Quality Hay for rabbits, guinea pigs and other small animals. We guarantee your pet will love our hay. If you get one type they don't like, return it for replacement of another type. We only bale the finest quality hay. This year will be a rough year for hay growers with late rains that have caused mold in many early grain hays and the threat of grasshopper invasions throughout the mid-west and western states may cause a serious shortage of good hay and no doubt increases in prices. Late rains put hay in the ground late and harvested early. Late freeze damaged a lot of Timothy. Our first load of Timothy had lots of "dead leaf". We will not release it unless there is simply nothing better available in other fields. We still have nice Timothy from last year. We will, as always, do our best to assure quality hay at the best price. FOR SALE at |
BARBI BROWN'S BUNNIES |
P.O. Box 449, Lathrop, CA 95330 |
Hay is a critical part of rabbit health but offering hay means nothing if they won't eat it!
Offering a variety keeps them interested. Hay is required to keep the gut moving to prevent hairballs and wool block. We are pleased to offer a variety of bunny safe hays that are guaranteed fresh and pesticide free.
Proper storage is also essential to maintaining nutrient value and freshness of the hay.
Our hays are brought directly from the field to our air conditioned, rodent proof containers. We rebale into the small bales and hay is stored out of sunlight in air conditioned facility until sold.
NEVER store hay in closed plastic bags. Fresh hay still holds moisture that may mold if kept in plastic. Plastic garbage cans with lids are adequate for storage providing the can is not left in high heat or direct sunlight. Card board boxes or woven nylon feed sacks allow the hay to breathe rather than sweat. Hay in bales will stay fresh for a year or more but loose fill bags will become stale very quickly.
We have always carried premium quality hays for our rabbits and rabbit caregivers but we are now very excited to offer mini bales as well. These small bales make shipping, storage and handling much easier. We do not carry or recommend any product we do not use for our own animals.
When I started raising rabbits 20 plus years ago we had little appreciation of the value of hay in a rabbit's diet. The popularity of rabbits and the interest in their well being has prompted better husbandry methods. Hay is now considered paramount in importance in a healthy diet. Daily or at the very least weekly feeding of low protein, high fiber hay prevents boredom, reduces the chance of GI stasis and fur block (the single most common cause of rabbit death).
Choosing fresh high quality hay is as important as selecting fresh properly milled feed pellets.
Baled in small easy to handle and store bales. A Compressed Bales measuring 12 x 5-1/2 x 6. $6.00 per bale or $5.50 per bale by the case of 14. Cases can be all one type or mixed as you please.
These mini bales of hay offer ease of storage until you are ready to use it. Be careful when opening the bale because these little guys really expand! The 12" bale will fill a 50 pound feed sack when opened! I like to open it inside a feed sack and peel off one flake at a time to feed.
Click on any name for details.
Photos will help you identify what you are getting. Many feed stores and hay brokers will offer other types of grass hays and charge Timothy prices. Buyer beware!
| Timothy | Orchard Grass |
| Wheat Hay | Oat Hay Yellow (mature) and green (young) |
| BLUE BUNNY BLEND - Timothy, Blue Grass, Orchard Blend | 4 WAY (NEW BLEND) Wheat-Oat-Barley & Rye Grass |
| Wheat, Oat & Barley | Alfalfa |
| Love Grass | Sudan Grass limited quantities |
| Rye Grass (out of stock until 1-22-11) | Bunny Blend II out of stock |
| Rye-Alfalfa | Meadow Mix II out of stock |
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Fine blade grass easily identified in full bloom by the long cat tails. Pre-bloom may not have many or any cat tails.
offers the lowest protein (6.9% and low calcium .34%) and may be free fed daily to rabbits of all ages. It has very coarse fiber and well tolerated. Not recommended for nest box filler.
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Timothy BLUE BUNNY BLEND
Blend of Timothy, Blue Grass and Orchard Grasses This is the nicest hay we have seen this year. Late rain and feezing temperatures has left most of the Timothy full of dead leaf but this is lovely green hay. |
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Blend of both fine grasses with coarser pre bloom and early bloom Timothy Moderate protein and calcium 8.8% protein .28% calcium |
Orchard grass is grown is several varieties and is usually very green but all will have cat tails with clustered buds quite different than Timothy but this hay is often sold as Timothy. This is a fine grass that makes excellent nesting material as well as daily feed.
Orchard Grass offers the HIGH FIBER AND LOW PROTEIN (7.6%) AND CALCIUM (.24%) LEVELS WELL TOLERATED BY THE YOUNGEST BUNNIES. IDEAL FOR FUSSY EATERS WHO DON'T LIKE THE TIMOTHY. Perfect for soft nest box material. Bright green and fragrant.
