To wean off Haybox hay?

[Jemima]

With the costs rising for everything, I am looking for ways to cut down on expenses. I buy a bale of hay from a local animal store, sometimes it seems a little musty and dusty. though, so I have been mostly using it for bedding.

I always fed them this, too, and they seemed perfectly happy, until they went to their foster for a holiday (where I rescued them, she also boards piggies and bunnies) and she fed them on the haybox hay, and so I bought it and have since got into a habit of doing so!

It seems to last about four weeks if I mix it in with the hay from the bale... but I recently ran out and forgot to order, and so they are actually eating their 'bedding' hay from the bale, so I am wondering if I just stick with this, or if that's mean!

What sort of hay do you feed your piggies?

 

[eileen]

i feed hay from a bale of farm hay,also use ings hay from hay and straw company,which is hay from a water meadow,it sweet smelling,long strands and the piggies seem to love it.it costs £19.00 for 9,5kgs.bale of hay is £10.00 for £20kgs.also use the dust free hay from lummen,it costs £10.00 FOR 7 KGS,from horse feed place i use.Its really depends on your budget and what your piggies like !

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’ve had Haybox for a few years but I too am trying to eke it out for longer by mixing it (I get soft Timothy from Haybox). I have now found a local farm where I am starting to buy meadow hay bales from. It’s great hay and I’m so pleased with it and the price, it’s lasting much longer.

Dexter and Popcorn have always had Haybox Timothy but are now also eating the bale equally. I’m mixing both for them at present but will aim for it to be mostly bale hay going forward.

The newbies, Wilbur and Hugo, have only been given the bale hay. They eat it so well so I don’t plan on them being given Haybox.

The two rabbits are trickier. They do eat the bale hay but their preference is haybox timothy. I’m
Hoping they can be convinced to eat more meadow bale.

So, I’m still going to buy Haybox but I’m trying to see if I can use it more as a treat hay for dex and pops even if I can’t convince the rabbits!

 

[piggieminder]

Mine get Hay Box soft Timothy and some cheaper meadow hay (more as bedding) usually from Nature's Own. We've recently had a lot of vet visits, the first comment from vets after deciding they had a respiratory infection was that 3 of them were overweight and as 2 had arthritis weight needed to be lost. The vets went through their diet and they could not fault it, they couldn't understand how the piggies were overweight on what they were eating until they took a closer look at the hay. They think the Hay Box hay could be too rich as a main feeding hay and needs to be cut back. I've been trying to feed less but they won't eat much of the other hays I've tried. As they have been ill and not eating so well anyway, they have lost the required weight but I am on the hunt for a hay they will eat so I can cut back on the Hay Box hay.

 

[eileen]

Thats interesting that your vet thinks hay maybe too rich.But all hay needs to be encouraged !

 

[piggieminder]

They in no way wanted to discourage the eating of hay or even that hay, they felt less of that hay and more meadow might be a good way to go. I'm looking for economies after the vets bills I've had this year so if I can get them to eat more cheaper hay and just a handful or two of the Hay Box stuff each a day that would be brilliant. I'd like to cut the Hay Box subscription to 10kg a month instead of 15kg. They do eat the other hays I buy so I just have to be firm with myself and stop spoiling them!

 

[Spaniel]

Mine get Hay Box soft Timothy and some cheaper meadow hay (more as bedding) usually from Nature's Own. We've recently had a lot of vet visits, the first comment from vets after deciding they had a respiratory infection was that 3 of them were overweight and as 2 had arthritis weight needed to be lost. The vets went through their diet and they could not fault it, they couldn't understand how the piggies were overweight on what they were eating until they took a closer look at the hay. They think the Hay Box hay could be too rich as a main feeding hay and needs to be cut back. I've been trying to feed less but they won't eat much of the other hays I've tried. As they have been ill and not eating so well anyway, they have lost the required weight but I am on the hunt for a hay they will eat so I can cut back on the Hay Box hay.

I’ve had to take Perry off the Hay Box blend as he was gaining too much weight because of the rich soft part and sometimes his poops were dark, bordering on soft and a bit smelly.

 

[Jemima]

Hey everyone. Thanks for all your replies and thoughts on this! I have put my subscription to haybox to every 12 weeks and I am going to mix it in I think. It pains me to see it all over their floor sometimes! So I really would rather just try to feed it more economically. I will see how I go to try to wean them off it, but it depends if I can see that they're eating enough of the bale hay.

