Bulk feed?

[Kushy12]

So here is the dilemma, I spend $40 weekly on two 50lb bags of rabbit food. I have tried to down grade to cheaper brands (right now I am using pfau) but it has sempt that the cheaper brands have a whole heck of a lot of powder/crumble, that my rabbits won't touch. Is there anywhere that sells rabbit feed in bulk quantities for a better price? How do you back yard rabbitrys keep up on the food bill and or keep the price feasible. These little hoppers are making me go broke

 

[alsea1]

I supplement with hay and when available grass when I have time to gather it.
I get producers pride pellets for sixteen per fifty pound bag.
Once your rabbit numbers get up there it does start costing a bit.

 

[Onyx]

I am not sure what the price difference would be, but I've been reading more and more about people getting away from feeding rabbit pellets entirely. I've read in several places now about people switching to feeding only hay and oats (and whatever supplements like minerals, etc, I assume), and having good results. That said I haven't been able to get a lot of details, things like what exact kind of hay, what kind of supplements, what kind of rabbits (pet or growers). I plan to give it a try with my rabbits once I get moved, though. I would imagine that growers/breeders would be fed on alfalfa hay and then you'd have to switch up your hay with resting or pet animals. But I'd think you'd need to add alfalfa hay or pellets in some quantity to make sure there was enough protein.

It will definitely be a learning experience in any case. Whether it would help save money in your case I guess would depend on how much the hay and oats in your area compares, price-wise to pellets.