Mini Hay NetFor Small Animals

I've never used a slow feed hay net before. Is this a good place to start?

The Mini Bag is a great first net for smaller animals. Start with the 1.5" mesh — it's the most forgiving size for animals new to slow feeding, gives them easy enough access that they won't get frustrated, and still slows things down compared to loose hay on the ground. Offer loose hay alongside it for the first week and you'll be set up for a smooth transition. \

My pony is an easy keeper. Which mesh size should I use?

For easy keepers where you really want to slow consumption down, the 1.5" is usually the right call — and once your pony has mastered that, you can consider stepping down to the 1" for even more restriction. Just make sure your hay type is compatible with the smaller mesh before you make the switch. \

Can the Mini Bag help a horse that's been diagnosed with ulcers?

Consistent forage access is one of the most important things you can do for an ulcer-prone horse. An empty stomach is where trouble starts — stomach acid keeps producing whether there's food present or not, and long gaps between meals make things worse. Slow feeding with a hay net helps keep something in the gut throughout the day, which can support healing and help prevent recurrence. Always work with your vet on a full treatment plan, but this is a practical piece of it. \

How does the Mini Bag compare to just throwing hay on the ground?

Loose hay on the ground gets trampled, soiled, and wasted fast — especially with smaller animals that tend to pull and scatter. The Mini Bag keeps hay contained, extends feeding time significantly, and means your animals are eating more of what you put in front of them rather than standing on it. It's a small change that adds up over a season. \

Can I use the Mini Bag outdoors year-round?

Yes. The knotless netting holds up well in all weather conditions. In colder months, consider going up a mesh size — a 1.5" instead of a 1" for example — so animals can access hay a little more easily when they need the extra calories to stay warm. \

How many Mini Bags should I buy for one animal?

One bag works fine for a single feeding station. If you want to encourage your animal to move around more — which is great for circulation and overall health — placing two or three bags at different spots around the paddock or pen mimics natural foraging behaviour and keeps them active between feedings. \

My goat or sheep tends to pull hay aggressively. Will the net hold up?

The Mini Bag is built from high-quality knotless netting that's designed for exactly this kind of use. Proper introduction helps a lot — offer loose hay alongside the bag for the first week so they learn to graze from it rather than fight it. Once they've got the technique down, the net handles normal daily use without issue. \

Can I use the Mini Bag with the Adjustable Poly Hay Ring Feeder?

The Mini Bag is designed for single-flake feeding and works best hung independently or placed in a smaller tub or feeder. The Poly Hay Ring and its NAG Bag netting inserts are sized for round bales — those are two different products built for different scales of feeding. If you've got a mix of larger and smaller animals, you may want both setups running at the same time. \

Do you offer any bulk pricing if I need multiple bags?

Reach out directly and we'll do our best to help. For larger orders — whether you're stocking up for a rescue operation, a teaching barn, or just a big herd of small animals — get in touch via phone or chat and we'll talk through what we can do. \

The Mini Bag says it has an average 3–5 year lifespan. What affects how long it lasts?

The biggest factors are how it's introduced and how it's used. Animals that learned to graze from the net properly — rather than pulling and fighting it — put far less stress on the netting over time. Keeping it out of direct soil contact when possible and letting it dry out between uses also helps. A bag that's been well introduced and reasonably cared for regularly hits the high end of that range. \