Why you should buy hay in BULK!

[Mrs. PBJ]

Raspberry82 wrote:

I wish I could buy hay in bulk, but alas apartment living makes space to tight for that.

wanted to say I dont know how much you have in your closet or somewhere but I bought a outdoor trash can. 60 gallons and that will almost hold a rectangle bail of hay. I keep it in my closet.

You could find some spaces to put it. Also most feed stores will sell you a trash bag full of hay. So you can just store that in a container next to the rabbit cage.

 

[TXsouthrngrl]

Only had them about a month so I can't really help with this. I buy alfalfa for 9.75 a bail and between my buns and my mini goats I use about 2bales a week (thats just the alfalfa). But since mine are young, I alsoline there whole cage withthe alfalfa and the first day all they do is eat what they want. It helps cut down on the smell and then I dont have to clean them everyday. But when they get older I'll switch it to the grazier since I also buy that and coastal for my goats which is a little cheaper at $8 a bale. Their timothy I just get from the pet store as I haven't found it in bales yet.



Haven't really paid attention to what I spend on veggies. Dont think I want to know...lol Thats one reason I'm starting the veggie garden. My mini goats are the perfect little fertilizers.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

I wanted to correct something I said I went and bought my 50 pound bag of Purina Fibre 3 today it was only 17.99.

Storm likes it I gave him two little piece to see what he did.

 

[Zyzra]

so when you guys say that you buy hay from local farmers...is there a particular type that you would need to get from them? And does hay go bad after awhile if you go though it slowly?

 

[TXsouthrngrl]

Zyzra wrote:

so when you guys say that you buy hay from local farmers...is there a particular type that you would need to get from them? And does hay go bad after awhile if you go though it slowly?

Hay HAS to be stored dry and out of the rain or else it will get moldy.Other than that, I dont think it goes bad (other than normal break down or composting)but then again, I've never stored hay for longer than a month. Of course if your looking for greener hay then I'm sure it will dry out and brown up but I dont know if that changes the nutrition value or not. Some of my goat buddies store hay for months at a time (they stock up for winter) so I'm assuming it would be ok.



The type pretty much depends on where you live. I'm in TX so most hay here is grown for horses and cows. Alfalfa, coastal, grazier, and I think a couple more but those are all I use so dont know the names off hand.



Sorry I couldn't be more help

 

[cheryl]

Yep i always buy my oathay in a big bale from the fodder/feed store...it's so much more economical..if you have the storage space to store it that is....i actually have a huge hay box that i use for the bunnies hay.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

I have Stored my boxes of Ox Bow hay for up to 6 months and it not nearly as fresh.

This will be the first time I buy a bail but I think they said it has a shelf life of over a year if you keep it dry.

I keep mine inside so keeping it dry should not be a problem.

 

[kirbyultra]

Mrs. PBJ wrote:

Raspberry82 wrote:

I wish I could buy hay in bulk, but alas apartment living makes space to tight for that.

wanted to say I dont know how much you have in your closet or somewhere but I bought a outdoor trash can. 60 gallons and that will almost hold a rectangle bail of hay. I keep it in my closet.

You could find some spaces to put it. Also most feed stores will sell you a trash bag full of hay. So you can just store that in a container next to the rabbit cage.

I tried, I have this problem too. 50 lbs of compacted hay like Oxbow will juuuust make its way into my closet but my buns just don't eat enough of it to make it go away fast enough.

I now buy Kleenmama's hay, and I did 30 lbs last time and it was in the storage bins inthe closet (it's uncompacted hay, so it takes up lots more space) and then there was a box with all the hay that wouldn't fit in the closet for about 2 months - my husband hated the box of hay sitting in the middle of our kitchen, in our little apt. He will only let me order 20 lbs or less at a time now I ended up getting 9lbs of 3rd cut tim and 9 lbs of bluegrass. It works out to ~$2.65 a lb or so, which is pretty ok, I think. My buns eat so much more of Kleenmama's hay.

I would love to buy fresh farm hay at such great prices - I need to pony up a big lump of cash to get a bigger house first though :biggrin2: