I am ready....

[Catahoula]

I went ahead and picked up a bale of alfalfa (~ 50 lbs), a bale of grass hay and two bales of straw. I ordered my goat feeds and mineral. Got my kelp meal yesterday and also have alfalfa pellets. Shelter is all ready. I just need my goats!!!
Alfalfa is @ $15.50 a bale and the grass hay is $19.90 (it is bigger than the Alfalfa). mmmm...that seems expensive....Straw is $8.70 a bale.

 

[RPC]

WOW that is crazy here in Indiana my straw is $2.50, and my Alfalfa is between $5-6 grass is between $4-5. I can not imagine paying those prices since with all the goats threw the winter we go threw 1/2 to 1 bale a day.

 

[manybirds]

I went ahead and picked up a bale of alfalfa (~ 50 lbs), a bale of grass hay and two bales of straw. I ordered my goat feeds and mineral. Got my kelp meal yesterday and also have alfalfa pellets. Shelter is all ready. I just need my goats!!!
Alfalfa is @ $15.50 a bale and the grass hay is $19.90 (it is bigger than the Alfalfa). mmmm...that seems expensive....Straw is $8.70 a bale.

hays expenive there! if you get more goats i'de travel a little north for bales! i know people who come from texas all the way up here (wisconsin) for hay just because its so much cheaper, seems crazy but apparently it saves money. Good luck with the goats! hope all goes welll and you enjoy them
we pay $1.25 a bale (80 ibs ish) of grass, $4 a bale for alphalfa ($80 ibs ish) and around $3-$4 for timothy (not sure the weight)

 

[that's*satyrical]

Our alfalfa is 13.99 a bale for about 50lb square bale & grass hay bermuda or fescue about 5-6 a bale. The alfalfa is such nice hay though really green & fresh we don't even need to feed very much pellet at all except to our milkers and medicated pellets for growing kids.

 

[Catahoula]

We'll be getting two boers wethers and our first. I have never bought hay/straw before. I think even Murdock is about $14 for a bale of alfalfa or alfalfa/timothy grass mix. In time, I'll find other sources. The goat feeds are only for now too during their growing stage. They will get to browse on 4 acres with pine, junipers and some bushes. Not sure how long it would last. We have plants but I really don't know how much two goats can eat. I can make some deals with the neighbors...to allow the goats on their properties to browse also and I'll be with them. I have to make this work because I want more goats! Winter time would be most expensive...

 

[that's*satyrical]

The good news is once your goats are in good condition they won't eat a whole ton of it like they do if they need to catch up nutritionally so it will last a while. With 7 adults & 6 babies we go through about a bale to a bale & 1/2 a week. With 2 does in milk and 2 of those adults being bucks.

 

[AdoptAPitBull]

Yikes!!

I'd definitely not be able to afford goats with those hay prices! I hated to pay $5 a bale for timothy/orchard mix with delivery!

Hopefully once summer comes the price will drop.

 

[mama24]

That is a lot! I can get a 1,000lb giant bale of organic alfalfa for $200. I haven't done it yet b/c I don't know where to put it. lol. But the small square bales wrapped in plastic at Tractor Supply are $15, much more expensive! And not even organic! I also have been getting my grass hay at TSC, $8/bale. There are farmers taht sell hay for $3 a bale, but I haven't found one yet. I'm looking for no spray and good grass, not stemmy stuff. Until I find it, I'm getting the TSC stuff, which is overpriced and probably full of herbicides, but it's nice grassy stuff and convenient.

 

[Catahoula]

Just checked Craigslist and found couple private sale of alfalfa...3x3x8 bale for $110 to $130 both are 3rd cuttings. We are in the process of getting a permit to build a 'barn' so we'll have room to put our tractor and all the goat stuff. Our County is very strict...it will take awhile. How long can I store hay? Ideally, will it keep for for months in dry, cool and well ventilated place?

 

[daisychick]

We store hay all year. I am just now finishing up feeding last years 3rd cutting hay bales and making room for the first cutting of this year sometime in June. As long as they are kept dry they last a while. Out bales are still green and lovely when we open them up. Hay is crazy expensive in Colorado right now.