Another Hay or Straw question

[Alecia]

Will using hay (a mix of timothy and "regular") be harmful to my 3 almost 4 week old chicks? I have run out of pine shavings and have been using this mix until I can get some more. I am really concerned about this as I don't want to harm them in any way. I plan to get more pine shavings soon but I live quite far from local suppliers and usually am only able to get there once every two weeks. Any insight would be appreciated. I have noticed that they really muck up their water when they have hay in their pen . YIKES what a mess!!! Can we say "fresh water every 2 hrs?lol

 

[Picco]

Straw is better bedding but hay will work out ok. I use shavings all summer but use hay in the winter because it makes a good pack to keep the heat in. I've heard of problems with mold but I have never had any problems. Hay is free for me so thats what I use. Building a platform for the water will solve a lot of your problems. Use lumber to make a simple box frame and stretch hardware cloth over the top. This keeps the water up off the bedding kepping it cleaner and the bedding drier. You can use a milk crate too (thats what I use).

 

[Alecia]

Thanks for the insight Picco, whew what a relief! I was really worried. Thanks for the tips on the water too. I have it raised somewhat, but obviously not enough. I will try your suggestion it's a really good one. All I know is what I've got going now is NOT working. Their water is constantly full of hay strands. Thanks again, I feel much better now.

Signed,

currently cleaning chick waterer

 

[Half-a-dozen]

I just hung a waterer on the wall in the coop yesterday and BOY! What a difference!!!
NO Mess,no spills, no bedding inside. I felt a lot better seeing they are capable of having water clean now for greater than that "Two hours".

 

[Alecia]

I saw a hanging feeder at the supply store but I didn't see a hanging waterer, you say that you hung yours on the wall. Maybe I'll try that when they move to their "intermediate" coop next week. I have no wall to hang anything on in the pen they are in now. But next week they will be moving into the "coop" we built on the porch for them to stay in until they are old enough (10 weeks isn't it, they are 4 weeks now) to move into their "big coop." The coop on the porch has a wall and I'll probably hang their waterer in the big coop too. Anything to keep this icky bedding soup from happening over and over and over and over......again.

 

[Picco]

I didn't mean a hanging waterer. I meant that you build a platform to set the waterer on. I use a milk crate flipped up side down. This keeps the waterer clean because the bedding doesn't get kicked into it.

 

[Robertthe Roo]

Do not get the waterer to high where the chicks cannot reach if. It should be as high as the chicks back. As long as it is at that level they should be able to reach it. As the chick grows and gets taller then keep raising it to the height of their back. I use cement blocks/and or bricks under mine and add more as they grow.
Robert the Roo(chicks wanted)