Are timothy hays all alike

[channeltool]

Hi, I usually purchase my timothy hay online from Washington State but i was running low and my vendor was out of second cut until mid Sept. I bought a bale of second cut timothy locally in NJ. It smells much sweeter, almost like fennel but they assured me it was only timothy. Are there different variety of timothy hay or does it depend on the soil it is grown in. I do not think my chins will eat it. They haven't touched it yet. but it has only been a day.

 

[baaangarang]

I actually wondered the same thing! I assumed they were all alike, but my lil guy seems to be able to tell a difference. I switched brands and he won't touch the stuff! I think it has something to do with the harvesting process and how old the hay is and the quality of it, etc. they seem to be able to tell the difference between what's good and what's not.


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[Dreamlite]

No not all hay is made the same. There are many different types and levels of quality. A good quality hay should be green, not stalky, smell slightly sweet and look 'fresh'. Brown, stalky or musty hay is low quality and shouldn't be used. I use timothy or orchard mix. Alfalfa can be given from time to time as a treat. There are other mixes like blue grass and such. I look for quality rather than type of hay when purchasing. I buy by the bale since I have quite a few chins. It can be much more cost effective. Hay can be kept indefinitely without going bad. Keep any excess in a container with holes out of direct sunlight.

 

[channeltool]

That might explain why it smells so sweet. They told me they just cut and dried it a little over a week ago. They grow it in their fields. The chins did eat some last night. I put it in their cage along with their other hay and they did eat some. I guess I can keep adding it along with the older timothy until the older timothy is gone. It is very nice hay ( green and leafy) and cost about a quarter of the price of the hay I order online.