This post really doesn't have a category. I'm just looking for someone to commiserate with me, or encourage me, or advise me.
Here in Minnesota, it has done nothing but rain. Nobody's having good fortune with their crops, hay isn't getting put up, gardens are failing...it's really pretty bad. Needless to say, I'm beginning to feel pretty worried about getting hay.
Anyone want to chime in with advice on where/how you find hay, or what you do when the hay you want just can't be found?
I'm still using hay from last year, nearly as much as I did in the winter, because with it constantly raining I can't get the goats acclimated to being on pasture. I am only able to put them out every couple of days, or maybe two in a row at the most, before they're stuck in the barn again.
Replies
Oh thank you Patty! :) This was so nice of you to post. I will certainly be checking these out. All of what Rose posted really resonated in me. I planned on going to see the hay in person after I requested pictures of it to see if it was even worth the time, but to really know what I'm looking for now is helpful. I knew to look for green and no mold/dust. Smell - never really thought of that, nor the weeds. These links will be such a great help in my further quest, thanks again!! :D
Patty Meyer said:
Thank you for that info, Deborah. I'll remember if I do go that route, or even partly that route, to store them at the back of the barn. I wouldn't have thought to order them straight from the company, but I'm sure it would be a savings from what I pay now. I've been using it this summer to mix with the grain when I milk, so they eat longer giving me more time to milk. I pay $18 something a bag at the nearest feed store.
It's been dry for a whole two days now, and supposed to be dry through the weekend. Believe me, that's a big deal! :) Perhaps I'll get some hay yet.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
It was very expensive, and it is very well digested, and the doelings from that summer wound up very leggy. Thankfully, none of them went overheight, but they look out of proportion because their legs are so long. I thought they were overheight until I measured them. And yes, they do stand around with nothing to do a lot of time.
Also, the bags are only guaranteed for a year, and the woman who is in charge of sales told me that they had bags in their warehouse that were several years old and still holding up. I was on the fence about how many bags to order. Shipping is cheaper if you order a whole semi, but I was worried about using it up within a year. She convinced me that it would be fine, regardless of how long it took us to use it up. So, I got a whole semi. We are still finishing it up now, two years later, and starting at about 13 months, any bags that were in the front of the barn where they were being hit by the sun, wound up with mold growing in them, so we had to throw away a lot of it. I contacted her, and she immediately said that they're only guaranteed for a year. At one point she said she'd replace the bags that had gone bad, but she never did. They claim that the bags can be stored outside, which is clearly not a good idea once you get to a year. These bags were not outside, just in the sun.
Patty Meyer said:
Deborah, why do you feel that you wouldn't want to do that again? Is it the cost, or the health of the animals?
I am going to have all open does this winter too, so I don't really want to get the chaffhaye, unless they make one that isn't alfalfa. We're taking a one summer break from kidding/milking because this is our eldest daughter's last year at home, and we want to spend some time vacationing and traveling with our whole family before she's out of the house.
I'm also feeling like they'd eat it fast, then stand around a lot with nothing to do at all, and that's already a problem in mid winter when there's so much snow they won't go outside. I really feel bad for them at that time of year.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
Here are a couple of links for the hay exchange I found that are (relatively) near you. Wish I was close enough to check them out.
http://www.hayexchange.com/display_detail_hay.php?id=79188
http://www.hayexchange.com/display_detail_hay.php?id=81718
http://www.hayexchange.com/display_detail_hay.php?id=82902
I've been checking WI because northern WI is closer to us than a lot of MN
Best wishes to you. :)
Scarlett Salamone said:
we had the same problem...so much rain ...nobody was cutting...we bought some of last years hay...theyre eating it but not with gusto...we finished our fences so its finally stopped raining and they've been going out on pasture....we have 2 hay guys we buy from and we know we can trust them. always always always go inspect the hay in person...you will know if its good...good color, fresh smell, no mold, few nasty weeds....we buy directly from the farmer....its hard to get small squares....most people cut large round bales. once you find a good seller don't let him get away from you...you will pay less than the feed stores and they will always try to do right by you.
I know the feeling and am starting to wonder what we'll be doing because we are having the same problem. Two years ago, I ordered Chaffhaye but don't really want to do that again.
Oh Patty, I feel you! Being right next to you in WI we're having the same issue. Its miserable and so not the way I had envisioned starting off my adventures in having goats. I've been searching and searching for hay also to try and get set for winter with the same dismal results and feeling very nervous about what will happen. I just keep praying something good will come about. I've found a few leads on Craigslist I'm going to call on and ask if they can text/email me pictures of their hay. They were ads that shared their hay had no rain on them, which I find to be pretty impressive.
Julia, the tip on the pellets is a good one. I've seen those at TSC and I think we might be able to get something similar delivered at our house through our shipments we receive for feed with my hubby's kennel business. Its been nice being able to add in supplies for the goats and chickens through those orders. I have the same issue with the kids getting in to the feeders no matter what - ugh! Its impossible to keep up with the little stinkers, LOL. Good thing they are so adorable. I'm cleaning here all the time as well, but love the time I spend with my darlings while doing it so I guess it all evens out in the end. Just wish it wasn't so soggy. I hate they are cooped up all the time. :(
Oh, Julia. I sympathize with you over the mess, and all the cleaning required. It seems like if the feeders were 5 feet up, they'd still jump into them and take naps. Makes me want to laugh and cry, both. They're so cute! Thanks for the info about the timothy pellets. I might have to check into that for this winter, though I'd still need some hay for them I would think. I can't get the TSC brand here, but I can get a delivery from a feed store in the nearest large town. Or go there myself, a 2.5 to 3 hour one way drive. Costs the same for the delivery fee as the gas to get there and back. I wonder if there's a comparable brand I can find. I sure don't want one that's going to choke them.
I found this online hay exchange, where I can search for hay in my state. I've been looking there and it seems possible I can find some. However, knowing if it's good hay is another matter. Makes me nervous.
My goats are ridiculously spoiled by timothy pellets. They LOVE them. They eat hay too but I usually put some pellets out for them as well and they act like it's candy. I know it's probably better quality than the tim/orchard hay I get and maybe that's why they love it. I get it at TSC. My boys eat it too and so do the kids. It seems to be soft enough for them to chew because I've never had one choke. It's always a good alternative if you can't get hay but of course it's more expensive. But there's no waste! Btw, we've had rain rain rain too. I can relate. It's so soggy the girls don't want to go outside so the barn is always a mess and I have to clean constantly :( I've had several kids with cocci too because it's so soggy and their feet are always gross and of course they stand in the feeder bowls no matter how high they are (grrrrrr).