diet question

I asked the Shoots earlier this month what they did as far as hay goes - they feed an alfalfa-based pellet, with alfalfa cubes. They don't use timothy, nor do they think that timothy or any other hay is really NEEDED in their diet, but it doesn't hurt to supplement them with other hay if you choose to do so. What they do, works for them. It may not work for anyone else, it's up to the chin owner and what they're comfortable with or can afford. I've also spoken to a lot of other ranchers who don't use hay. Do their animals develop malo from not feeding hay? I honestly doubt it, but I'm sure they run into cases of malo here and there, but on rare occasions - remember, it's also genetic.

As for myself, I personally have a hard time finding good hay. I have alfalfa cubes, and most of my chins take a few bites off of it and then decide to urinate on it. I also purchase bales of hay, but I can't get timothy hay around here. We had a bad drought for 2 years and no one really had any. I think the last bale I purchased was orchard grass, and my chins absolutely hate it. Do I feed hay every day? Nope. Once a week? Maybe, depends on when I decide to feed them hay, usually once or twice in a two week period. I still give the cubes occasionally, but most of the time they're wasted. Do I think chins need loose or cubed hay if they are fed a good pellet? Nope, sure don't, I just do it because it's what I'm comfortable with. I've never dealt with malo in the past 4 years of breeding, nor have I fed hay every day. I used to give hay more than I do now, but I don't see the point if it's mostly wasted.

I am a previous pet owner growing into a hobby breeder.
I have the outmost respect for the ranchers from whom I have gotten my chins although I do believe hay is essential to a chin.

Happy I am to have come across this thread, for I have in the past run out of hay and it was back order.... lost lots of hair, that's how stressed I was. I was always told that you can run out of pellets but not hay.

Now, if this ever happens again, well, the hair will stay and the stress will go..

thanks to all your individual chin experiences...

I'm not sure how I missed this thread until now, but it was really interesting! I think there are 2 very important points that a few people are missing.

1) The vet on here is ONE vet. She may know about chins, but I've heard (and met) many "chin vets" that say to feed a diet of only raw greens, or you don't need A/C, or you can fully diagnose malo by touch, or a multitude of things many of us agree aren't a good idea. She shouldn't be treated as all-knowing and the only expert. Many people on here probably have more experience than she does. Her being one person that says they need hay is no more "the rules" than one rancher saying no hay.

2) Articles from the 70's are OLD. There are very few things in chin care (or medical care for that matter) that are still the same now as they were almost 40 years ago. I would not use that as a source to justify anything.

3) Chin knowledge seems to change really rapidly. It is foolish to declare anything "the way it must be done" since we are constantly learning new things. When I got my first chin about 7 years ago, everyone said Mazuri was a top-notch food - one of the best out there. We certainly aren't saying that anymore. People also said raisins were just fine every day, but that isn't common advice anymore. I cringe when I think about the things I did 7 years ago that are now big "no-nos."

Thanks for this enlightening discussion everyone! FWIW, I feed timothy hay every day, but I only have 3 chins so it's cheap. I don't think I would if I had a huge herd.