Great You-tube video showing "mulch hay method"

[stuckinthecity]

I found this video a week or so ago and I would strongly recomend eveyone that likes to keep their chickens in a main pen(not a tractor or rotating) to check this out. I'm sure people are already doing this method... this is just a quick video showing tips and what to do.

I really like this, because I'm the type that was always used to my grandfathers way of keeping chickens, which was: there was one coop, built on the ground with one pen. Now... His run was pretty much all dirt, which I DON'T like about keeping chickens in a pen, but this video shows how you can plant some trees in the center, and put down hay(or leaves) for them to scratch in, and eventually make you compost! I love this!

 

[b.hromada]

I enjoyed that video. That makes great sense. I bet a lot of people could sure do with that too, all the hay and such! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Wynette]

Excellent video, but it worries me that she speaks of using hay, which is not good for bedding or throwing about in the run. Chickens can become crop impacted when eating long strands of hay...I've personally had to deal with this, and a few on here have posted surgery information for crop impactions caused from eating hay. So, that would be my only worry in this regard.

 

[stuckinthecity]

b.hromada :

I enjoyed that video. That makes great sense. I bet a lot of people could sure do with that too, all the hay and such! Thanks for sharing.

I thought it was great too!

 

[stuckinthecity]

Quote:
Oh, wow. I didn't know this could happen... That does concern me a little bit.

 

[fordmommy]

Thanks for sharing that video!

 

[Wynette]

I think I'll try this, but with straw...straw probably won't work quite as well as hay, but they typically won't eat straw - just the occasional seed head in it.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Everybody does understand this isn't my video though right? LOL I dont wanna get in trouble or anything.
I just really like her ideas for this.

Wynette, straw around here isn't expensive at all, so I might also try that. I have a very smallgarden and a pretty small coop, so It shouldn't be too hard. lol

 

[kathyinmo]

I like the idea of it all (entertainment for them!) as well. BUT, my concerns are crop impaction, and mold spores. I had a chicken nearly dead from some kind of toxin or botulism, and I know that both hay and straw will grow mold, especially when damp or wet. It seems to me that this method shown is just like putting your chickens into a compost pile, and I work hard to keep them out of that. I think I will stick to the 6 inches of sand in my run.

 

[Wynette]

Yeppers, we know it's not your video and even if it was, you wouldn't get "in trouble" for posting it! Everyone has different ideas on how to care for their chooks - we should all be open and willing to learn new ways, and share our experiences with them.

kathyinmo, you're right about mold spores with hay/straw, but it would be more likely to occur in hay...another concern with straw, however, is that since the shafts are hollow, it's a great (and favorite) hiding spot for mites.

I guess with anything, you just have to weight out the positives and negatives, and know what to watch for before you begin any change in regimen.