It also works well as a mulch in garden beds. This will help them battle a mite infestation. Hay to avoid: is old stale hay. Hay bales are iconic of farming, but one of the limitations of keeping animals on a city lot is figuring out how to store them. I have horses, so I usually have quite a bit of used or spent hay laying around but do not keep straw? I can buy large black yard trash bags of it at 1.10 a bag and I use it by layering when the old is too dirty. I use leaves for my chicken runs in the fall/Winter. Folks will swear a bird will get an impacted crop from eating hay, but I've never had an issue. Straw is a bedding and hay is a food (though in my opinion not a food for chickens.) There are lots of different types of straw too. You should be careful to only use high-quality straw, however, as low-quality straw will quickly harbor mold. I am getting a brand new coop in a few weeks and I wonder what to use on the floor inside the coop? Or does it have to be straw? Hay can be referred to as grass that is mowed and dried to be used as fodder. For chickens, I have no use for hay. It looks like straw it is! We've already discussed using fall leaves and shredded newspaper, so this time I want to talk about using straw in the chicken coop. I keep angora rabbits and they always kick some hay and droppings out of the cages on the garage side. but animals that actually bed on the floor you really would want straw. The shavings take too long to break down in the compost and the hay is longer and harder to clean on a daily basis when I want to spot clean the droppings. It may seem like a dumb question, I live in the Northeast and I was just wondering what works best. . Hay is livestock feed, straw is livestock bedding. Straw can be used as a bedding material although it compacts easily and isn’t very absorbent so needs changing regularly. Mary, Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance. Dec 3, 2018 - Hay vs. No need to worry, this is actually pretty easy to figure out. It also works well as a mulch in garden beds. If you are going to hate on Orps, you aren't allowed. 30 Comments. Straw Retains Heat Inside a Hot Coop. February 2, 2011. Straw is what remains after the grain has been removed (the seed). Fun – Chickens love to scratch and play in straw. Don’t use sawdust as it’s too dusty) Straw; Hay (can go moldy easily because it’s green) I have tried hay, shavings and now have found I love to use the chopped straw. I also love how bright and clean the barn looks once the livestock pens have a new layer of straw put down. Everyone tells me my choice is wrong until they hear my reasoning and my method! Don't want an injured leg on one of my ladies. It is best to use straw in nest boxes and not for bedding. This of course is not something that can contimue yet hay with it's seed I certainly don't want in my compost pile for extra weeds next garden season. Chickens and Hay Whilst doing a bit of chicken reading yesterday I came across an article that said very loudly Never use hay in a chicken house. Just toss in the flakes of bedding material and let the chickens or pigs have a good time messing with it and spreading it out at the same time. In the coop I use wood shavings -- at 5.99 a bale its about the same as the cost of a bale of straw, but holes up better. NEVER use hay as coop bedding. Straw Vs Hay Chickens Backyard Straw Farm Animals. Straw Mulch vs. Hay Mulch. Both have drawbacks as coop bedding. Definition and Description Hay is simply short grass. So now that you know the difference between straw and hay . Can I use sawdust? What S Better Straw Vs Shavings As Bedding Show Jumping … Hay is eaten, straw … Of course as many different kinds at there are different grains. Straw, on the other hand, consists of the stalk, seed coverings, dried stems, or leaves that have been separated from seeds. I put carpet remnants on the nest bottoms which works great. You don’t put hay in the garden for mulch unless you want a healthy crop of weeds. I mean, it’s just mulch, right? Thanks in advance! Silage vs. Hay: What’s the Difference? We prefer to use straw (vs hay) as bedding material for all of our animals. Straw, like hay, is sold in large rectangular bales. Hay and straw are not interchangeable. So is probably less of an issue outside. Straw “I have recently got 3 chickens for the back garden and the man I bought them from said to use bark chips for the floor of the run, and wood shavings for inside their house. Oct 16, 2020 #4 KaleIAm Crowing. I usually put shavings in the boxes first. I mean the rabbit droppings are generally processed alfalfa. And your chickens will LOVE poking around looking for weed seeds and bugs! . A major advantage is that it will compost quickly. So that’s why we buy both straw and hay. Ducks do not eat grass, which is what hay mainly consists of. Pine shavings (Cedar oils are toxic and should never be used. I'm wondering if it is OK to use in the run, which I did occassionally over the winter..? Many people use it to line their chicken coops. It’s important to know these differences before working with straw and hay, so here’s a little help. Typically speaking, the animal bedding should be exchanged when the odor begins to build up around the chicken coop. Hay and stray will work but tend to get really dusty. Moisture absorption: Sand vs. straw vs. pine shavings As far as absorption capacity goes, straw tends to be significantly more absorbent than pine shavings and sand. Hay and straw are not interchangeable. Wood Chips / Shavings VS. It works just fine for bedding, but there are a few things to consider when using any kind of long, dried, grass for chicken litter. Cochins Vs. Orps Bickering thread CHOOSE YOUR SIDE. They’re both comprised of grass and considered a preservation method of forage. This hay vs straw thing is something that will come up pretty early in your journey with animals. Who else loves their Orps? This hay vs straw thing is something that will come up pretty early in your journey with animals. Hay is made of green, tall, grass that has been dried and baled. Jul 13, 2015 1,025 1,958 301 Carnation, … Straw can be used as a bedding material although it compacts easily and isn’t very absorbent so needs changing regularly. Hay vs Straw NEVER use sand as coop bedding. