How do I dry my own timothy hay??

[suzy_99]

I found a pretty big field of timothy hay behind my house and I was wondering what the best way to dry it for the winter is without it rotting? Should I place it in bundles (can't make bails)? Also, is it ok to just give piggies completely fresh hay for the summer, or do they need the dried stuff for their teeth??

[Ly&Pigs]

You can give the piggies the fresh timmy in addition to their hay. They need the hay for the extra fiber content and it's chewier to wear down their teeth. Usually to dry grass you just cut it and leave it on the ground for a couple days or so, (depends on weather, humidity, etc.) until it's dry, then just store it in a cardboard box or something. Before you cut it and lay it to dry though, make sure the forecast doesn't call for any rain for 2-3 days and turn the hay over about 1/2 way through the drying process. Properly stored hay can stay good for many months. I used to work in hay fields.

[suzy_99]

So will I still need to give them their usually hay all winter, or will the fresh stuff be dry enough by them? I do have a bail from last years cut which is quite dry and they are eating that right now, plus the dry stuff, but that bail will probably be gone by september or so.

[Katie]

Originally Posted by suzy_99

So will I still need to give them their usually hay all winter, or will the fresh stuff be dry enough by them? I do have a bail from last years cut which is quite dry and they are eating that right now, plus the dry stuff, but that bail will probably be gone by september or so.

Grass only takes a few days to dry and turn into hay. If you cut and bundle enough to last all winter long, then you're set.

[laura220]

That's what I did. I cut a big bundle and it dried in just a couple days but I'm letting it dry some more.