Hay for the run, for seed scratching ??

[tigger19687]

Ok, the search function on here doesn't work well with my FF and Adblocker. And I couldn't find what I was looking for on google.

I am thinking of getting a bale of Hay/Straw/alfalfa to put in the run area.
I am looking for something that would have the most seeds ?
That way they will scratch through it and hunt for things when they are stuck in the run all day and can't go out to the front yard.

I am NOT looking to cover the run area to stop mud or anything. Winter will be coming soon so wanted something I could give them 1/2 a bale now and the other 1/2 in a month or so when snow comes.

I have leaves in the run now, but it's kinda boring for them I think.

Just trying to keep it fun for them. They are not into the hanging corn/cabbage

 

[lazy gardener]

I get a few bales each fall, and set them in the run (intact). The birds play on them, and when ever I decide to, I simply bust a bale open. Hay makes a great addition to the DL. You can always toss a cup or two of scratch grain into your leaves and hay.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I think straw is the only suitable option of the ones you mentioned. Some say it can harbor fungus or mold in the hollow tubes.

My chickens loves leaves and pine needles. They are more into insects than seeds and dig quite contentedly through the mat of leaves and pine needles. I'm about to add a few more wheelbarrows full of leaves today. I just leave them mounded and let them delight in tearing it apart.

I do use this for mud coverage, but it's wonderful free litter and will compost down beautifully for the veggie garden in the spring.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I get a few bales each fall, and set them in the run (intact). The birds play on them, and when ever I decide to, I simply bust a bale open. Hay makes a great addition to the DL. You can always toss a cup or two of scratch grain into your leaves and hay.

Can you clarify for me the difference between hay and straw? Did I get it right in my comment?

I've considered adding bales for them to jump on and then composting them or planting veggies directly in them at some point.

 

[tigger19687]

LG, since you are in my "area"
What KIND of hay ? Or does it not matter? I see some on CL, 1st, 2nd, cuts ...

I have a few old straw bales in there for them to jump on. They have been there for 2 years, wet and smelly if opened so I am not going to open them. They block the bottom of a fence. Will toss them at some point.

edit to add, good idea to toss some grain in there for them.

 

[lazy gardener]

Can you clarify for me the difference between hay and straw? Did I get it right in my comment?

I've considered adding bales for them to jump on and then composting them or planting veggies directly in them at some point.

Hay is a variety of grains that are harvested and dried for animal feed. It often has seed heads in it from all the grasses and even weeds that are found in the field. IMO, a good bale of hay has lots of varieties of seed heads. I'm actually reassured when I see lots of weedy plants and seeds in the hay. That assures me that the farmer does not treat his fields with herbicides. Just to be safe, I always buy from the same farmer, and ask him the same ? every time I get hay from him: "Any herbicides or insecticides applied to the fields you harvest from?????"

Straw is all one species. It is the left over plant material after a field of grain has been harvested. They thresh the seeds out, and bundle the remaining vegetation into straw bales. There will be occasional intact seed heads, all of the same variety. Straw is much coarser.

I have no problem using hay for DL in either coop or run. I do not use straw any more b/c it is stupid expensive. ($8.50 or more/bale) It is also much more likely to be treated with either insecticides or herbicides (GMO most often = "round up ready" grains. The grains can be planted in a field that is treated with round up, and the plants won't die. Then, before harvest, the crops are hit with an other round of herbicide to induce the whole crop to die off at once thus increasing the harvest.)

LG, since you are in my "area"
What KIND of hay ? Or does it not matter? I see some on CL, 1st, 2nd, cuts ...

I have a few old straw bales in there for them to jump on. They have been there for 2 years, wet and smelly if opened so I am not going to open them. They block the bottom of a fence. Will toss them at some point.

edit to add, good idea to toss some grain in there for them.

Any kind of hay will suffice for your needs. First cut, I believe is higher in nutrition for animal feed. It will be more expensive. I try to buy mulch quality hay and leave the good stuff for folks who have animals to feed. I don't care if the hay I buy has gotten wet during harvest (which renders it not fit for animal consumption). I intend my hay to get walked on, tread on and pooped on. If I get into a bale that is fresh and sweet, I set that aside for nesting material. An old bale that has sat in the run and is wet and "smelly" is welcome here. It's simply further along in it's decomposition process. Don't cart it off. Open it up, toss it around, spread some more DL on top of it.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Hay is a variety of grains that are harvested and dried for animal feed. It often has seed heads in it from all the grasses and even weeds that are found in the field. IMO, a good bale of hay has lots of varieties of seed heads. I'm actually reassured when I see lots of weedy plants and seeds in the hay. That assures me that the farmer does not treat his fields with herbicides. Just to be safe, I always buy from the same farmer, and ask him the same ? every time I get hay from him: "Any herbicides or insecticides applied to the fields you harvest from?????"

Straw is all one species. It is the left over plant material after a field of grain has been harvested. They thresh the seeds out, and bundle the remaining vegetation into straw bales. There will be occasional intact seed heads, all of the same variety. Straw is much coarser.

