Suggestions please

[chinchillalady]

We are disappointed with the timothy hay we've been getting from Oxbow. The last few boxes have been, well...garbage. The chins are barely even touching it. I thought maybe it was a one time thing, so we kept getting it. Nope, not even close.

So, I'm asking for some advice. What are some good quality hays you can recommend. Or even if someone can point me to a good feed store around Milwaukee, WI that I can go to that has bales of hay or something.

I refuse to feed them Oxbow hay anymore after this. It seems like their quality may have gone downhill.

 

[tunes]

You should let Oxbow know that. Write to them and complain. I think a lot of their stuff is going by the wayside now that you can't buy direct.

 

[Little Chinta]

Our Oxbow Timmy hay here also varies. Especially from store to store. Have you considered buying bales of hay directly from a farmer?

 

[threewingedfury]

Zupreem hay is pretty darn decent. I've never had good experience with Oxbow. You can usually find Zupreem at local feed stores and pet stores. I get 8 lb bags of it and feed it sparingly with my alfalfa cubes.

 

[powderr]

I have always had good luck with Oxbow, but I live in PA. I also love to add some of Kaytees Timothy Plus. They make different versions, one with mint, one with marigold (my chins favorite!) and I think a few others.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

Chins can be so picky about their hay. I have tried everything out there and the only hays they have ever eaten with any consistency are American Pet Diner and Oxbow. I have had "bad" batches of both (just meaning my picky chins wouldn't eat it). Right now I am buying Oxbow since the APD I received last time was crap. My girls completely turned their noses up at the Zupreem hay and I have tried to introduce it twice (fed it for several days each time to try to get them to eat it) about a year apart. I think it is just trial and error. What some chins love, others hate, and sometimes they start to hate what they have seemed to love for years lol.

 

[Spoof]

You've got enough chins that it would be worth it to pick up a bale. I love going to the feed store and sniffing the hay. This time of year there should be some good stuff coming out of fall storage. It's pretty easy to spot, if you walk up, smell it and get the urge to munch (kidding) they'll probably love it.

Also, you can take a few sandwich baggies with you and ask to pick up samples from each pile - take them home and see which is most popular.

 

[mishellyshel]

spoof--wish i would done that..........the bale i just got wasnt all that green. i have to take it apart and check the middle, but they dont seem to be all that thrilled with it.
i have yet to find hay that ALL these guys like.
i swear they are worse then my kids with their pickiness!

 

[chinchillalady]

LOL! Spoof, that's pretty funny.

I'm going to have to find some farms around here or something, because the chins need that hay!

Tunes, I was telling my husband that I am going to write to them. I think everyone here knows I've been pretty darn loyal to Oxbow, and this makes me upset that their quality has gone down the pooper.

 

[Linda]

I entirely avoid Oxbow due to significant problems we've had with their products. Their prices are high -- and for very poor quality.

Also, you can take a few sandwich baggies with you and ask to pick up samples from each pile - take them home and see which is most popular.

The feed stores around here are very good about letting me check out what they have and giving samples. Some will even bag smaller amounts which better meets my needs.

Linda

 

[alli713]

So far I haven't been able to find any good hay in bales around here in WI. It's all alfalfa or mixed, not timothy. Perhaps further south you'll have better luck, although so far everyone in WI I've asked hasn't found a good source.

I buy my bales in Minnesota.

Although I also get Oxbow hay direct from them to sell on my site and so far I haven't had any issues with the hay. So who knows..

 

[addictedtochins]

You can check out Kleenmama's Hayloft
http://www.kmshayloft.com/