Hay Consumption

M

MelJo

New Born Pup
Joined
Aug 14, 2021
Messages
4
Reaction score
7
Points
90
Location
Edinburgh
Hi. We have had our piggies for 3 months. I currently put their hay in slot boxes attached outside the cage. I fill it regularly but they seem to pull it all through onto the cage floor and then won’t eat it. Any advice for best way to give them hay?
 
You could always try hay bags or they have hay rollers (some pigs get their heads stuck so make sure it's got small caps and is wooden) (:
 
:wel:

Hay waste is normal. They want free access to hay and want to be able to forage through it freely and find the best bits and will leave the bits they don’t want.

I simply fill my boys cage with hay everywhere in large free piles, I don’t use hayracks or anything that can restrict their access to it. They forage through it to get the bits they want to eat, sleep on it, run through it, and waste the rest.
I personally don’t like holders and particularly those that go on the outside of the cage - they never look like it makes it very easy for them to get access to lots of hay!
 
They do it because they like it on the floor! Then they snuffle around in it and pee on it and eat it anyway 🤣 You end up throwing out a lot of hay but it's all biodegradable so the planet won't mind!
 
Ours love to lie in a hay tray for ages munching away. Stuffing hay in the inner toilet roll also seems to make it especially appealing 😂
 

Attachments

  • D91E8ADA-0469-4B24-AAC1-A263AEA55081.webp
    D91E8ADA-0469-4B24-AAC1-A263AEA55081.webp
    84.2 KB · Views: 16
  • 666B7CEA-E1AE-4750-9E18-628620A36ADF.webp
    666B7CEA-E1AE-4750-9E18-628620A36ADF.webp
    54.8 KB · Views: 15
  • 2088038F-71E9-4236-858C-A9992F4D53B7.webp
    2088038F-71E9-4236-858C-A9992F4D53B7.webp
    23.8 KB · Views: 14
I used to use a hay rack. But like yours they pulled the hay out. Now I just put it in large piles. When I put in a new handful they always come running. 😍

Also they will never eat all of the hay. Just the nice bits. So some wastage is normal.
 
Thanks everyone. So I currently use sawdust in bottom of cage. Should I switch to just hay?
 
MelJo said:
Thanks everyone. So I currently use sawdust in bottom of cage. Should I switch to just hay?
Click to expand...

You still need an absorbent layer under the hay (hay has no absorbency), so you will still need to continue to use shavings (or any type of disposable bedding as your preference) and then throw the hay on top.
(if they are indoors, then you can also try fleece bedding if you wish, but fleece is not an option for outdoor piggies).

You will need to remove wet areas of bedding and hay daily
 
Last edited:
I unintentionally dumped close to 1kg of hay into the cage once, then shrugged and tipped the rest in too, there was no damage control to be had lol. Comet loved it, he was like a toddler at his own birthday party. But I didn't use hay racks or trays or anything either, they were on paper bedding so I'd just chuck large handfuls of hay in on a regular basis.
 
I also use different types - softer stuff for the bedroom areas where they are pushing into a small space so they are less likely to get a poke in the eye, and the longer, spikier types for out in the open. They like both. Currently it's the PaH 'Meadow hay and Timothy hay' combined bag that is for bedding as it's all pretty soft, but the mix and the condition changes throughout the year... so rather than sticking religiously to the same type/brand I just eyeball it and see if it looks tasty before making my choice.
 
As newer piggies owners, this thread is so wonderful. I joke we live n a barn now, as my guys are in a cage in the dining/living room, and I give them handfuls of hay every day. Some is eaten, some is not. We have two big trays we fill up, but as others said they drag it everywhere anyway, and seem to use it for many more purposes than eating. Love it! 💙💙
 
George says that if you sit on the hay pile then the girls can't eat it out from under you... but it's fun watching them try!
 
MelJo said:
Hi. We have had our piggies for 3 months. I currently put their hay in slot boxes attached outside the cage. I fill it regularly but they seem to pull it all through onto the cage floor and then won’t eat it. Any advice for best way to give them hay?
Click to expand...
I put my hay rack in a litter tray, its a roller so it moves if need be. Mine tend to do it also but the tray helps the clean up for their slave (me 🤣 ). You could try hay piles as I've seen a reply say they do that but a tray full of hay also sounds like a good idea. My hay is in a hay rack as it is in the litter tray (it's cleaned daily, sometimes twice so don't worry) which helps to prevent it getting soiled.

At the end of the day, everyone has their preferred method and every pig is different so do some experimenting and find out what works best for you - though this thread started a month ago so I hope you've had some luck ! :lol:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top