I have no problem using hay for DL in either coop or run. I do not use straw any more b/c it is stupid expensive. ($8.50 or more/bale) It is also much more likely to be treated with either insecticides or herbicides (GMO most often = "round up ready" grains. The grains can be planted in a field that is treated with round up, and the plants won't die. Then, before harvest, the crops are hit with an other round of herbicide to induce the whole crop to die off at once thus increasing the harvest.)



Any kind of hay will suffice for your needs. First cut, I believe is higher in nutrition for animal feed. It will be more expensive. I try to buy mulch quality hay and leave the good stuff for folks who have animals to feed. I don't care if the hay I buy has gotten wet during harvest (which renders it not fit for animal consumption). I intend my hay to get walked on, tread on and pooped on. If I get into a bale that is fresh and sweet, I set that aside for nesting material. An old bale that has sat in the run and is wet and "smelly" is welcome here. It's simply further along in it's decomposition process. Don't cart it off. Open it up, toss it around, spread some more DL on top of it.

Seriously, unbelievably awesome of you to consider the chemical treatment of the fields prior to harvest. I wouldn't have thought to ask, and I'm a huge advocate of organic and a HUGE anti-Roundup and Monsanto activist.

 

[Fairview01]

Hay is a variety of grains that are harvested and dried for animal feed. It often has seed heads in it from all the grasses and even weeds that are found in the field. IMO, a good bale of hay has lots of varieties of seed heads. I'm actually reassured when I see lots of weedy plants and seeds in the hay. That assures me that the farmer does not treat his fields with herbicides. Just to be safe, I always buy from the same farmer, and ask him the same ? every time I get hay from him: "Any herbicides or insecticides applied to the fields you harvest from?????"

Straw is all one species. It is the left over plant material after a field of grain has been harvested. They thresh the seeds out, and bundle the remaining vegetation into straw bales. There will be occasional intact seed heads, all of the same variety. Straw is much coarser.

I have no problem using hay for DL in either coop or run. I do not use straw any more b/c it is stupid expensive. ($8.50 or more/bale) It is also much more likely to be treated with either insecticides or herbicides (GMO most often = "round up ready" grains. The grains can be planted in a field that is treated with round up, and the plants won't die. Then, before harvest, the crops are hit with an other round of herbicide to induce the whole crop to die off at once thus increasing the harvest.)



Any kind of hay will suffice for your needs. First cut, I believe is higher in nutrition for animal feed. It will be more expensive. I try to buy mulch quality hay and leave the good stuff for folks who have animals to feed. I don't care if the hay I buy has gotten wet during harvest (which renders it not fit for animal consumption). I intend my hay to get walked on, tread on and pooped on. If I get into a bale that is fresh and sweet, I set that aside for nesting material. An old bale that has sat in the run and is wet and "smelly" is welcome here. It's simply further along in it's decomposition process. Don't cart it off. Open it up, toss it around, spread some more DL on top of it.

Not to step on your toes but hay is a grass crop in the case of Bermuda and legume in the case of clover or alfalfa. Hay that contains a lot of weed or weed seeds is only good for bedding at most and since hay is long pieces of grass it may cause an impacted crop.

Straw is generally the stalks left over from the wheat harvest. Unlike hay if a pesticide has been used on the wheat than the appropriate harvest interval since last application is required to be observed which is not always the case with hay as many pesticide residues do not afgect cattle or horses adversely. Straw will have many seeds both weed and wheat because unless it is a case of smut, it is more economical to separate weed from wheat mechanically at the time of harvest consequently there are a lot of seeds in straw.

 

[Percheron chick]

Grass hay that is loaded with seed heads is mature undesirable forage in the horse and cattle industry so not something most farmers strive to do. Cereal grain hays (oat, triticale) do have a considerable amount of seeds (I would guess around 5% by weight) and the stalks provide dl material in the run. Alfalfa will provide the most feed by weight (maybe as high as 75% depending upon maturity level). Chickens will pick all the leaves and only leave the coarsest stems. Not uncommon to find grasshoppers in the hay as a bonus.
The cutting of the hay can mean nothing regarding the feed value and desirably of the hay. Hay that is cut at an immature stage, dried quickly, not excessively raked and baled and stored properly is more important. First cutting will always have more weeds in it as the growing period is the longest and the crops are not aggressively growing and competing with the weeds. Late cuttings of alfalfa (aug and sept) grow quickly and tend to be harvested in an immature stage that has more leaf, higher protein and Ca, and is therefore more desirable and higher priced. Straw will provide 0 feed but is great in the run. For the money offer them alfalfa.

 

[tigger19687]

Thank you, this is very helpful. It has been WAY too long since I got to play with horses so I have forgotten all of the 1st cut, 2nd cut rules and types.

I will have to see if I can find pesticide free Alfalfa and 1st cut hay. Yup, that might take a while