Hay or straw in run or neither for winter?

[Navahogirl]

I have a multipurpose sand in the run right now and it works out pretty well but I'm wondering if I should put hay or straw in the run for the winter months any ideas or suggestions?

 

[swampfox440]

I can't say because I live in a swamp . Here where I live it's cold and wet , I have to put down # 57 gravel about 6" deep then my hay on top . That allows for drainage so the hay don't stay wet . I have snow here now .

 

[Alaskan]

I have a multipurpose sand in the run right now and it works out pretty well but I'm wondering if I should put hay or straw in the run for the winter months any ideas or suggestions?

Where do you live abouts? Super depends on your temps.

Where I am, hay or straw in the run would mat up get nasty and stinky.

Hay is great in the coop where it is dry.

 

[Navahogirl]

Where do you live abouts? Super depends on your temps.

Where I am, hay or straw in the run would mat up get nasty and stinky.

Hay is great in the coop where it is dry.

Upstate new york

 

[3KillerBs]

How about a big pile of fall leaves?

IMO, a mix of materials is better than all one thing because it better resists packing and matting.

 

[RainbowHen]

I put leaves over my sand in my run. When they break down I add some more. Wisconsin here.

 

[Minky]

I have a multipurpose sand in the run right now and it works out pretty well but I'm wondering if I should put hay or straw in the run for the winter months any ideas or suggestions?

I am trying to decide the same. I put some straw in there to give them something to do (the ones that dont free range.) Also so eventually (I add more every other day) it will retain some heat. My runs are dry and covered, and Im in southern Ontario so same temps as you I assume. Fall leaves would be good too but I feed those to my goats.

 

[DaisyG2317]

Wood chips are great as well. If you have the time to wait and the space available you can get a whole truckload for free on chipdrop.

 

[HortonCreek]

NY here as well and we live in very wet area so free wood chips are our best friend. We tried hay originally and it did get extremely nasty and I thought "Eh just keep piling it on!" What a mess to clean in spring. That being said, our new girls saw snow for the first time the other day and they were NOT thrilled to walk in it. I figure we'll be putting down some hay once the temps get brutally cold and the ground gets perpetually snow covered to at least give them a little relief for their feet - just not as heavily as in the past.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

in my area I gather up fallen leaves and put them in, they don't absorb water or poo, so it is dryer. They love to tear them apart looking for what is underneath so it becomes a nice mulch.