Farm or Store bought hay

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 11sd replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 7 months ago by blackfang.

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- 09/16/2009 at 4:31 PM
  LittlePuffyTail
  Moderator
  18092 posts
  Where do you get yours?
  
  I’ve been buying the bags at the pet store for years (even though I have a horse and can get free hay!!!) They are sooo overpriced, like $6 for a bread bag size and rarely is there a bag that I think is really great. I bought a bale from my friend for $5.00 because I thought it looked really nice (she uses it for buns and horses) but I’m still not 100 percent happy with it. I know my standards are WAY too high and, bag or bale, there is rarely hay that has no blackish, brown leaves or sticks that might or might not be mold. I’ve tried about 6 different store bought brands and several horse farm bales. Most people probably don’t analyze almost every piece like I do though!!
  
  I spend a fortune on hay and still obsess about it all the time. Wondering what’s more popular, store bought bags or bales from farmers.
- 09/16/2009 at 4:41 PM
  RachelB
  Participant
  237 posts
  I buy both. Cheap coastal hay bale from a local farm for their litterbox, and then store bought Timothy and usually also a minibale from here.
  
  I like having the cheap litterbox hay option: I can add lots of it without worrying about money, then theres at least two options of hay, supports the local farms, it has longer strands than store bought and is tougher which Ivy seems to prefer.
  
  But I also like to have timothy (those bags are EXPENSIVE) and some “treat” hay from the binkybunny store (Great quality- and different types available than you can get local or in the store).
  
  The boys love having options, and by mixing it up I hope that it makes it more exciting and enticing for them.
- 09/17/2009 at 5:21 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Neither – the only one I like is American Pet Diner 2nd cut timothy hay. I rarely find any brown hay in this. It is more expensive than most but I’m always pleased with it and the rabbits like it.
- 09/17/2009 at 5:56 AM
  Jamm
  Participant
  46 posts
  i buy hay in a really big bag at a pet shop for only $5. can last me a few weeks!
- 09/17/2009 at 7:41 PM
  katie, max & penny
  Participant
  956 posts
  i buy mine from BB or a pet store (oxbow)
- 09/18/2009 at 3:52 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  I get the 50 lb Oxbow Orchard box. It’s about $60-70… but you’ll save about $200 over the price of the little bags.
- 09/18/2009 at 8:50 AM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  I buy bags of hay at our local feed store-it’s still overpriced but it’s local hay, seven dollars for about two flakes but it’s lovely timothy and it’s local. I think the brand is called sun to seed? I’ve never had gross hay in it, no mold no bugs no bones-it’s great hay.
  
  I’d buy a bale if I had someone to buy it off of closeby. Most farmers want big sales and won’t sell a bale-and I’d have to drive out in the country to get it, usually about 1/2 hour from what I’ve looked at. It’s more expensive but so convenient to get it at my store-I buy all the bunnies stuff there and Mikey’s things-it’s a great store
- 09/18/2009 at 8:57 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  I buy the Oxbow hay from the pet store. I ride horses (or did until I had to take a break for a few months) and I’m thinking about getting some hay from the barn when I start riding again. My main issue is storage – the big Oxbow bags are the perfect amount for me, so I guess I pay extra for that convenience. I have an Agway near my house, so I need to check that out; though it appears to be more of a garden center than a feed store since I don’t really live in a rural area.
  
  ETA: If and when I get a second bun (especially if it’s a big bun) I’ll probably get more serious about finding cheap hay. For the little bun that I have now I don’t think I’m spending outrageously on hay.
- 09/18/2009 at 5:33 PM
  luvmybunny
  Participant
  576 posts
  I have been buying the 40 0z Oxbow Western Timothy Hay, $7.99 from drsfostersmith, they last me 2 weeks a bag, I just try to get a big order to make it worth the shipping. I think next time I will order the next size up. I use it for my 2 buns and 2 chinnies. I would love to buy hay from a farm, but it seems all they have is alfalfa, so I will end up with 4 fattened up critters! LOL
- 09/19/2009 at 1:00 PM
  Sonn
  Participant
  1810 posts
  I buy between 50 – 150 lb bales or boxes (50 lb comes in a box) from a local farmer (I use it both for my rabbits and the neighbors horse) here it is always fresh and I have not found anything other than the occasional stick in it. I will also buy from a farm and feed store near me when I want something other than just timothy hay.
- 09/19/2009 at 2:07 PM
  bunnycutie
  Participant
  549 posts
  occasionally i will buy a hay bale from BB. i like to use bluegrass and oat for treat hay. the local hay farmer sells good quality hay-orchard grass/timmy mix- so i have always used that. i usually buy one bale at a time. it works out quite well
- 09/20/2009 at 8:23 AM
  blackfang
  Participant
  392 posts
  I tried to get good quality bale of hay in any of my local farms. All quality are SUCKS! 99% of these farmers are selling mix hay with alfalfa!! 1% of them sell orchard grass but its too yellowish hay.
  
  I checked pet stores such as petco or petsmart or small pet stores. They sell small packages of all oxbow hay. I don’t like to buy small packages all the time. I used to buy 96oz kaytee hay for like 12ish dollars for like 4 months. I always wasted my kaytee hay because my guinea pigs pee on them and caused hay to turn to mold and they refuse to eat them!
  
  I still have leftover from local farm hay and small package hay.
  
  My bunny and guinea pigs will not eat local farm hay. they always eat oxbow hay first.
  
  From now on, I decided to go to Dr. Smith website for REASONABLE SHIPPING COST for 50lbs of oxbow orchard grass hay and 50lbs oxbow timothy hay.
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