How many of you use hay for your coops?

[Domestic_goddess]

It's my favorite nesting material, if I can find it! But it's almost impossible to find around where I live and the people that do have aren't usually giving it away.

 

[dawg53]

I've always used hay inside their house, nests as well. Never had any problems. I put extra hay inside during the winter, it makes excellent natural insulation. Smell isnt an issue, I rake it out once a week and haul it to the compost pen with the wheelbarrow, then replace it with fresh hay after blowing out the interior with a leaf blower through a trap door. I then very lightly dust the hay with sevin dust and pat it down with a broom, no bug problems... good to go til the following week.

 

[jennh]

Quote:
I ABSOLUTELY HATE leaf blowers, don't own one, and never thought I would-----------
until now. Darn noisy things

I might have to be gettin' me one of things now. Great idea about blowing out the dust. That will work much better than a broom!!!

 

[ams4776]

I use hay (i get free hay lol) and its been fine for us. I switch it out once a month. Its been great and the chickens always enjoy when i get the fresh stuff down

 

[NYRIR]

Wow...Thanks for all the responses! I just always thought most people used pine bedding, I think it'll be more cost effective to try the hay now,though.The hens are CONSTANTLY kicking the chips out over the board and I end up with cracked eggs

I'm hoping with the hay it won't be so bad.I use hay/straw (whichever I can get at the time) for my ducks and the hay is just easier to clean.I roll it right up and toss it in the compost pile and done.I do put an inch or two of wood chips under the straw/hay but clean those out less often than the straw/hay.
I also heard someone on here say they used cedar chips in the nest boxes only? Any ideas on that? I thought cedar was too fragrant? I know it's a bug deterrent so was wondering if this was a good idea?

Jennh.... I agree with you....I LOVE the smell of hay !

Dawg53...Love the leaf blower idea....have to crank it up before fall I guess

Fred's Hens... I like straw as well but it seems a bit harder to clean up because it won't stick together like the hay...but it would be my second choice.
Ddawn...You think the pine shavings control odor better? I was thinking a layer of pine shavings UNDER the hay...what do you think?

Ams4776...Man....FREE HAY! Awesome!

Sourland....Would the equine pine work for ducks in their run do you know ? Or does it get really nasty when wet? I need a load of pea gravel/sand for their run but was looking for something in the interim that will keep them out of the mud.

Sorry for all the questions but I'm trying to find the best management system for my birds...Thanks everyone for so much input

Keep it comin'!

 

[hennyannie]

NYRIR, I just put out the pellets in the duck area tonight. It does help with the wet mess some. Also it smells good when it gets damp. It doesnt last very long with ducks but does help. Forgot to mention that it is sold under various names: woody pet, equine pine, etc.

 

[NYRIR]

Quote:
Do they eat it? How long does it last about before you replace it?Do you have to take the old stuff out? Sorry again for all the questions....just hoping to find a short term fix for the mud.

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I use a combination of bedding, I have used free straw (it was in the barn when we bought the place) grass hay that I mowed myself and they LOVE to peck through it so throughout the winter I put this on sparingly. And this spring when I cleaned out the barn I used all shavings and LOVED it (but you are right free vs $4/5 a bale I think I will take free).


Through out the summer I am planning on cleaning when necessary and then when winter comes again I will use the deep litter method with the bedding. (really I have no choice as this winter the bedding that was down froze and thus I just added to the top so it was quite bad come March when we finally started to thaw).

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Chopped straw is my deep litter bedding of choice. It smells wonderful, compacts nicely, and is an excellent winter coat for the garden beds.
Plus, the girls enjoy scratching around in it, and since they do most of the work "turning" it for me, it is also pretty easy.

 

[flowerhippie]

I like to use both for a few reasons, I am passionate about gardening. I use straw in the early spring until fall, I use it to side dress my garden walk way. It keeps the weeds under control and it gives the straw time to decompose. I will not use sawdust shavings in my vegetable garden the wood shaving are very acidic and I use this on my acid loving plants like blue berry's. I use wood shavings in the winter I allow the shavings to build up the wood becomes a insulator and warms the floor because the decomposition is slower than straw. When the bedding gets damp the wood absorbs the moisture longer and I do not need to clean the house as often in the winter. And during the summer all the way up to fall I cover the chicken pen with straw especially after I till the chicken pen. I like to use straw in the nests they do not kick as much out and when I clean it out I just pull out the top where it is soiled.