Behavior Tips for hay area that pigs don't poop/pee in all the time? Alternative hay feeders?

[butterflylover5]

I have a feeling it's not possible but...

I had a hay bag that I hung in the cage but one of my pigs kept climbing inside it and peeing in it. I got frustrated so now they've just been getting a hay area on a good section of their cage. But since they like to sleep in it, the pee and poop in it a lot too. Any good tips or tricks for a hay area that is kept semi clean? I want to provide them with a lot of hay without them eating stuff they've soiled on already.

I'm also open to suggestions on other alternative hay feeder options. The hay bag wasn't the worst but was a ton of work. I feel like I would get the same results with putting the hay in some sort of little box as I get now. I don't totally love the idea of making a hay holder out of a grid cause I don't want them to get their head stuck. Also not a fan of the little wood ones you hang up that might be safe but you have to fill 500 times a day.

Any tips, tricks, or ideas?

Thank you!

 

[butterflylover5]

Still open to any suggestions

 

[pigmommy89]

I gave up on hay racks a long time ago. My pigs have hay piles, and they do waste a lot, but I think it encourages them to eat more hay. Trust me, they won't eat it after they've peed on it, and even if they did, they eat their own poop, so i doubt it would hurt them. lol

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

I'll echo what pigmommy89 has said. My pigs just adore their hay piles. I used to pile it in little buckets and I've tried racks, and they either just pull out what they wanted or pulled every strand out of the rack. Either that or they just dumped the bucket. It was a fun game for them, I guess. Piles may be wasteful, but it's what they like.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

I would just opt for the hay piles, to be honest.

 

[butterflylover5]

Thank you all! I had a cloth hanging bag but one of my girls kept climbing inside and sleeping hahaha.

 

[equinox96]

I have a hay bin, hay rack and hay sack. They seem to love all three. I prefer the racks since it keeps everything clean and they seem to really like the sack and the rack for eating. They like pulling on the hay and looking for that perfect morsel. They do also like to pull a lot out just to lie on it.

This being said, you could try a rack. If they want their pile of hay they'll make it themselves and at least you'll know they have clean hay in the rack accessible to them all day long.

As for their heads getting stuck, if you use the 9x9 hole grids and they're adults, they shouldn't be able to get stuck. I also put sides made of coroplast to keep them from jumping in and hurting a leg.

 

[bpatters]

We don't recommend metal hay racks. We've had several pigs with leg injuries. They got up in the hay rack, got startled and jumped, and injured themselves pretty badly.

 

[equinox96]

oh so this is new?!? I guess I should pop in a little more often to see what the does and don'ts are....

sorry