advice required re to hay or not to hay in the chicken run

[princesschooky]

Hi there.

I'm picking up some rescue hens this afternoon (they were rescued from a local battery farm). I realise that they will need to stay locked up for a week or so before they are oriented enough to join the rest of the flock that free range all day.

To this end, we have commisioned our bigger hen house and run and I was wondering if it was suitable to spread a bale of mulch hay over the base of the run so that they have something to scratch and poke about in?

The reading I have done says that this is common in colder areas, but as it is coming into summer here, I wondered if there are any problems with, for example, moulds, etc in the hay?

 

[94countrygrl]

I know that hay mainly will grow moldy or get other fungi in it when its in a high humidity climate... I would personally reccomend using pine shavings.. this is what I use in my coop and my hens LOVE scratching around in it, also it stays dryer and doesnt seem to get moldy or anything like that at all! I was using straw in my nesting boxes, and that works.. I dont think there should really be a problem with you using your mulch hay, just be sure its not getting wet, or damp and compacted!!