[Katrina]

I have to keep my lambs in a large pen at night and have given them a little hay every night just to be sure they have some food if they want it.  They have been very happy on the old hay but refuse to touch the new hay that has been baled this year.  Are they being fussy or is there different types of hay that sheep chose to eat, or is it too fresh?

[Hellybee]

We have beautiful new hay and we pick up small bales haylage from last year from the local farmers co cop, quite wet and well pickled.  They love the old haylage n turn they're noses up at the new stuff.

[Katrina]

Thanks for that, I am glad it is not just me.  I guess I need to stick to the old hay until the new stuff 'matures' to their liking 

[twizzel]

My lambs have been in for 48 hours in the hay shed (main shed is full of corn!) for fly strike treatment and have been nibbling at the wall of hay cut this year... they seem pretty happy to pick at it although I wouldn't feed it properly quite yet as I imagine the middle of the bales are still quite green.

[Marches Farmer]

Hay should always be left, preferably stacked on top of a "floor" of pallets, for at least three weeks to "cure" before it's fed to stock.

[Hellybee]

Ours is over a month old now, like marches farmer says, keepon pallets.

[Katrina]

Thank you, I appreciate the advice.  Back to old hay for now and they ate it all   Happy sheep now.

[MKay]

Why do you have to keep them in?