[Carla]

My sister works at our local dairy farm as a volunteer and I asked her enquire as to how much a bale of straw would be from there. They don't sell to the public as a rule, but because my sis asked so nicely, they quoted £25 per bale. Any ide if this is a good/bad price?? I use it a fair bit with my 3 girls and I reckon a bale would be useful, I just don't know if I'd get to use it all before it started rotting or got damp enough to grow fungas???  Can't you tell I have never lived in the country!!!

[massa]

i hope thats for one of the massive round bales you see in the fields because i buy my standard rectangle bales from a farm for a pound a bale!

[darkbrowneggs]

i hope thats for one of the massive round bales you see in the fields because i buy my standard rectangle bales from a farm for a pound a bale!

£1 a bale for hay   I think it might pay to have it sent by carrier - I can't even get it made from my own fields for that

Sue

[Carla]

Ahhh, thats what I was thinking!! I know they have to buy it in themselves, but I thought £25 was a bit expensive!! Any ideas where I can get bales from then?? I live in the middle of the most miserable place on earth, no farms, no vast stretches of countryside...just poundshops mainly!! Online maybe?

[tosca100]

There must be some farms or agricultural feed merchants around, even West Bromwich. If there are any riding stables they may have some. Without storage it wouldn't be worth having just one bale delivered. I would think it would be about £3 or£4 for a conventional bale (fit in the boot of a car) But don't be tempted to but a big bale, you would never use it all before it went musty and it would be a nightmare to get rid of. They would be about £20 to £25, so that might be what whoever said they would sell it to you meant. Either that or they realised they could make a killing from you, knowing you don't know about hay.

If you google pet supplies/horse feed/agricultural feed merchants you will find something I'm sure.

[grenhouse]

for a rectangular bale I pay £2.00 which lasts me ages! £25 must be a huge round one I reckon!

Steve

[compostqueen]

I get barley straw for £3 and the wheat straw is £2. I prefer the barley straw as it seems more tightly packed and easier to get into the car and home without half of it being lost   I drove round our local area til I saw a farm with a sign up 

[penninehillbilly]

Unless somebody has a sense of humour or is out for a killing I too think it must be a big bale, may be round or square.
try agricultural or animal feed merchant  in your local phone directory
If it can be kept dry it should keep OK, I had one in the barn for over a year still as good as new, doesn't absorb damp like hay can.

[Pol]

At mo for hay I am paying £3 a small bale and the big round ones are £25

[DD.]

Carla - what is it you're exactly after. You ask about the price of a bale of hay, then tell us what you were quoted for straw.

They're not the same, you know!

[Carla]

Oh dear, thats me typing faster than my brain works!! I meant straw. I want a bale of straw to put in and around the coop. I've asked my sister, and it is £25 for a bale that will fit in the boot of a car!!! I have politely declined the offer. She said it's because they have to buy it in from elsewhere and the cost of straw has shot up, but it's still way too expensive. There is a riding stables close by (never thought of asking there) so I'll ask at the weekend, see if I can get a bale without having re-mortgage my house. Cheeky so-and-so's!!

[tosca100]

Cheeky so-and-so indeed(or something like that!) I have never heard the like...£25 for STRAW! Wicked. You might as well buy it in bits from the pet shop!

Good luck with your hunt, even if the stables don't have any they will know where to get some. Only don't get your hay and straw mixed up. :blink: If you pull a few strands out of the middle of the bale, and sniff it, there should be no sign of a musty smell. If there is, pass.

[izzy]

£3.50 from a garden centre Wow £25 have to get into the straw trade lol

[chickadee]

i get a square bale for a couple of pounds from the hungry horse in earlswood - not sure how long that would take to get to from west brom maybe a 30 min trip ( close to m42) you could stock up on all your poultry supplies as they do pellets @ £7 .... hope this helps

[arugula]

I work at the local agricultural and animal feed merchant. We don't stock hay or straw and if we get any enquiries like this for the odd bale, we point people towards farmers who are likely to be able to help. If your local merchant doesn't stock , then I would hope they would help in the same way.