wondering the same thing(about growing you own hay). we grow J's lettuce and herbs for treats, and it'd be cool to grow at least some of the hay he eats too:biggrin2:. i'm gonna keep a eye on this thread

 

[Boz]

I was thinking out this a few weeks too!
We have a huge garden, (well we can only get like tomatoes and green beans to grow!) why not try hay?! I tried researching it. Got nothing really.I'll be watching this topic too!

 

[Illusion]

I googled it, didn't find much on the subject either. I was thinking of getting a medium sized tub from Walmart and putting it in the kitchen and trying it. Especially since Fall and Winter will be here soon. The seeds are cheap enough.

 

[Boz]

Do you know where you can find hay seeds? I'd like to try! Next year I want to try to plant some veggies for the buns too. It'd be fun!

 

[Illusion]

I found some at Southern States, I don't know if they have those up there. They sell Farm stuff, http://southernstates.com/ .

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

I grew my own hay a lot last summer. I just took fresh stuff and left it out in the sun for a few days. My bunnies loved it! I plan on doing it again next summer too. I even used some as bedding for my sheep.

It would be hard to make enough and keep it going to last my bunnies, but if you saved up a whole bunch, you could easily have a few bales for the winter and you wouldn't need to buy your own!

I don't offer my bunnies a lot of hay in summer, they geta largehandful a day and also a handful of grass 2xday as well. The grass is just the same as hay, but even better fresh

Emily

 

[Becca]

I havent got hay seeds, I just use the grass from the lawn mower and I'm drying a big lot out at the moment.

It smells lovely LOL

 

[Maureen Las]

I had to smile when I read this thread ..
only bunny people (particularly ones in urban areas) would have tubs of hay growing on their verandas.
Now that it has been brought up I am going to try to learn more as I would like to grow mine and then save money .

problem is it has to be harvested and dried and a lot of other stuff that I have no clue about...

 

[slavetoabunny]

I really doubt that a person could grow enough to keep their bunnies in hay. I know I go through about 25 lbs. every 6 weeks. That's a lot of hay to grow! I think it would be a fresh, tasty supplement to purchased hay though.

 

[MyLOVEABLES!!]

ooooh does alfa alfa grow into the hay? cuz we ( 2 class in our school )are growing fruit veggies herbs etc etc in our garden and some1 planted alfa alfa is that like the hay?

and i hhv the veeery long grass on the side of our house ( basicly like weed) but the buns looove it and since we get people to mow our lawn i cant really grow long grass so i feed that and hay i get from a very xpensive pet shop :shock: things in NZ are expensive since not much people own bunnies, well they do but they are like bunnies taht are bought then chucked outside, and fed.. so yeah.. if that makes sense?

Prisca inkbouce:

 

[Hazel-Mom]

I've never grown grass hay, but we turn just about everything else into "hay" for Hazel. We dry big bunches of different Basils, mints, roses, grapevines we get from my Brother-in-law, and various herbs like taragon, sage, etc. Oh and I'm trying pineapple sage for the first time too this year. Hazel loves it fresh, especially the sweet flowers. I hope she also likes it dried.
And yes, MyLoveables, alfalfa does turn into hay. It's not a good thing to give too much of to adult bunnies, though, only young ones, and maybe elderly.
Actually I have a bunch of that dried already as well, since my husband got 2 plants from a coworker at work.