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. chez: Fleas I think. While it has fewer nutrients to offer, straw provides a lot of heat and neutral material to your compost bin. Sawdust, especially if hardwood isn't a good idea for coop bedding. Orp lovers and Orps ONLY Thread. I use bales of straw in the run as a jungle gym and as wind break. It all goes in, then gets cleaned out once a year or so and put on the garden. I've used loose hay in the nest boxes for years. I read somewhere that hay can be toxic to chickens if it gets wet and moldy-- so I decided to put shavings in the coop instead. The straw should be chopped into 37 mm pieces. Definition and Description Hay is simply short grass. Hero Member; Location: NW France; 2525; Re: Hay or Straw « Reply #1 on: November 08, 2009, 14:06 » I think straw stays a lot cleaner. These take so long to break down that even manure from animals that consume the crops sprayed with them can cause your broadleaf vegetables to wither and die. Wood Chips / Shavings VS. Reactions: Silkielee and swampfox440. Straw can be found by searching classifieds or asking local farmers if they can spare enough to sell to a chicken fancier. Sand Vs Straw Or Shavings In The Coop Hay Company Straw Biodegradable Products. This article will explain the differences between hay and straw so you can get what you need for your animals and sound intelligent while doing it! For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Hay and straw are often both used as weed control mulch in the garden but the results you get can be quite different. why would you choose one over the other for mulching your garden? Sand. Straw vs. Shavings. Hay and straw seem very similar on the surface, but they are actually quite different; each one ideal for its own thing. Or visit our Learning Center for articles on How To Raise Chickens. However, be advised that mites like to hide in this stuff. Now I’m confused! As such, it’s safe for seedlings and older plants alike. This is terrific. Logged OldLadyCart likes this; tode. Oct 16, 2020 #3 T. TomCahalan Chirping. Feb 13, 2020 316 335 91 Ohio. Can someone tell me what is best for my chickens as bedding is it hay or straw. They’re both comprised of grass and considered a preservation method of forage. I haven't talked about chicken coop bedding lately so I think it's about time that we talked about it again. I try to compare shavings vs straw with benefits and negatives of both. Straw in the Garden: Which is Better? Disadvantages of Hay. I tried sand in my old (leaky coop) and it was horrible after it got wet. 8. Some known varieties include the Timothy or Orchard grass, Clover grass, and the Alfalfa hay (a forage crop). Hay bales are iconic of farming, but one of the limitations of keeping animals on a city lot is figuring out how to store them. I have been using pine shavings throughout the coop so far, but I wanted to cozy up the nesting boxes a little for the harsh Northeast winters. Oh, and btw, if you see a great deal on straw let me know. Straw. Can you help me please? In theory that sounds like a great plan. Straw is a common chicken bedding option. Hay for the horses to eat and straw for the chicken coop and nesting boxes. Orp lovers and Orps ONLY Thread. Hay and Straw: These two are not the same. So I am either using shavings or straw in the new coop? He actually advised against straw as he said it’s not absorbent and would not be very pleasant for the chickens. Dec 3, 2018 - Hay vs. The only reason I know the difference between straw and hay is that we have almost every gardening book ever printed. You don’t put hay in the garden for mulch unless you want a healthy crop of weeds. Although there are a couple of laboratory studies that suggest that straw has a lower absorbency than pine shavings (Ward et al., 2000; Yarnell et al., 2016), these studies use unusual laboratory methods to measure bedding absorbency. One bale of hay, please.” She rang me up. The benefits of mulch in a garden cannot be overstated and, if you’re reading this article, I assume you already know how terrific it is for controlling weeds and providing walkways. Straw “I have recently got 3 chickens for the back garden and the man I bought them from said to use bark chips for the floor of the run, and wood shavings for inside their house. Hay and Straw: These two are not the same. Is it ok to use a little hay in the nesting boxes? Because of this, it is very important to ask what has been sprayed on the hay or straw and how long ago the crop was treated. When the clerk said, “Anything else?” I said, “Oh yes. Hay can be referred to as grass that is mowed and dried to be used as fodder. You would not want to use this stuff as mulch, or you’d end up sprouting a yard full of alfalfa or whatever. Chopped straw is the most convenient to use. Premium Feather Member. Hay Vs Straw In The Garden Which Is Better Garden Mulch Straw Bale Gardening Organic Gardening Tips. Straw Vs Shavings My Choice For Coop Litter Gardening Tips Herbs Herb Garden . There are lots of different types of straw too. I would only consider using straw if I had a plentiful / cheap supply of it. Chopped straw is the most convenient to use. You must log in or register to reply here. If you have an animal that will toss around the bedding a little, like pigs or chickens, let them do most of the work for you. You must log in or register to reply here. Whole hay bales are easy to stack in the corner of a garage, shed, or coop, but once you open it up a hay bale or straw bale, it will be everywhere unless you have a plan. The hay is great since it can be rounded into a nice nest. Jun 5, 2019 - Not familiar with all the bedding options for chickens? The tough yellow stalks left over from harvesting grains like wheat makes up straw. Straw Vs Hay Chickens Backyard Straw Farm Animals. And straw is SO much less dusty than shavings and drier than hay so it doesn't mold.... #teamstraw. Straw, on the other hand, consists of the stalk, seed coverings, dried stems, or leaves that have been separated from seeds. 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