Grass Hay

[JoePa]

Ok - I cut the grass last week and decided to make some grass hay to use as a bedding in my chicken coop - I dry the grass under a car port to make sure that it is all nice and dry - so today I put it into 3 large contractor type black plastic bags - wrapped the top of the bag real tight but now I'm wondering if the grass will get moldy over time and if it would be better to let air into the bags by putting holes into the plastic bags - the grass hay makes nice bedding so I would like to save it for future use - any ideas - I see farmers have these large rolls of hay in some kind of white covers laying in the field - I wonder if they are air tight - would appreciate your thoughts - Joe

 

[sourland]

I'd poke holes in the bags so that they are not air tight.

 

[Araucana Nest]

It may get moldy in the bag because it probably still has water content. Hay is baled to allow air flow. When it is bagged, something is added to create haylege, in a fermentation process, which is good for cows but not for bedding. Can you wrap it up with twine and store it under shelter?

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

Yes it will mold in plastic bags. The heat in the bag will begin to compost it. Maybe try one of those cheap tall laundry baskets with holes to store it. But it will still have to stored in a dry location

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would switch to paper bags (like the tall leaf litter bags, or even paper feed bags are fine) and store open and very loosely packed to let it all breathe. Still need to keep it somewhere dry, like I use a greenhouse to store fall leaves and they stay dry and crispy for a whole year easily.