Am I getting ripped off?

[sugarbunnies]

I go to my local feed store to get hay and it costs $21 for three bags of hay they pick off of a bale. They're full bags. Can someone please help me find a better alternative if I AM? Because as stated in another thread, I just lost my job and need to find a way to save money buying hay (since they go through it so fast).

 

[whitelop]

I just bought a 50 lb bale of hay for $6.75 at my feed store. I think you should look around a little more. Call other feed stores and ask them what they charge for bales of hay. Because you're probably just getting flakes of hay and it shouldn't be that much. What kind of hay is it, timothy?

 

[sugarbunnies]

It is Timothy. The buns don't really like orchard.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Buying a whole bale is cheaper. I pay $10 per 60ish pound bale and that is still a lot cheaper than hay from a pet store (feed stores around here don't seem to sell hay). You do have to be able to transport and store a bale, but some plastic tote bins will work. As long as the hay doesn't get wet or mouldy, it will last a while.

 

[whitelop]

I would call around and see who supplies timothy and ask them how much it is a bale or half bale. There might just be a huge price difference in where we are, since we're across the country from each other and I live in farm land so the hay is local.
I hope you find some less expensive hay!

 

[sugarbunnies]

Lop, I am from NC (born/raised) and I know that it would be tons cheaper to get hay from there -- after all, it is a farm state. I miss NC a lot. :-(!

Can you store hay in a garage?

 

[JessicaK]

Check Craigslist for baled hay. That is definitely the cheapest way to buy it.

You can store hay in the garage, buy I would set it up on two pieces of 2x4 (or something similar) so it's not resting on the concrete, because moisture can be trapped that way.

 

[Imbrium]

where I live, no one seems to sell timothy... but coastal's like $10 for an 80 lb bale. a lot of times, feed stores will let you grab a tiny sample of each of their hays free of charge so your bunny can taste-test them to pick one out.

 

[wendymac]

If you have any neighboring farms, ask if they have any bales of horse hay they will sell you. I pay $3.75/bale here. I sure couldn't pay $10 or more per bale when I'm feeding all the horses and rabbits. Just make sure to always ask for horse hay...cows can eat mold, horses can't.

 

[Imbrium]

cows can eat mold? ewwww. now I'm gonna think of that the next time I eat red meat ><

 

[whitelop]

Cows eat everything. So do chickens. You would be shocked at the things I've seen my chickens eat.

 

[Imbrium]

please don't tell me, lol, I *really* like chicken!