Next box bedding

[SarahBeth9394]

We just finished the coop and run.

I'm using sand in the coop. I hate to go buy a bale of hay for the nest box's if there's a chance I'll use so little the bale will go bad. I've got 7 hens that are just 5-6 weeks old so they won't be using the nest box's much for a while still. So is there something else I can use or should I just quit whining and go get a bale of hay? So how long will a bale stay good if I keep it dry considering the TX humidity.

Oh pictures will be posted in a couple of days. I want to keep them on my camera so I can show them to the preschoolers first.

 

[backyardmenagerie]

Hay should keep just fine if you keep it dry. I've kept hay year round in the barn for the horses, and as long as it doesn't get damp, it's fine to use a year or even two down the road. Otherwise, a bag of shavings makes a good nesting material, and may be easier to store than hay.
And if you don't want worry about storing and keeping something dry, many people use pieces of carpet or astro-turf cut to the size of the nest box. Old, dead leaves work great as well.