Is hay ok for a temporary fix?

[angcurdy]

We use hay for everything, and our chickens love it. We have a cattle farm, and hay is what we have

 

[shannondee12]

We use hay for everything, and our chickens love it. We have a cattle farm, and hay is what we have

Is your run covered? How often do you change it out?

 

[angcurdy]

Ours is covered. But one side must have leaks. I haven't really had to change it and they have been in for a month. I'm about to change it though.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Hay or straw in a covered run is one thing, quite another in an uncovered run.

 

[TXchickmum]

We always shovel hay into the run before it rains. It really eliminates the muddy mess for us. That being said, after the rain is over we always rake it out and compost it/dispose of it. We never leave wet hay more than a day. The chickens love cleaning up the seeds and small fragments of hay left behind after it is raked out. (Hay in the run also eliminates muddy chicken waste. The waste clumps to the hay and is easily removed/raked away.)

 

[Janet Pesaturo]

I have one covered and one uncovered run, and use hay in both. I rake/turn the hay every day to keep it fluffy and dry, and spread fresh hay on top frequently. Occasionally I shovel it all out and use it for mulch in veg garden, and start over with fresh hay in the runs.

The hay in the uncovered run decomposes much more quickly and thoroughly, and requires more frequent addition of fresh hay. Yes, it can become a matted, muddy mess if you just spread it and leave it, but with a little daily management, it works out quite well. Hay is cheap and makes great garden mulch after chickens "process" it.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: I have MORE than enough things I need to do without adding another daily chore

SAND is a ONE TIME solution that lasts nearly forever

 

[Janet Pesaturo]

I have MORE than enough things I need to do without adding another daily chore

SAND is a ONE TIME solution that lasts nearly forever

Then you should go right on doing things the way you do them. I like the fact that my chickens turn it into garden mulch, it works quite well here and I'm quite happy with it. I am just sharing MY experiences, NOT telling YOU to do what I do.