Concerns about a bent-grid hay rack

[Scout.Layne]

I've been looking though the hay rack pictures trying to decide which would be better for my future pigs. They currently have a bent-grid hay rack but I was wondering if this is the best option. I want them to have easy access to the hay, it to be easy to fill, hold a lot, and be easy to clean around when I do the weekly cleaning.

My concern with the bent-grid hay rack is that I've seen pictures of piggys climbing up into them. I'm afraid that they could get their foot stuck in on of the holes when they are trying to jump down.

How should I solve this problem? Or is it a problem at all?

I was thinking that I could perhaps turn the grid so it is up and down so that they couldn't jump into it but them I'm not sure how I would attach it. If I use cable ties then wouldn't I have to cut them off every time I wanted to change the fleece? Does anyone have any good ideas? Or should I just use a different type of rack?

I am also thinking about having a hay/litter bin for them to graze out of but I would like to have a rack as well to keep the hay cleaner longer.

 

[Peggysu]

I don't know the design of your cage but I have hay racks on the top of my 1x4 on both ends so they can't climb in it. Sebastian doesn't try ti get into the hay rack, he just pulls it all out.

Attached is a picture of my hayrack in the back ground.

 

[Scout.Layne]

I'm building just a regualr 2x5 so I don't really have a corner to put it in...wait...could I attach it to the corner somehow so that they couldn't get into it?

 

[Peggysu]

Since you'll have two guinea pigs can you do two hay racks next to eachother on the 2 grid length side?

 

[lissie]

You can zip tie coroplast to the sides so they can't get in.

 

[Scout.Layne]

Peggysu: Do you think that would be a bit much or can you never have to much hay access? If not then that's a great idea.

Lissie:Also thanks for the great idea.

 

[Peggysu]

I have two hay racks for two piggies and I just stuff them full. They work great and I don't have to re-stock the hay daily. Also if they don't want to share they don't have to.

 

[Scout.Layne]

Thanks peggysu. I'm going to be having three girls (hopefully) so this will give them plenty of room to pig out and not be invading anyone elses space.

 

[Peggysu]

That will work perfect then. I think they like having lots of hay anyways. At least mine have never complained.

 

[wigglesgiggles1]

I have two boys and I have two bent hayracks next to eachother, it works well so they don't fight and as peggysu said I don't hae to fill them everyday.

 

[blackarrow]

I like that idea. Since I get KM's orchard grass and 3rd Timothy I might put both in their cage at the same time, each in its own rack! (Right now I use one in the morning, the other at night - my boars burn through a lot of hay!)

 

[danav]

I wanted to comment on how to attach the bent-grid hayrack to the cage without having to cut off zip-ties every time you change the fleece...

I used zip-ties to attach my bent-grid hayrack to a piece of coroplast, which is cut a few inches larger than the hayrack all the way around. Then I attach that to the inside of the cage with binder clips. It holds the hayrack securely to the side of the cage, but removes easily when I change my fleece. And the coroplast back keeps the hay from falling out of the cage, too.

I also used larger zip-ties across the ends of the bend grid to close it off and keep the piggies from climbing in. In 3 months of using this hayrack, I've only had a pig climb into it one time...and I believe she did it out of desperation to get away from her nearly 3 week old son who was getting rather frisky and aggressive in the last couple of days he was in the cage with her.

 

[Peggysu]

My hay racks are permanent and don't need to be removed when I clean the fleece. They are zip tied to the top of the grid.

 

[blackarrow]

Mine are attached to the grid with binder clips.

 

[angiekay]

Mine are attached to the grid with binder clips.

I'm going to give this a go, this weekend when I'm doing cage cleaning, right now I've just been placing the hay over carefresh in the litter box, refreshing twice a day, but since getting the new additions, they are really going through it. I think this would help even more to keep it off the floor, placing the litter box under the bent grids attached with binder clips to the cage kinda thing.

Always wanting to change something around!lol It never ends.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've found and recycled two u shaped grid lightbulb guards and ziplocked one to the side of our indoor cage for hay and it seems to work well enough that I will try the second one in the outdoor home for my little guys.

Master Blaster