How to get hay locally!

[RustBucket]

I have seen many people on this site mention that they buy their hay from farm suppliescenters etc. I have called everything locally that even mentions farm supplies and none of them have anything my guinea's can eat. What am I doing wrong??

[cookie_gal]

Most farms should have basic meadow grass hay and as you are in america I believe a lot should grow timothy hay.

What do you say when you ring up?

Also are you trying actual farms? I can't believe they wouldn't have anything!

[VoodooJoint]

You can also try horse stables and boarding facilities. They will have hay and if they aren't willing to sell you bales or half bales they will know where you can buy hay.

[Ly&Pigs]

Many feed stores, co-op's and farm supply stores do carry hay. Also as was mentioned horse stables.

Are you calling up and asking if they carry bales of grass hay or are you asking for a certain type of grass hay such as timothy? I buy bales of bermuda locally because that's the only type of hay I can get around here.

[Wheek Weak]

We get our square bales from local horse farms that grow the hay for their horses.

Depending on who has hay available (and when) we usually get anything from 2nd cutting alfalfa/clover/grass mix to just grass mix hays.

It's more of a hassle than buying hay like KM's or Oxbow because you have to clean out weeds, dirt clods, etc. to make sure there are no sharp sticks, thistle-type weeds, debris, etc. that could harm the piggies. You also may have to shake it out good to get the dust out.

But, if you're willing to put up with those inconviences, it's worth the lower price and the ability to buy it locally. Just make sure to dig down into the bale and check for dampness/moisture, excess dirt or dustiness, and smell it down inside for a dirty or moldy odor before you buy it.