Hay - bedding or food?

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Bullseye

i feel a bit of a numptie even posting this but was reading Claire W's post which made me think

My pigs love hay but i understand its great for bedding too

as the nights are getting colder i have been adding more than normal

and they just eat more

i dont want tham getting cold - should i use something else?

i have shredded papre - the spread that all over the garden
 
simple answer is use it for both and then they will not go hungry and remember as the temperature drop they will need more calories to keep themselves warm. Some people like to use meadow hay for bedding and then buy nicer hay for eating but my girls eat as much bedding as the expensive yummier stuff i buy them
 
I guess your piggies are outdoors?

If you wanted to provide them with more insulation I guess a layer of megazorb or similar under the hay would work well and soak up the wee, but they'd probably still prefer hay on top to burrow in. Don't forget, just because they eat it doesn't mean it's not keeping them warm. In cold weather they'll eat more to burn calories and generate heat.

When I had outdoor piggies I used to stuff their bedrooms right up with hay every night and they were always toasty warm in there.

D'oh! Lovelygirl just said it first.
 
I use cheaper hay for the underlay (though they eat that, too) and then tuck in the better quality for eating; mine are indoors piggies, though!

On cold nights, you can fill the hut bit of the hutch with hay into which they can bury. You can use cheaper meadow hay as well for that!
 
I am spoiling them iand again seem to be doing it right

i have been given some lovely meadow hay which they like

the hutch is getting a second layer of insulation - carpet under lay and then a water proof layer over that

although its not quite cold enough yet

i am planning piggie paradise before long

large wooden hutch for all piggies with a walk in run for me and the girls

if i can find a shed on free cycle that would make a nice shell perhaps
would not look out of place in the garden too

but i digress

so hay is food and bedding
cannot use too much

so its a safe bet

How do i make it?
 
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Bullseye said:
How do i make it?
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Forget it, haymaking in the UK is full of angst and nail biting weather watching. Then it rains at the wrong time and the whole shebang goes mouldy. Stick to buying it :))

If you have a friendly local farmer / feed merchant you can buy it by the bale for about £4 though
 
haymaking is definitely left to farmers with big machines, plus where would you keep it?
 
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