I found that if I had Alfalfa hay out they had NO interest in the pellets. I am not thrilled with the quality of my hay or the price and availability here in the land of Drought. I have found that if I go out in the AM and fill the feeders with pellets and nothing else, they gobble them down. Then about an hour or so later, I fill the hay feeders, most often there are still pellets left and then they just sorta nibble on them the rest of the day. By evening time, when I use the same feeders for grain they are generally empty.