Used straw for mulch

[Babe77]

During the winter months, our chickens would not leave the coop unless we placed some straw down over the snow. Now we are left with semi matted down straw in the run that could stay there for the rain and muck factor but has anyone used such for mulching in their vegetable gardens around plants?

TIA...

JoAnne

 

[suburbanite]

as far as mulch, I don't know. I couldn't see it really hurting anything, unless it was really matted down with chicken poop.
I think I would just put it in the compost pile to till into the soil this fall, that's what I do with all the bedding from my birds' houses

 

[Babe77]

thanks, we generally do that with the pine shavings from the coop.

 

[buckboy101]

Yeah we put ours in the compost pile for our garden

 

[Chickenberry]

I think that's a great idea! We have put hay/straw around our garden in the past and it really helped with saving moisture.. and with weeds too!

 

[patandchickens]

Pooey straw is really high-octane mulch

... it should be regarded as mulch PLUS fertilizer, and if not composted first it can certainly be enough to 'burn' some plants. So compost first or use with care. Just having it sit in the run since winter does not count as composting btw since it will have continued to recieve fresh inputs.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Babe77]

thanks for the input everyone... to the composter it goes !!