straw better than hay for warmth??

[kinnip]

Where does one find ground corn cobs? Somewhere in my mind I seem to remember seeing them, maybe at a pet store?

 

[1Chick Magnet]

is mold a problem during a new hampshire winter? right now i have a couple layers of plain cardboard with hay and corn stalks on top. i throw in a few new stalks every now and then. i have an unlimited supply of cardboard available to me. thought that if things got yuckie i could pull out the cardboard and start over. have had this setup for a month and so far so good. leaves are turning color now and dropping from trees. i was planning on bagging dry ones to use during the winter. my coop is an 8x12 shed with 2 rooms. we are in the process of insulating it and adding an inner wall. this will be my first winter. i have 4 large breed layers and 10 silkies. so far the only ones in the coop are 3 of the layers and 1 silkie. very concerned that my girls stay happy and healthy! any and all advice is welcome.

 

[NMbirds]

Wor of caution re straw = I know I read it on here somewhere, can't tell ya where or how reliable the source but it kinda makes sense and it's this:
Straw is indeed hollow and besides trapping air and thus serving as insulation it also can house mites which are not so good for chickens. SO, you might want to check that out with local ag extension service or someone more knowledgeable than I am as a newbie. And good luck regardless.
There is definitely a difference between hay (grown for food such as alfalfa, timothy, etc) and straw which is the left over stalks from wheat, oats and rye. And yes, the latter is used for bedding particularly with cows, sheep and larger animals.

 

[sundance]

I use hay in the floor of the coop and the nests, but since the roosts are up high from the floor, can't see where hay would be wrong. I have used wheat straw from Lowes in the run for them to just scratch in, they love that, but I'll stick to my hay for the nests and coop. marrie

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Yes straw hay can and will harbor mites, but I am hoping by useing some DE sprinkled around this will take care of that problem. what do you think ??.

AL

 

[kristenm1975]

I've been using straw and the problem I can see with it is that it seems to get wet and stay wet even after the rains have gone. Also, when mixed with mud from wet ground, food scraps, poo, and wet layer pellets, it seems to form almost a cement like mixture. Not sure if I'm alone with this problem, or if I'm doing something wrong, but that's been my experience.

Questions for those in the know: when the hay in my smaller banty coop gets wet, should I rake it all out and start over? Also, the floor of the coop is just grassy ground. It seems to get wet and keep the hay wet. Should I be doing something different here?

Thanks!

 

[Chicabee19]

before we knew the difference, we bought hay to put in the walkways between our raised garden beds.

big mistake.

it grew about 4 feet tall.