hey, grow your own?

[BoundNoFtWaL]

Yeah I know it's, hay. Anybody thought of growing their own hay for their chinny? I have no grass in the front yard, just rocks. Just a thought about sustainable lawns Think it's doable? Anybody done it?

 

[staceylwolf]

We do our own hay but it's not from our front lawn, it's from our hayfield across the street. We bail hay for our horses and I just steal a flake from time to time for the chins

 

[harlowquin]

I live on a large dairy farm and a few times a year we bale hay... I just grab a feed sack and store it in that... It comes out smelling fresh and pretty green.. My chins seem to just love it.. I know I saw someone selling a 5lb box on ebay for a pretty steep price.. We have both timothy and alfalfa fields. I still buy hay cubes just for a change and something extra to chew on.

 

[nicky]

We grow our own hay and the chins love it!

 

[Bethany]

We have a couple hay fields. I think if you want to go pick up the clippings and spread them out in the sun to dry it is possible. However, when hay is cut it isn't with a regular mower it is kind of like clippers that lay it down so it can evenly dry. The mower wads it up and it will not dry properly.

 

[BoundNoFtWaL]

Sorry lost my own thread there for a day or two. Good to hear it can be done. Right now we live in the suburbs, but we're hoping to buy a place with some land soon. I was thinking about growing vegies for myself in the front yard instead of decorative plants. Thought if I'm going to eat they yard, why shouldn't my chin. Ha! Where do you all get the seed for your hay? Think I could find some at the feed store? Oh I'd probably just go out with a weed wacker I'm not planning on covering the whole lawn, just a few cubic feet and roatating.

Oh, and another hay question since you guys do grow it. I've seen listings on craig's list for compressed hay cubes for sale. Guessing those are just big bales of hay, and not the little 1' cubes we buy for the chinnies right?

 

[Rickman]

You can make almost any size bale in a clean garbage compacter - just put it in a plastic bag first!
[an old 'grow your own' trick]

 

[BoundNoFtWaL]

LOL. Imaging how big a chins eyes would get if you offered that to them. :huh: Sorry was the first thing that popped into my head. Good to know!

 

[Spoof]

Where do you all get the seed for your hay? Think I could find some at the feed store?

You'll probably want to start at the feed store, they should be able to tell you what types you can grow in your area, and what times of year to cut. Haying is an art. )

 

[chinchillalover0927]

i wasnt aware you could feed them regular hay...my dad bales hay!! dont tell me i been buying hay for no reasong lol

 

[BoundNoFtWaL]

I don't know much of anything about growing hay. Just know it's a plant. I don't see why you wouldn't be able to give them timoty and alfalfa hay if that's what your pops is growing.

 

[addictedtochins]

Alfalfa has too much protein. Timothy is great. It needs to be really good quality, no mold or weeds. I try to buy pesticide free hay when possible.