There is no reason not to use the bales still. Just keep a little space between the bales so they do not get stuck in there.
I had a similar incident but with a better ending. I had a chicken I called Fubar as a rooster I had changed the way her head looked come up missing. We looked everywhere but couldn't find her. The my daughter was out there and heard a noise in a barrel we keep the feed in. She took off the lid and there was Fubar. Alive and hungry after being in there a couple days.
Apparently the lid was not on all the way and she jumped up on it flipping the lid and she dropped in with the lid landing upside down right back on top of the barrel. We never noticed the upside sown lid.
Funny how that stupid bird has survived a roo ripping the entire back of her head off, a stray chunk of wood knocking her out from my chop saw, the other hens trying to kill her and this barrell incident. The thing has more lives then a cat.
jeremy
