Spanish moss for bedding

[Krayfish57]

Has anyone used Spanish moss for bedding? We have tons of it hanging off our oak trees here in north Florida. Just a thought...

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

What SourRoses said ^ I often see our chickens eating some and other times they are limping around almost hog tied with the stuff! Note - they do eventually get free of it and don't seem to worried about their impeded progress.

 

[mcdze]

i wouldnt .. tangling is the problem .. its nice and fluffy but the filaments that connect it into long hanging strands are quite strong and almost like fishing line and im sure all your chickens would have it wrapped around their legs dragging pieces around constantly if it was used as flooring, bedding ..

 

[Krayfish57]

Thank you all very much! I have horses so I buy hay anyway, but, heck Spanish moss is free! I may try it and let ya'll know how it works out.

 

[Krayfish57]

Nothing. Mine eat it all the time. They love it.

 

[raingarden]

Does your Spanish moss have red bugs (chiggers in Texan speak)? In the Carolinas handling Spanish moss can result in a few weeks of itching.

 

[SourRoses]

We're drowning in the stuff, living under an expansive canopy of live oaks.

I wouldn't use it as a bedding because of its propensity to tangle.
It's like spaghetti noodles, if noodles were more fibrous and hard to pull apart. From sticks to feet, everything gets stuck in it.
If you could chop it, that would make a great bedding!
I haven't encountered the bugs others warn about. A lot of the stuff that falls off the tree is less healthy so may be more likely to be infested with something.
The healthiest, freshest looking stuff is still on the tree (except after storms).

 

[redsoxs]

Hey krayfish...I got to pondering about your Spanish moss question and typed 'spanish moss' into the BYC search bar. Apparently some folks use it - biggest concern mentioned was bugs being in it. From what I read chicken will pick at it but really eat it.

 

[rachlore]

I think it will be fine

 

[fire hawk]

I too live in north Florida and just started using Spanish moss as bedding. So far so good...and it's free