I have no idea what I am doing

[shawluvsbirds]

We used hay when we started the coop in August and used hay until around December and never noticed any odor. Then when we read an article I got nervous and switched. Now it smells like a barn all the time. I hate it

Lol. I can't take the grassy smell of hay. I think straw smells fresh and clean. But I could be nose blind

 

[Steven Mazzo]

Lol. I can't take the grassy smell of hay. I think straw smells fresh and clean. But I could be nose blind

Lol

 

[SueT]

I don't think it matters which you use. Straw is the stalks of wheat or barley or whatever grain they grow around there, with the seed heads removed. People buy it for animal bedding, mulching gardens, etc. Hay is other types grasses cut and dried, seeds and all, and it's used for feeding livestock. There are lots of kinds of hay available, fescue, timothy, orchard grass, bermuda, clover, alfalfa, native grasses, etc , each will smell different, have different nutritional qualities.. Any kind of straw or hay can get moldy. I'd say, use what you like best.

 

[CayugaJana]

I don't think it matters which you use. Straw is the stalks of wheat or barley or whatever grain they grow around there, with the seed heads removed. People buy it for animal bedding, mulching gardens, etc. Hay is other types grasses cut and dried, seeds and all, and it's used for feeding livestock. There are lots of kinds of hay available, fescue, timothy, orchard grass, bermuda, clover, alfalfa, native grasses, etc , each will smell different, have different nutritional qualities.. Any kind of straw or hay can get moldy. I'd say, use what you like best.

Those are my thoughts exactly....

 

[biophiliac]

What are your thoughts on straw vs hay for bedding? We mistakenly started out with hay for their bedding which we loved. So easy to keep clean and their coop was inside another building without food or water. We then switched to straw because we read it was best to avoid mold but we hate It. It smells terrible and I personally think it always feels damp and gross. Is it ok to use hay? I think they prefer it as well. Seems More comfortable for them too. I pick out their poop from the evening every morning when we let them out and they rarely go in it during the day. Then we do a complete change about one a month and steam clean the linoleum before putting down new bedding. Keep in mind we only have two ducks and maintain a very clean coop but I do not want to risk getting them sick by changing back to hay if it's not good

Isn’t the main reason people don’t use hay the price? I believe it’s more expensive than straw correct? I would be interested in hearing why it molds faster than straw if that’s the case.

Steven. . are you positive you don't have that backwards? It seems to me that hay would be the more damp smelly stuff? Where did you buy your straw?

Where I am I got hay cheaper than straw around 2 dls a bale vs 6 dls a bale for straw - from the garden center where it is popular for many uses.

I think hay that is cut and baled properly will not be moldy but as the moisture content may be slightly higher it can mold if not stored correctly.

We used hay when we started the coop in August and used hay until around December and never noticed any odor. Then when we read an article I got nervous and switched. Now it smells like a barn all the time. I hate it

Did you ever hear: If it ain't broke - don't fix it?

I don't think it matters which you use. Straw is the stalks of wheat or barley or whatever grain they grow around there, with the seed heads removed. People buy it for animal bedding, mulching gardens, etc. Hay is other types grasses cut and dried, seeds and all, and it's used for feeding livestock. There are lots of kinds of hay available, fescue, timothy, orchard grass, bermuda, clover, alfalfa, native grasses, etc , each will smell different, have different nutritional qualities.. Any kind of straw or hay can get moldy. I'd say, use what you like best.

Agree!

 

[Kusanar]

Isn’t the main reason people don’t use hay the price? I believe it’s more expensive than straw correct? I would be interested in hearing why it molds faster than straw if that’s the case.

Straw has a waxy coating on it that keeps it from absorbing water, so it stays drier and is less moldy. The center of straw is also hollow, so less mass, less water being held in the fibers also equals less mold. Now, the reason that straw feels wet and icky, is because the water stays on the outside of the straw rather than soaking in.

 

[CayugaJana]

Straw has a waxy coating on it that keeps it from absorbing water, so it stays drier and is less moldy. The center of straw is also hollow, so less mass, less water being held in the fibers also equals less mold. Now, the reason that straw feels wet and icky, is because the water stays on the outside of the straw rather than soaking in.

Is the wax put on after cutting?

 

[biophiliac]

Is the wax put on after cutting?

 

[CayugaJana]

The types of plants that our straw is made of don’t make any special wax that a grass doesn’t make so I’m a little confused.

 

[biophiliac]

The types of plants that our straw is made of don’t make any special wax that a grass doesn’t make so I’m a little confused.

Sorry, I'm no straw expert.

My very favorite is the golden brown pine straw! It sheds water like crazy! I collect it from my neighbor's yard.