# Can you use hay for bedding instead of straw?



## copper905 (May 27, 2011)

Sorry for asking so many questions today but: Can you use hay for bedding instead of straw?

On kijiji it is cheaper to buy hay then straw. so what is your answer?


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

The goats will see it as food so if it gets dirty they may still try and pick through it vs. the straw they usually won't eat any. Eating the dirty hay can lead to quick parasite overloads. You could try it out and see how it goes. If you use the leftover hay the goats won't eat...that would probably work better.


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## LuvmyGoaties (Mar 9, 2010)

My goats won't even think about eating hay that they have peed or pooped in - used to be quite a problem when they could jump into their hay feeder :GAAH: , pee in it and then refuse to eat it. I use the hay that I rake up from my hay storage. Here hay has gotten super expensive so I only use waste hay for bedding.

Jen


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

I use last years clean hay as bedding and they only eat a bit right when I throw it in then they turn up their noses to it. :wink:


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

hay is really expensive. My goats will pull hay that they don't like out of the feeder and drop it on the floor so I just use that and try and muck our once a week or so. Basically the same as Luvmygoats and freedomstar 

M.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yes... I use hay sometimes for bedding ...they will eat at it at first and then.. as it is stepped on or pee'd on ect ...they won't touch it after that........ :wink:


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