We have both young green oat and mature yellow oat
( 8.6% protein, .29% calcium) is high fiber and sweeter. Perfect for rabbits in a molt and those picky hay eaters.
offers exceptional coarse fiber with lots of seed heads.
Moderate protein 7.7%
and very low calcium .13% LOWEST CALCIUM CONTENT OF ANY HAY
High fiber great for nursing does or rabbits in a molt.
High Fiber, Moderate protein 8%
Low calcium .21%
OTHER TYPES OF HAY
Easy to recognize this is member of the legume family. In bloom the flowers are purple. High protein and calcium levels make it appropriate for growing youngsters or nursing Mothers. Also helpful for sick rabbits unwilling or unable to eat pelleted feed.
Protein 15.5%
Calcium 1.08%
Sweet, soft texture, highly palatable
Moderate protein 9%
Moderate Calcium .43%
Same total digestive value as Timothy
More minerals than other hays
Higher protein than Timothy (14%)
Lower calcium than Timothy (.3%)
BUNNY BLEND II out of stock
Blend of Timothy and Brome
Low protein and calcium for daily feeding
7.1% Protein
.3% calcium
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MEADOW MIX out of stock
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Blend of Meadow Grass, Orchard grass & Rye |
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9.2% protein, .24 Calcium |
RYE GRASS out of stock until 1-22-11
Multi purpose grain grass
Well tolerated by rabbits of all ages
Protein 8.8%
Calcium .53
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NEW!!! 4-WAY Blend This is a versatile blend of oat, wheat, barley and Rye grass High fiber 29.6% Low Protein 7.4% Moderate calcium .3% Ideal to feed during molt or for every day low protein energy source |
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| High Protein & calcium - Excellent for nursing does, growing kits, rabbits recovery from illness. |
| Protein 9.135% Calcium .5575% |
Shipped anywhere in continental U.S. Shipping based on zip code and weight.
Shipping weight 4 pounds per bale. See catalog and zone chart for shipping charges.
Protein and Calcium Content of Hay
This is a summary of a Texas A&M Department of Animal Sciences study that
compares the protein and calcium levels of various hays which can be most helpful in
choosing a hay for your rabbits' special needs.
The first chart lists hays in order of protein content (lowest first)
The second chart lists hay in order of calcium content. (lowest first)
Note that Brome is the lowest in overall protein and calcium
Timothy ranks 2nd in low protein but 9th in low calcium
Lower calcium levels are found in Wheat, Brome, Bermuda, Orchard, Bluegrass and even
Oat hay.
Blends such as our Bunny Blend grasses offer a variety of types that offer mid range protein and calcium.
| Type of Hay | Crude Protein % |
| 1 Bromegrass mature | 5.60 |
| 2 Timothy - late bloom | 6.90 |
| 3 Bermuda grass 43-56 days | 7.30 |
| 4 Orchard Grass late | 7.60 |
| 5 Wheat Hay | 7.70 |
| Bunny Blend (nic in study) | 7.8 |
| 6 Bluegrass | 8.20 |
| 7 Oat Hay | 8.60 |
| 8 Timothy - mid bloom | 8.60 |
| 9 Rye Grass | 8.80 |
| Meadow Mix | 9.20 |
| 10 Timothy - early bloom | 9.60 |
| 11Fescue - mature | 9.80 |
| 12 Bermuda grass15-28 days | 10.60 |
| 13 Bermuda grass 29-42 days | 10.90 |
| 14 Orchard Grass early | 11.40 |
| 15 Alfalfa full bloom | 15.50 |
| 16 Alfalfa mid bloom | 17.00 |
| 17 Alfalfa early bloom | 18.00 |
| Type of Hay | Calcium % |
| 1 Wheat Hay | 0.13 |
| 2 Bromegrass mature | 0.24 |
| 3 Orchard Grass early | 0.24 |
| 4 Bermuda grass 43-56 days | 0.24 |
| 5 Orchard Grass late | 0.24 |
| 6 Bluegrass | 0.24 |
| Meadow Mix (nic in study) | 0.24 |
| 7 Oat Hay | 0.29 |
| Bermuda grass 29-42 days | 0.30 |
| Bunny Blend (nic in study) | 0.33 |
| 9 Timothy - late bloom | 0.34 |
| 10 Bermuda grass15-28 days | 0.35 |
| 11 Fescue - mature | 0.37 |
| 12 Timothy - mid bloom | 0.43 |
| 13Timothy - early bloom | 0.45 |
| 14 Rye Grass | 0.53 |
| 15 Alfalfa full bloom | 1.08 |
| 16 Alfalfa mid bloom | 1.24 |
| 17 Alfalfa early bloom | 1.28 |
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