DIY Alternative to Timothy Hay?

The Chick Addict

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Hi! I have heard and read several times that Timothy Hay is necessary for rabbits but now-a-days a 16 oz. bag costs $15! :he I just don't have the time or money to go to the store so often. I have Blue Winter Rye growing and also Buffalo grass, would the hay from this grass be good to feed my rabs instead of Timothy?

Thanks!
 

The Chick Addict

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When I raised rabbits I fed them the same coastal hay I feed the goats. The rabbits got the stems left from the goats eating alfalfa. I don't recall ever feeding my rabbits Timothy Hay.
Okay thanks for the advice! I probably will discontinue the Timothy Hay as of now and feed them the hay from the Blue Rye and Buffalo grass. Thanks! :D =D
 

SageHill

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Hi! I have heard and read several times that Timothy Hay is necessary for rabbits but now-a-days a 16 oz. bag costs $15! :he I just don't have the time or money to go to the store so often. I have Blue Winter Rye growing and also Buffalo grass, would the hay from this grass be good to feed my rabs instead of Timothy?

Thanks!
I don't have rabbits - but if the bag of Timothy hay is like what I see at places like Petco that's $$$$$.
Have you checked a feed store where you could buy a bale of it??
 

Mini Horses

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You can buy 40-50# bags at feed stores. Timothy, Timothy mix. It's still expensive but only a little more than just a couple pounds in "pet" section. Horse feed area. 😊. Plus in a bag....a little easier to handle and store for a rabbit.
 

The Chick Addict

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I don't have rabbits - but if the bag of Timothy hay is like what I see at places like Petco that's $$$$$.
Have you checked a feed store where you could buy a bale of it??
You can buy 40-50# bags at feed stores. Timothy, Timothy mix. It's still expensive but only a little more than just a couple pounds in "pet" section. Horse feed area. 😊. Plus in a bag....a little easier to handle and store for a rabbit.
Awesome, thanks for the advice! I'll ask next time I go to the feed store! 💚
 

canesisters

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I'd be shocked if I have any Timothy growing on my property and I have wild rabbits so thick that it's not unusual to nearly trip over them in the early morning when neither of us are paying as much attention as we aught to.
Maybe the wild ones have different diet requirements?? Kinda like buffalo v/s production jersey 🤣
 

farmerjan

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Timothy hay does not like alot of hot weather so it does not grow real good in Va. The first cutting is okay, but it does not come back for a good 2nd cutting so is not grown much here. Not enough return to the acre if you are growing hay to make and sell. One of the reasons it is so popular up north... it does not get the long hot days up there... sure some hot weather, but it doesn't hang on for weeks and weeks like further south.
 

Ridgetop

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I just fed alfalfa pellets to my rabbits. I never heard about feeding different types of hay. Pellets are easy, less waste than when i tried feeding hay, and we had 100 breeders. I fed 1 oz rolled oats in the am (standard oats fell through the screen bottom feeders) and 1 cup pellet at night worked well. I was on an accelerated breeding program, so I used 18% instead of standard 16% pellet to keep the does in good condition. For the rabbits DH was showing we made up a mix of sunflower seeds, oats, barley, sweet feed, occasionally some calf manna. Only fed 1 oz of that and really did not see much difference. If I had older does on the accelerated breeding program I would occasionally give a bit of calf manna for their milk production. The oats put on hard flesh for the show table.

What is the reason for feeding Timothy?
 
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