Straw or hay????????????

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I used wood shavings in the brooder, and now straw in the coop... wouldn't change a thing!

 

[Mahonri]

I would only give hay the same way I give them grass clippings.

They'll eat all but the hard stalks and they aren't that absorbent. Straw just ends up STINKING!

Pine shavings and DE. can't go wrong with that and I use it to compost in my veggie garden.

 

[Mattemma]

I use pine shavings for the floor and straw bales to line the walls. I add straw to the nest box. I will also throw straw around the run with some DE,and after a few days rake it up.Helps me to clean up the poop.They will scratch around to eat the seeds.They also seem to prefer sitting on the straw bales instead of the roosts,so I top them with shaving and clean the top each am.
Straw bales cost around $5-6 at stores. I have seen both hay and straw for $3 on craigs.

 

[woodmort]

Pine shavings on the floor not only absorb and dry out the pooh but decompose quickly. Straw in the nest because it cushions and insulates the eggs. I don't like straw or hay on the floor of the coop as it is too hard to clean out--pine shavings shovel easier.

 

[carrlr]

Quote:
Me too! I've only cleaned the coop once since switching to Pine shavings last fall. With Straw it was a regular occurrance. In the long run Pine Shavings w/DE is much cheaper IMHO.

 

[AnnainMD]

Used to use straw in the nest boxes untill I heard about the hollow tubes harboring mites and other buggers. So I switched to hay in the nest boxes. Always have pine shavings on the coop floor though, much easier to clean up and sift poop out if ever needed.

 

[kipper]

Pine shavings. Straw stinks.