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- #11
Rescuechick76
Overrun with beasties
Square and we free feed
Amount of hay
- Thread starter Rescuechick76
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #12
Rescuechick76
Overrun with beasties
Thanks!
I can't believe the difference in price!
It's like anything else... availability drives price. Some parts of the country are really hurt for hay due to too much or too little water. Other places there is an over abundance.
Southern by choice
Herd Master
If you plan on buying and storing then make sure the hay is tested
Usually super cheap hay is just that
Super cheap
It can look good. But doesn't mean it is nutritionally good
Usually super cheap hay is just that
Super cheap
It can look good. But doesn't mean it is nutritionally good
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- #15
Rescuechick76
Overrun with beasties
Tested?
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- #16
Rescuechick76
Overrun with beasties
I could see that, but we aren't hurting for hay here. Quite a big difference, more then double the price :/
Southern by choice
Herd Master
Most good hay dealers will test their hay
You can have it tested if they don't
You can have it tested if they don't
Baymule
Herd Master
I would buy a years supply at that price too! I used to buy square bales and stored them in a portable building, stacked up into the rafters. I bought all I could make fit in the building.
norseofcourse
Herd Master
When I started keeping my animals on my own property, I started keeping track of hay - purchases, quality, how long it lasted. I got a bit more detailed as I went along, and it's really helped.
I keep track of how much I use by marking an 'h' on the calendar every time I open a bale (I use squares). I cut the hay strings off at a knot - cut one knot off entirely and stick it in my pocket, that way I don't forget to note it on the calendar when I come in and check my pockets. I add them up monthly and write down how many I used for that month, and how many of what animals I had. From that I can estimate yearly and seasonal needs, and even get a good estimate of how much more I'd need for additional animals.
For each hay purchase, I track the date, where I got it from, quantity, price, the type (timothy, orchardgrass, alfalfa, etc), the quality (bales light or tight, stemmy or grassy, etc), and once I open some, how the animals liked it. I'll also note anything else I think of - like if the price included delivery, or some bales were found to have mold, or multiflora rosebush stems, etc...
How much you'll need depends, but you can get a ballpark figure with the numbers folks have given you already. Add a bit for waste (especially if you feed on the ground), and add a bit 'just in case', if you have plenty of storage room.
I keep track of how much I use by marking an 'h' on the calendar every time I open a bale (I use squares). I cut the hay strings off at a knot - cut one knot off entirely and stick it in my pocket, that way I don't forget to note it on the calendar when I come in and check my pockets. I add them up monthly and write down how many I used for that month, and how many of what animals I had. From that I can estimate yearly and seasonal needs, and even get a good estimate of how much more I'd need for additional animals.
For each hay purchase, I track the date, where I got it from, quantity, price, the type (timothy, orchardgrass, alfalfa, etc), the quality (bales light or tight, stemmy or grassy, etc), and once I open some, how the animals liked it. I'll also note anything else I think of - like if the price included delivery, or some bales were found to have mold, or multiflora rosebush stems, etc...
How much you'll need depends, but you can get a ballpark figure with the numbers folks have given you already. Add a bit for waste (especially if you feed on the ground), and add a bit 'just in case', if you have plenty of storage room.
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
Is it the same kind of hay?
