# What kind of HAY for bedding?



## hcapeller (Apr 20, 2013)

*What kind of STRAW for bedding?*

I need to buy hay for bedding. I am finding "barley hay" and "wheat hay", but nothing just "HAY".
Is there a difference? And which is better for bedding?

Thanks!

4 more days till the kids come home!!!

OOOPPPSS!!!! I meant to say straw! It is barley straw/ or wheat straw!!


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## elchivito (Apr 18, 2010)

Barley hay is probably straw. That's your best bet. Nothing green or damp. You might also want to consider pine or cedar chip horse bedding. More expensive but it works well.


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## canthavejust1 (Oct 12, 2012)

A lot of people use straw. Give them a day or two and they will waste enough hay for a decent bed! I use shavings and the hay the goats make a mess with. Mine waste a lot of hay and have a nice beds worth within a day


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## sophieroxy (May 9, 2013)

I use straw but I'm not sure what kind it is it's the only kind offered at the feed store. The bad part is that it costs the same amount as a bale of the hay that they eat!!


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

I agree on the wasted hay! It's an expensive option, since I'm buying alfalfa... but it's wasted one way or another... so might as well make a bed out of it! LOL I'm HOPING once I build that hay feeder, I'll have a need to buy straw... but we'll see. Straw is about $7-8 a bale here... and I can get cheap grass hay for $3-4 out of the field... so I dunno, might just buy some cheap hay and let them waste THAT instead.


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

In my opinion hay, such as orchard and timothy and especially alfalfa smell too bad when used as bedding. I prefer to try to keep down the amount of hay they waste and use a wheat/oats or barley straw.


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## gmos719 (Apr 19, 2013)

I just use whatever they refuse to eat. I bought some oat hay a couple of weeks back and they didn't want it so now it's their bed lol.


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## hcapeller (Apr 20, 2013)

Thank you so much for your replies. I have purchased barley straw. It was $3 a bale, found it off craigs list- it is clean and dry! All the feed stores are out of straw and the charge 6.99 a bale. So I am glad I checked craigs list!


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