Brown hay

[PennyCopper]

Good Morning,
The past two days I have been to four pet stores looking at the Timothy Hay. We have been using Oxbow and the hay has been beautiful, green and healthy looking.
I have seen Oxbow hay in all the pet stores however, it is literally brown and very dry. I contacted Oxbow by email but have not heard back. I finally bought some because Penny needs it. My question is does the dry brown hay have the same nutritional value for the piggies? I would not feed her brown dry veggies so why would I feed her brown dry hay?
I also bought an Orchard Hay that seems less dry. Penny is eating that.
I am hoping it is just a bad crop and that soon we will get the pretty, green hay back. thanks!

 

[Betsy]

Not sure about the nutritional value but the Oxbow hay is probably still last years and it wasn't a good year for hay because of the long hot and dry spell. My piggies have had to make do with old brown hay since February when my local farm ran out (they aren't keen but have to eat is as there is nothing else). They are used to the best green organic meadow hay at around a fiver for a farm bale. I'm going to the farm to collect 2 more bales on Monday as the farm is baling hay this weekend . I'm lucky I've not been reported to the Guinea Pig Union for giving my piggies inferior (AND 5 times more expensive I might add) hay.

 

[AutumnThePig]

Good Morning,
The past two days I have been to four pet stores looking at the Timothy Hay. We have been using Oxbow and the hay has been beautiful, green and healthy looking.
I have seen Oxbow hay in all the pet stores however, it is literally brown and very dry. I contacted Oxbow by email but have not heard back. I finally bought some because Penny needs it. My question is does the dry brown hay have the same nutritional value for the piggies? I would not feed her brown dry veggies so why would I feed her brown dry hay?
I also bought an Orchard Hay that seems less dry. Penny is eating that.
I am hoping it is just a bad crop and that soon we will get the pretty, green hay back. thanks!

Happy 4th!

I buy Oxbow hay and pellets for my piggies. I haven’t noticed any brown in my bags. What type of hay do you buy? I switch between Western Timothy & Meadow Hay. Although, I have noticed that because of the weather, my bags have been opening and I have to keep checking to make sure they are zippered shut.

Here’s a pic of the Meadow Hay I use by Oxbow. It looks ok to me.

 

[PennyCopper]

Not sure about the nutritional value but the Oxbow hay is probably still last years and it wasn't a good year for hay because of the long hot and dry spell. My piggies have had to make do with old brown hay since February when my local farm ran out (they aren't keen but have to eat is as there is nothing else). They are used to the best green organic meadow hay at around a fiver for a farm bale. I'm going to the farm to collect 2 more bales on Monday as the farm is baling hay this weekend . I'm lucky I've not been reported to the Guinea Pig Union for giving my piggies inferior (AND 5 times more expensive I might add) hay.

Thank you for your reply. You sure do have lucky piggies! My piggie is eating the dried out hay, it probably bothers me more than her.