Litter Preferences

[Madcap621]

I have been using white pine shavings for litter with my peeps. I have also seen ground corncobs - a little less expensive - and the book "Chicken Tractor" by Andy Lee recommends 'mulch hay' [at $1/bale????] to build garden mulch under the chicken tractor. Where do yhou find this?

I am using the 'deep mulch' system, and am wondering if anyone has experience with these mulches as deep litter/garden mulch?

Madcap621

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Mulch hay is just poor quality hay that wouldn't be fed to animals. It could be over mature, rained on, or from very weedy stands. It is typically used for bedding on farms.

I use it in our layer barn, we made 150 bales off of a fresh planting that was overrun with weeds. As long as it's dry the birds break it up pretty quickly. In damper areas of the barn, it mats up and I have to keep it stirred. I don't know that it would be good for garden mulch without composting it first. It can contain a lot of seed heads and weeds that would overrun your garden.

 

[Ariel301]

You'd have to be careful with that bad hay as it can contain lots of mold, especially if it got ruined because of moisture.

 

[Madcap621]

Thanks. maybe I'll forget that hay. I was thinking of using it in a chicken tractor placed over a raised bed so the chickens could till, fertilize and mulch, but if they didn't eat any seeds in it, that could be bad!

Madcap621