Wet straw/hay bales

[newbyduckmom]

We have a couple of bales of straw/hay that are wet. Hubby used it in the outdoor duck pen to help with the mud. My concern is that it might be moldy. I know it is a bad idea to use wet hay in duck houses, does the same hold true for duck run where there is a good deal of mud? (I raked it up, but would be nice to use to alleviate the mud problem).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Personally I don't think outside would cause a problem, we have mud and I had dh leave the leaves in places because it does help and they get moldy. I think it's more of a problem in confined areas. Where they breather in the mold spores. At least I hope so we have a ton of wet leaves.

 

[HottentotTeal]

Quote:
I originally tried a grass straw/hay with my aviary, but it is pretty small and it's not under direct sunlight in a lot of areas most of the day, so it did get moldy for me within a few days.

I then started buying Pine Straw, which seems to take forever to mold over and was recommend by a lot of people here.

 

[grawg]

Just curious, but has anyone been able to successfully grow grass or even weeds in a duck run while the ducks still live there?

 

[easttxchick]

Quote:

Boy, I surely wish that were the case. They are like a grass removal company in the space of about 2 days! They stripped my HUGE community pen down in short order. It is now bald.

I'm not laughing at you, but I just picture mine excavating EVERYTHING!

 

[newbyduckmom]

The only thing that survives my ducks is the Ranunculus (buttercup) weeds all through our damp (clay soil) yard and even that struggles (and it is very prolific) - the grass is history!

 

[Miss Lydia]

No grass here.

 

[grawg]

I kind of figured that was the case...just holding out hope that something could grow well enough to compete. Tried crimson clover, spinach, peas (I don't know what I was thinking either), sweet potatoes, malabar spinach, etc... Next year I've got a plan though. I'm going to plant sweet potato slips in protected areas and let them gain vigor, hopefully sending in a mass of vines too much for the ducks!

Yes, I'm fully aware I will be thwarted by the ducks, but I can dream can't I?

Although, now that I think about it, they did leave the okra alone, can't say that I blame them

 

[stargazingmommy]

I had grass in a section of the duck yard all summer, until fall, which has succeeded in turning my entire yard into a mud pit, seriously, no grass or even weeds anymore in my yard. time to throw the mulch down I think.
I'll post pics of before and after in the duck pen.

 

[stargazingmommy]

found them faster than I expected
this is now...just add frost and ice and an ungodly amount of straw my hubby put all over(except around the pool)

this was a couple weeks after I finished it and the grass was all pretty, the poultry were all free ranging and the chickens wandered in there

In the back you can see the fern(it's one that tolerates cold weather, can't remember the name though). Theres also clematis and either morning glory or honey suckle, can't remember which one I planted. The joshua grass didn't do so well, though they liked eating it the most. There is poultry netting from the wood edging angled up almost to the top of the fence. They can eat through but not the roots. I have poultry netting covering the grassy area, again, they can eat through, but not the roots. I put stepping stones down the center. The far left is the pool with river rock(the smooth stuff, not driveway gravel), the center is the grass, the faar right is the duck house and covered area, its normally compact dirt, but right now, straw covered.
see

and just for fun