hay or straw? help

[ksct]

I've been using shavings from TSC for the floor of the coop but I like to use straw in the nest boxes......
should we be using straw or hay? I THOUGHT there was something mentioned on here somewhere about that but I can't seem to find it. Does it matter? We get bales from a farmer we know locally but I don't know if we should be using straw or hay? does it matter?
Thanks!!!!

 

[horsejody]

Hay will get moldy faster than straw. Straw would be better than hay.

 

[gritsar]

I've always used hay. I get it at a neighbor's house. I change it out once a week - more often if necessary - and my coop is very dry, so I've never had a problem with using it.

 

[JanieMarie]

I use straw but have used hay in a pinch. Much prefer the straw. Hay seems to mat down too much and not as absorbent. IMO

 

[cap1717]

Hay is generally much more expensive than straw, as it is primarily intended as a feed source for horses, cows, etc. Straw is a "waste product", relatively cheap, and ideal for animal bedding.

 

[NJbirdlover]

Quote:
hope this isnt considered a hyjack...sorry if it is..

Is there a reason you shouldn't use the shavings in the nest boxes also? That's what is in ours...is this a bad idea for some reason?

 

[cap1717]

It's not bad. . . I use a mix of shavings and straw, mostly because the hens have too much fun with the straw and end up throwing it out of the nest boxes!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I use hay because I can seldom find straw around here. Bermuda hay works well in nest boxes provided you don't allow it to get wet much.

.....Alan.

 

[sundance]

i buy regular baled hay , and if itdoesn't rain every day I try to clean my coop at least once a month. Today has been the first time in almost 3 months EVERYTHING has dried out enought to really clean the coop. I use pieces of tin under the roost to catch the poop on the hay, easier to remove and dump in garden, wash the tin and replace with new hay, I use lots of DE on the new hay and nests so any mites or anything gets de covered. marrie

 

[HippieChickens]

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