 

[Tilly92]

Tomorrow i will bring some hay back from the stables to see if the pigs will eat it .It smells fine,horse likes it but it is very dusty

 

[Ruth1]

I know what you mean about the expense. I use a box of Haybox for two GPs every 3 weeks. I use cheaper stuff for bedding but it’s a bit dusty. Not sure what to do. It’s an expense, but mine are thriving on the soft Timothy hay and they guzzle it! I think I’ll just keep with it.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Mine have a bale of organic local farm hay at £6.00 (it’s gone up!) for the cage base (bedding) which they eat and I also buy a large 3.75kg of Pillow Wad hay. I was really disappointed with this last lot, nothing more than floor sweepings and they won’t touch it so bought a small bag from Morrisons £3 and it’s lovely, soft and green and they are really enjoying it. Very unsatisfied with Pillow Wad this time though
They get a little oat day too as a treat
I was wondering if this drought has affected the hay this year? A lot of it seems quite stalky and hard, they aren’t put off but I am seeing a change in quality with Pillow Wad

 

[Julie M]

Mine have a bale of organic local farm hay at £6.00 (it’s gone up!) for the cage base (bedding) which they eat and I also buy a large 3.75kg of Pillow Wad hay. I was really disappointed with this last lot, nothing more than floor sweepings and they won’t touch it so bought a small bag from Morrisons £3 and it’s lovely, soft and green and they are really enjoying it. Very unsatisfied with Pillow Wad this time though
They get a little oat day too as a treat
I was wondering if this drought has affected the hay this year? A lot of it seems quite stalky and hard, they aren’t put off but I am seeing a change in quality with Pillow Wad

I think its the cut of the pillowwad hay. First cut is really fine (i think), my hogs still eat it but they can't hide under it like they used to. its like a chaff as opposed to a long stem hay.

 

[Bill & Ted]

I think its the cut of the pillowwad hay. First cut is really fine (i think), my hogs still eat it but they can't hide under it like they used to. its like a chaff as opposed to a long stem hay.

Absolutely, it’s really coarse and about 1 inch in length at the moment. I’m glad I’ve only bought the one bag! I’m using it on the base of their cages and topping with softer farm hay which is so much better though not as good as usual either. The Morrison’s little hay bag is surprisingly nice, smells lovely and they are loving that

 

[Julie M]

Absolutely, it’s really coarse and about 1 inch in length at the moment. I’m glad I’ve only bought the one bag! I’m using it on the base of their cages and topping with softer farm hay which is so much better though not as good as usual either. The Morrison’s little hay bag is surprisingly nice, smells lovely and they are loving that

Mines really fine not coarse at all. Weird.

 

[Queenjellybeany]

With the costs rising for everything, I am looking for ways to cut down on expenses. I buy a bale of hay from a local animal store, sometimes it seems a little musty and dusty. though, so I have been mostly using it for bedding.

I always fed them this, too, and they seemed perfectly happy, until they went to their foster for a holiday (where I rescued them, she also boards piggies and bunnies) and she fed them on the haybox hay, and so I bought it and have since got into a habit of doing so!

It seems to last about four weeks if I mix it in with the hay from the bale... but I recently ran out and forgot to order, and so they are actually eating their 'bedding' hay from the bale, so I am wondering if I just stick with this, or if that's mean!

What sort of hay do you feed your piggies?

I get haybox, I get the biggest box I can so it works out cheaper

With the costs rising for everything, I am looking for ways to cut down on expenses. I buy a bale of hay from a local animal store, sometimes it seems a little musty and dusty. though, so I have been mostly using it for bedding.

I always fed them this, too, and they seemed perfectly happy, until they went to their foster for a holiday (where I rescued them, she also boards piggies and bunnies) and she fed them on the haybox hay, and so I bought it and have since got into a habit of doing so!

It seems to last about four weeks if I mix it in with the hay from the bale... but I recently ran out and forgot to order, and so they are actually eating their 'bedding' hay from the bale, so I am wondering if I just stick with this, or if that's mean!

What sort of hay do you feed your piggies?

yeah I get the 5kg of hay. My pigs love it. Sometimes I make my subscription a bit later in the month and just mix it with a store bought (normally excel hay) until I get money again hahahah. I find the other cheaper hay doesn’t last as long and they aren’t as interested. It works out well if you get a bigger amount as well and I prefer the convenience of it just being delivered to my house