I got a Hay Question....

[shortlilcutie]

Has anyone seen the new 96oz. bag of hay that they sell at Petsmart? I bought one the other day and it was soo fresh and nice. I wanted to know if anyone else could tell me if this hay is ok to give to my piggies rather then having to buy it offline.

 

[DocDolittle]

What brand is it?

 

[shortlilcutie]

oops...its Kaytee Timothy hay

 

[DocDolittle]

Kaytee products are generally crap. There are a few good ones here and there, but I would stay away from them.

 

[o0Ms Jenny0o]

In my opinion, hay is hay. If it's fresh then I'm sure the pigs will eat it.

 

[DocDolittle]

Yes, but Kaytee hay has been known to carry mold, be old, and not good enough for the pigs. Why support a company that has crappy products, even if the one you found one was good? They make food with nuts and seeds in it, which can kill a pig. So technically, supporting Kaytee is supporting them making products, which supports 'treat' sticks and deadly food. Plus, Oxbow and Kleenama are so much nicer and you can buy that in BULK!

 

[mncavylover]

Look at (broken link removed) hay. Cheaper, fresher, etc. etc. I love it and my pigs go nuts for it! And, as a plus, you're not spending gas money, time to go get hay, not supporting a pet store, don't have to buy hay as frequently, and the bluegrass is pretty much hypoallergenic. Woohoo!

 

[Himino]

Look at (broken link removed) hay. Cheaper, fresher, etc. etc.

Yes but some times even when you want to get that brand your parents say no because of the incredibly high shipping charge. Don't get me wrong because I don't support petstores but some times thats the way it is.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

But if you explain it to them that even with shipping the cost per pound is cheaper than buying bags in a pet store, the parents see that it will save money and order it.

 

[Katie]

Yes, but Kaytee hay has been known to carry mold, be old, and not good enough for the pigs.

Any hay can have mold. If they hay looks good, it's fine. Hay is hay and has a shelf life of a few years. If it's green and smells fresh, then buy it. I use Kaytee when I run out of bales. My 9 pigs go through about 25 lbs every 2 weeks. Oxbow and KMS are too expensive for us, period. Some people just can't afford it.

Everyone seems to find something wrong with some kind of food or bedding, sometime they are going to find something wrong with Oxbow and KMs.

Take bedding for example. Years and years ago, pine and cedar were the beddings of choice, we found out that they can kill our pigs. Now, Carefresh is the bedding of choice, I use it when I can. I have bought Carefresh that was hard and dusty, carefresh that had CAT FOOD in it, and Carefresh with Pine mixed in with it. However, it's still a good bedding, and I will continue to use it.

 

[DocDolittle]

I do not trust Kaytee and what they talk about because they support the wrong kind of foods, treats, toys, etc. And also, I have found more crap in Kaytee hay and seen a worse color and texture in Kaytee than Oxbow(I have yet to try Kleenama). I don't worry about shipping charges because two of the feed stores around here carry it, and trust me, I know about cost concerns and parents. My mom is a day care provider, and my dad is a trucker. We aren't exactly wealthy.

 

[Katie]

I think it depends on where you purchase your Kaytee hay from. I have never had any problems with it, except for some dead grasshoppers here and there, but I bet anything that oxbow hay has some in it to, maybe not the box you get, but I'm sure some do. All hay is harvested the same way and it's impossible to look through every little piece.
My last farm bale had some rabbit fur, I just picked it out and went on...
I can't get Oxbow anywhere here, but I like Kaytee, it's always green, soft and sweet smelling, so I don't need to worry.

 

[critterlover]

Has anyone bought Nature's Cafe timothy hay? I found it good, very green, very fresh smelling, lots of tasty seed parts, although I did find there were many stalky bits that were too tough for my pig to chew.

Today, I bought some locally-grown timothy that looks completely different. The stems are much thinner, although it smells very fresh too.

I agree, Kaytee timothy is of lower quality. I bought some that was brownish, didn't smell nice, stalky etc.

Look at (broken link removed) hay...plus, you're not spending gas

Good point. Buying online is convenient, but then there's less jobs for your neighbors. Something to think about.

 

[tashagurl]

I buy my hay from a feed store. Its just as fresh and it is a lot cheaper and lasts longer for me. Five pigs can go through a lot of hay.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

I buy my hay locally from a feed store too although its bermuda grass hay. It is green, it smells wonderful and there are hardly any stalky pieces in it and the pigs love it. I did buy some kaytee timothy hay in the small bag last month to see how the girls liked it. The kaytee I got was very nice and green and smelled good. I put some on top of their regular hay and they nibbled on it a little then dove under and started eating the bermuda hay. They are just used to what they have had since they have been with me.

My girls have tried km's bluegrass which is really nice. It is really long pieces. They gobble it up when they get it for special treats. I only got a sample box of it from a friend and haven't ordered any yet.

I honestly think grass hay is grass hay. As long as it's green, smells good and isn't too stalky it's fine to use for your pigs whether its timothy, bluegrass, orchard grass, bermuda, etc. I wouldn't give alfalfa to pigs over 6 months though unless they need to gain weight or during pregnancy.

 

[mncavylover]

Yes but some times even when you want to get that brand your parents say no because of the incredibly high shipping charge. Don't get me wrong because I don't support petstores but some times thats the way it is.

I calculated exactly how much X amount of hay costed in a pet store, then did X amount of hay of km's. That's what convinced my parents; there was a shocking difference.

Also, if you're worried about the high shipping, perhaps (broken link removed) hay would be better? Just a thought.

 

[dagwellismypigy]

mn you rock. Its really cheap for me i can buy 30 pounds for 35 bucks THANKS!

 

[Ly&Pigs]

I get my bale of hay for $3.50 and it weighs from 90lbs to 115lbs.

 

[dagwellismypigy]

i wouldn't have room for that much hay lol

 

[shortlilcutie]

wow thats crazy....i live in an apartment and wouldnt have room for that much hay....the most i can store is like 15lbs.