Winterizing Coop and Pen, NC Sandhills Version

[blacklab]

We are in NC as well - Durham area - yesterday was about the nastiest day we've had so far - nice to see the sun today, but still too cold for me! Our BOs seem happy enough laying about in the sunbeams!

 

[3KillerBs]

And after that day of nasty weather Cordon has given us our first egg today.

 

[ScratchNbawk]

And after that day of nasty weather Cordon has given us our first egg today.

My easter egger laid her first egg on this exact date too ... coincidence?!?

Congratulations!

 

[ScratchNbawk]

Nice set up, and I really like the hay bale idea. I would like to get some hay, but I’m afraid of bringing back mites and who knows what else to the coop.
It seems like I always come across some post that starts out like “I bought some hay (or something)”, and ends like “now I’m stuck with mites forever”. I know dealing with vermin and such is par for the course, and that all types of things are already in my coop whether I know it or not. I don’t have or want to create a sterile environment, just want to maintain harmony.
I probably just need to research the topic more and learn how to select good hay.

 

[3KillerBs]

Nice set up, and I really like the hay bale idea. I would like to get some hay, but I’m afraid of bringing back mites and who knows what else to the coop.
It seems like I always come across some post that starts out like “I bought some hay (or something)”, and ends like “now I’m stuck with mites forever”. I know dealing with vermin and such is par for the course, and that all types of things are already in my coop whether I know it or not. I don’t have or want to create a sterile environment, just want to maintain harmony.
I probably just need to research the topic more and learn how to select good hay.

I got ordinary straw bales from my local feed store.

My understanding is that mites and other such pests are transmitted from contact with wild birds. Since my pen is open I can't prevent contact if the wild birds fly in or over so I just decided not to worry about it.

I'll keep an eye open for signs of trouble, of course, but only in a routine way.

IMO, a lot of the things people say about using straw in the chicken coop and run is scaremongering by people who want to sell alternate, more expensive beddings -- though I will say that straw rather than shavings in my coop needed to be changed out sooner and straw down in the run needs more attention to prevent packing, matting, and the formation of anaerobic pockets.

But the intact bales are so useful I'm willing to go toss the loose straw around with the pitchfork periodically after the chickens tear the bales apart.

 

[ScratchNbawk]

That makes sense. Contact with wild birds, darn, guess I can’t control that either ... sometimes I wonder, what can I control.
I’m going to get some hay bales, looks like they’ll have lots of fun and it’ll help protect them from the wind.

 

[3KillerBs]

That makes sense. Contact with wild birds, darn, guess I can’t control that either ... sometimes I wonder, what can I control.
I’m going to get some hay bales, looks like they’ll have lots of fun and it’ll help protect them from the wind.

Just making sure you know, hay and straw are two quite different things.

Hay is grass (or clover, or alfalfa), cut green and dried to make a nutritious feed for grass-eating animals. It's a feedstuff and not generally used as bedding.

Straw is the leftover stems of mature grains. It's non-nutritious and is commonly used for animal bedding.

Some people *do* use hay rather than straw. I do not personally know how it's absorption capabilities compare when used as bedding. IIRC, hay breaks down more rapidly in a composting environment.

 

[aart]

Some people *do* use hay rather than straw. I do not personally know how it's absorption capabilities compare when used as bedding. IIRC, hay breaks down more rapidly in a composting environment.

Neither straw nor hay are very absorptive...hay is more likely to mold.

 

[ScratchNbawk]

Just making sure you know, hay and straw are two quite different things.

Hay is grass (or clover, or alfalfa), cut green and dried to make a nutritious feed for grass-eating animals. It's a feedstuff and not generally used as bedding.

Straw is the leftover stems of mature grains. It's non-nutritious and is commonly used for animal bedding.

Some people *do* use hay rather than straw. I do not personally know how it's absorption capabilities compare when used as bedding. IIRC, hay breaks down more rapidly in a composting environment.

Thanks for the information. I knew there was a difference, but I didn’t know what the difference was exactly. I’ll look into which one I’d like to get, and make sure to weigh the pros and cons when determining where to place, and how to use them.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thanks for the information. I knew there was a difference, but I didn’t know what the difference was exactly. I’ll look into which one I’d like to get, and make sure to weigh the pros and cons when determining where to place, and how to use them.

Mine are arranged in that T formation specifically because my area can get storms from any point on the compass.

If you have a more consistent weather pattern you can arrange them for shelter from that direction. When I was growing up in western PA storms always came from the west. Maybe northwest or southwest, but always west and never east. Central NC is completely different.