Question About Hay

[Kimberly09]

I have been doing some reading on here about what kind of hay you guys like to buy and feed your buns. I read that some of you like to buy by the bale from a local farm/feed store. I was wondering how do you keep it fresh? I only have two rabbits, one loves hay the other doesn't eat very much. My concern is keeping the hay fresh and green until they consume it all.

Right now i am just buying the small bags of Timothy and Orchard Grass made by Kaytee. I don't know if it isn't a good kind, but even leaving it out in their hay containers after 24 hours it starts to turn more of a yellowish. Which my high maintenance buns don't like to eat.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Watermelons]

as long as its kept dry, it doesn't really go bad. I'm going into my 3rd year on the same bale for my guys. Still looks and smells as good as it did when I bought it.
I keep mine indoors wrapped in an old bedsheet in the room the rabbits are in.

Hay shouldn't turn yellowish after being left out for a day.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Hay usually stays good for at least a year. It tends to be harvested in the summer and does have to last until the next year as some horses are fed hay most of the year.

You do need to keep it dry as wet hay moulds. Also try to keep it compacted as exposed hay and yellow. Let the hay breathe as well, have the container open or poke holes in a bag so there is air flow.

I mostly keep hay in the garage. It is stacked a bit off the concrete floor. For more day to day use, I have a bale in a big rubbermaid bin, then a smaller bin to use daily.

 

[whitelop]

They also make bale bags, if you're really worried about the freshness.
http://www.derbyoriginals.com/produ...ucts_id/254?osCsid=rccho5ugglqitive1eajdv8tm3

You could also just get a big rubbermaid container and drill a bunch of holes in it for air flow. That would keep it contained but still ventilated enough to stay good.

When I had a bale, I just kept it in the barn covered with a sheet. It lasted 6+ months and was still good, but then my barn cat found it and made a bed, so I stopped using it. LOL

 

[missyscove]

Hay definitely shouldn't turn yellow over the course of the day. My guess is that your buns are just picking out the greener pieces and leaving the yellow ones behind for you to clean up for them.
I am currently buying the 9 lb boxes of Oxbow although the larger boxes are more cost effective. Some feed stores will also sell you a few flakes of hay in a big bag for much cheaper than you can get a little pet store bag anyway.

 

[Kimberly09]

Thank you all for your responses! I am very new to this so i appreciate all the insight!

I will have to go and check out my local feed store and see what kind they have for sale. I am very interested now that I know it should stay good for a year plus. I like the idea of the rubbermaid container and drilling some holes, much like that bale bin Morgan had linked.

I guess i never really inspected the hay really close to see if the yellow pieces are mixed in. Next time I grab some out of the bag I will definitely look closer.