feeding hay

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I just have to ask . HOw many people feed hay or no hay at all. There is lots of talk on feeding hay vs not to feed hay.

 

[Rae]

I feed hay everyday. One of the reasons I feed it is so that they have something to do all day and I don't believe they'll get fat off of it. I'd rather not have them chewing wood, wire or their feeders out of boredom. Another plus is that around here it's very cheap, $3 or so for a 45lb bale that will last me 3 weeks easily.

 

[kotapony]

I also keep the hay feeder stuffed 24/7. It seems to me rabbits were designed to eat grass/weeds and this is the closest and easiest way I have to give them what they were meant to eat. I have a colony and supplement the hay with a free choice protein block rather than pellets. I just raise personal meat rabbits and it seems to be working well for me so far.

 

[MaggieJ]

I feed a hay-based natural diet, no pellets. So they always have hay available, mainly alfalfa with some grass.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

THanks. I was told that the pellets were enough and they dont need hay.IF you want bigger meat rabbits at 10 weeks old. NOt to feed hay as they need to gain weigh from there pellets. THey dont gain weight from hay. If they eat to much hay then they dont eat enough pellets to gain that weight.

 

[MaggieJ]

THanks. I was told that the pellets were enough and they dont need hay.IF you want bigger meat rabbits at 10 weeks old. NOt to feed hay as they need to gain weigh from there pellets. THey dont gain weight from hay. If they eat to much hay then they dont eat enough pellets to gain that weight.

That is a popular line of thinking, but what these people failed to mention is that it is common to lose entirely pellet-fed fryers to weaning enteritis. Feeding grass hay may mean that growth rate is a bit slower, but your losses will be minimal. Many brands of pellets do not have sufficient coarse fibre... and rabbits' digestive tracts are geared to utilize fibre.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Ok. thanks. Good point. I will continue in giving hay. THis is why i like these forums.

 

[trinityoaks]

Like MaggieJ, I grain-feed my rabbits, and alfalfa hay is an integral part of their diet. I've had to settle for alfalfa cubes since I've moved here because I haven't yet been able to find any alfalfa hay.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I started by feeding alfalfa hay, because I had it anyway for the horses. When that ran out, with alfalfa at $19 a bale, I needed an alternative. My neighbor has a couple truckloads of bermuda grass with some oat mixed in, so I traded my mini-donkey to him in exchange for hay. Not ideal for our older horses and coming yearling (all are doing well though), but better for the bunnies since the pellets are alfalfa based.

When the buns were getting pellets only, fed at night, they were really blase' at feeding time. As soon as I started feeding hay, they all started mobbing the doors! That in itself tells me they need and enjoy it.

 

[LilFish_JWQueen(:]

I dont believe you have to feed hay since its in the pellets but if your raising babies you want it around in case of messy bottoms and of course if you use it in your nest boxes.
I do feed it every once in a while to all my herd though because of wool block though.

 

[MaggieJ]

In my opinion, feeding hay daily is the best thing you can do to prevent diarrhea, weaning enteritis, GI stasis and other ailments of the of the rabbit digestive system. "An ounce of prevention is worth as pound of cure."

 

[5dognightfarm]

I feed hay to all my rabbits. Its mostly grass hay, there's not a lot of timothy available around here, but I've heard its the best for rabbits.

 

[sommrluv]

For us alfalfa/timothy mix is $6 at most in the small bales (40-50lb) a 50 lb of pellets is about $14. I free feed the hay because it's so much cheaper. (they get pellets as well, and organic oats and wheat about 1x a week mixed in) We used to buy oats hay but I think the farmer passed away. The chickens LOVED that stuff.

 

[akane]

Our organic clover and alfalfa hay is $6-$7 a bale with regular alfalfa somewhere around $2-$4 so hay is the cheapest thing to feed anything on around here. We provided hay 24/7 and have been limiting pellets even with growing rabbits lately to make them eat more of the high protein hay which is much cheaper than pellets. I think my rabbits have been saved by their hay diet many times. People have fed them things or they've gotten in to things that should have resulted in bloat or severe diarrhea but it doesn't happen and we don't lose kits to health issues.

 

[Jana15]

I guess i will put my 2 cents in as well I feed hay 24/7, Mostly timothy and alfalfa, but with a small handful or orchard grass here and there. The hay is a main part of my bun's diet, and pellets are just a "side meal."

 

[ottersatin]

My whole herd adults and kits are on a basically
pelleted rabbit feed diet and water. I feed grass-hay
at least three or more times per week in a hay-rack.
It helps to maintain gastointestinal health, I do not want to deal
with wool/fur block. I do occasionally add Comfrey, Boss and or Oats
to their regimen. Everything in moderation, moderation is the key.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[skysthelimit]

THanks. I was told that the pellets were enough and they dont need hay.IF you want bigger meat rabbits at 10 weeks old. NOt to feed hay as they need to gain weigh from there pellets. THey dont gain weight from hay. If they eat to much hay then they dont eat enough pellets to gain that weight.

That is a popular line of thinking, but what these people failed to mention is that it is common to lose entirely pellet-fed fryers to weaning enteritis. Feeding grass hay may mean that growth rate is a bit slower, but your losses will be minimal. Many brands of pellets do not have sufficient coarse fibre... and rabbits' digestive tracts are geared to utilize fibre.

I heard this too, and since they seem to enjoy the hay more than the pellets, I make sure to give them plenty of hay.

 

[currituckbun]

I too feed hay almost every day. I have some rabbits that would be spitting mad if I forgot. I do forget sometimes and even tried every other day but two of my bucks got into such a funk that it did not last long. They need something to do and I dare not let Houdini out until the new pen is built. I can' wait until I can gather more greens for them. I feed pellets too because I can't gather enough free range. Hay seems to keep them happy.
Ever been on the Atkins diet? If so you know how you would do anything for a crusty piece of bread after a few weeks. I think it must be that way for them.

 

[fuzzy9]

I have some pretty big hay hogs here, and if they had to go even one day without hay, I'm sure they'd be pretty darn upset with me. :lol: It keeps them busy, so I feed it 2x a day, as much as they'll clean up in one feeding. Keeps them from getting bored.

 

[Starchild]

I didn't even know not feeding hay was an option.. this is the first time I've seen it being mentioned sinse I first started reading up on rabbits when I got my first a few months ago.

24/7 access to hay, and only -supplementing- with pellets, seems to be the rabbit mantra out there.. but then again, the world are full of mantras that are constantly changing over time, so one can never say never to anything..