how long does hay last?

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susiewoosie

susiewoosie

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I recently bought 2 large bales of dustfree hay soft. my piggies loves to eat this, thought i would go larger and they could eat and bed on it. received the order, since the shortage in hay they have sourced from france. Its very green, grassy-like with herbage but not the same, its also mixed with what they had.. piggies not liking it! also ordered american which they usually have as a treat but feeding them this all the time. they are now getting fed up with that. think i will have to buy shop stuff for eating. Any suggestions to buy from pets at homes. sorry only shop available in my area.

how long will the large bales of hay last? its kept in a cupboard in the house, its not freezing. they don't even like lying in it!

:{ susan
 
do you mean how long will it last ie before you use it all up? or how long can you keep it before it 'goes off'? son long as it doesn't get damp it will keep for many months.
 
Hi,

I get my guineas Burgess Excel Dandelion and Marigold dust free from Pets at Home £4.70 per bag. It is compressed so you do get alot in it. They love it it is very fresh and green. They always have it in stock and as the shop is behind me it is very handy.

I was told to find another source of hay as the local pet shop hay although very fresh and sweet smelling was a bit bad for mites as my guineas kept getting them.

S
 
i buy a big bale from a farm shop and it keeps for months (its only £5 a huge bale) and i'm only half way through it ( i bought it in september)! as long as its dry hay keeps for ages!
 
Yeah, hay can last months - don't forget farmers bale it up during the summer to last through the winter months :) it has to last them until they can do another cut of grass.

Just keep it in a dry place, and if you think it smells musty or mouldy then get rid :)
 
hay is just dried grass, its long grass at that but that is basically what its made up of.

When stored at farms, for horses and for other animals it can keep for years as long as its kept dry, however in the nature of being stored in open sheds (as in no sides to them), rain gets into the outer ones, the sun can bleech the outsides and reduce the nutritional value on the outer bales. If the bale smells nice and fresh then its goos, any musty smells means there is mould in it and should be thrown away (or dont buy it if looking at bales from farms), go for the greenest ones if you get to have a choice but dont be put off by some yellow on the outside as long as the inside is still green and nice smelling.

I buy bags of meadow hay, each one smells lush and green, they are stored in a dark cupboard (as its the only place really I can keep it), I get through the 6 bags in 2 months with no problems of quality.
 
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