Hay or pine

[clucksbc]

Just wondering....???????
I have been using pine shavings...
my gardner (who thinks he knows it all but really dosent)
thinks I need hay for winter...
Am I ok...to stick with the shavings or should I get a bale...???

 

[chicmom]

I personally prefer the pine shavings. I had someone else tell me to use straw as well, but I truly don't like it as much. I think it gets moldy smelling quickly and it makes me sneeze. AAAAH CHOO!

 

[clucksbc]

I think I would prefer to stick with the pine as well..
can't see that the hay would be that greater a heat source...
but have only had chickens...5 months...and this will be out first winter..together...
so thought I would ask

 

[NorthestGeorgia14]

Pine is good.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

I use pine and it's working great

 

[NorthestGeorgia14]

Ya and if you have a pine tree in your yard it alot cheaper and it keep the yard looking nice!

 

[OregonChickenGal]

Pine shavings are best, easier to clean up too. Hay gets moldly and messy.

 

[captainroo2]

We have use pine shavings since we started a month ago, and we love it so far - no complaints or smell.

 

[bobbi-j]

I use straw, which is usually used for bedding - as opposed to hay, which is usually used for feed. But that's because a.) I have a fairly large coop, and b.) we are farmers and have straw readily available so it's more economical for me. In the winter I do throw some alfalfa hay in the coop for the chickens to scratch and peck at. They love it!

 

[SueBaby]

We use pine shavings in the coop where they roost/sleep/lay. Actually I mix it with a little Care Fresh to help make it more absorbent and keep the dust down. In the run we use straw and the girls just love to scratch around in it to find the kernels of wheat that were left behind. I live in So. Cal., so a cold winter is not really a concern for me. A problem we have is that even some of the straw gets pushed/kicked out of the run as they go about their day. I would wonder how much the smaller pine shavings get out and all over the place. Then again, if you are already using them you probably already have figured that part out. Straw is cheap, so trying it wouldn't be an expensive proposition if you decide to go that route.