HAY CONCERN

[theblondeangler]

Being a new chicken keeper the internet has given me a lot of information on chicken keeping but everyone seems to have a different opinions on what the right thing to do is. All the articles that I have read suggests against putting hay/straw in the chicken run/coop. I have a deep litter method of pine shavings in the coop already but recently put hay in the coop for some extra insulation for my flock. We have a metal storage shed we had converted into a coop without insulation. Has anyone had any issues with the chickens eating the hay and suffering impacted crops as a result? Old time farmers say they've never had issues but other chicken keepers in forums online have suggested otherwise. I don't plan on keeping the hay in there all year. Just for a month or two until it warms up a little. I also turn it up every day.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I have deep litter on a dirt floor, on my second bale of hay this year....

No issues to date.

Gary

 

[azygous]

As long as your chickens are fed adequately, aren't starving, they will happily nibble away at the leafy portion of the hay and ignore the stems. It's the stems that cause impacted crops, and they aren't normally attractive to chickens.

 

[lazy gardener]

I keep bales of hay in my coop almost all the time. As needed, I will bust a bale open to mix with the DL: leaf, garden debris, grass clippings. I've never had issues with impacted crops in my flock, even when I give them mountains of long stringy garden debris in their run. If birds have adequate access to feed, have access to green vegetation, and access to grit, then crop impaction IMO would be a function of some internal illness in the bird.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I Chuck a mound in the center. Come back in a few hours and it is spread even across the entire floor. Good little helpers they are.
Buy last year's hay... Super cheap. I have been getting round rolls for 10 bucks. Fresh hay is too Costly for our scale.
Once a week we rake it up and wheelbarrow it to a remote paddock and spread it out. It rots back into the soil and rejuvenates the ground in the spring.

 

[Welshies]

No issue, but hay is problematic for many reasons.
Hay and straw are two different things.
Hay if it gets wet or doesn't break down properly will become moldy. Many last year's bales are already moldy or very dusty.
Straw is dryer, less dusty and takes longer to become moldy.
Keep in mind moldy hay can set itself on fire.

 

[red horse ranch]

Moldy hay can also cause lung problems that will kill a chicken. I lost several chickens years ago when I only used hay for bedding. It's a horrible way for a chicken to die. I only use pine chips any more. I do put a little fresh alfalfa hay in the henhouse this time of year so they can get some greenery but I don't use a deep litter method and the floor is cleaned every few weeks.

 

[Welshies]

Moldy hay can also cause lung problems that will kill a chicken. I lost several chickens years ago when I only used hay for bedding. It's a horrible way for a chicken to die. I only use pine chips any more. I do put a little fresh alfalfa hay in the henhouse this time of year so they can get some greenery but I don't use a deep litter method and the floor is cleaned every few weeks.

I only use shavings as well. Hay or straw can work well for waterfowl, because shavings get so sopping wet so fast, but for chickens I have yet to find better bedding than shavings.

 

[hillbillyreefer]

I’ve used hay since I started with chickens haven’t had a problem.

 

[junebuggena]

I use hay in the coop as well. Never once have I had to deal with impacted crops.